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ARRACACIA XANTHORRHIZA. Arracacha. A perennial
herb, 2 to 3 feet high, with deeply divided leaves and small heads
of purple flowers. The large and fleshy roots, which have a peculiar
pleasant flavor and are slow to reach maturity, form a most important
article of food in South and Central America. Cooked
like parsnips, which they resemble. For the Gulf States and
California.

42791. ARTEMISIA CINA. Wormseed. From the Jardin
Botanique, Tiflis, Caucasus, Russia. Source of the drug santonica.
Low, straggly undershrub, abounding in the deserts of Turkestan.
The drug is composed of the dried, unexpanded flower heads, and
forms a yellowish green (at length, greenish brown), somewhat
glossy mass having a strong, somewhat camphorlike odor and a
bitter taste. Used as an anthelmintic.

23015. ASPARAGUS FILICINUS. From F. N. Meyer, Soochow,
Kiangsu, China. Very ornamental, hardy perennial of grace-
ful, feathery appearance suggesting a delicate fern. Often grown
as an ornamental pot plant. Much resembles the so-called "asparagus
fern," A. plumosus, which is a popular decorative plant.

42773. ASPARAGUS SCANDENS. From the Botanic Gardens,
Madrid, Spain. Slender climbing vine, up to 6 feet, with freely
branching green stems, the branches with twigs and leaves (cladodes)
in one plane. This ornamental asparagus thrives best in an
intermediate house. Good as a pot plant ; also for table decoration
when grown on strings.

42775. ASPARAGUS TRICHOPHYLLUS. From the Botanic
Gardens, Madrid, Spain. Hardy herbaceous perennial vine from
northern Asia, twining to a height of 6 feet. It has leaves (cladodes)
very similar to those of ordinary asparagus.

23014. ASPARAGUS sp. Asparagus. From F. N. Meyer,
Hangchow, Chekiang, China. A very small, herbaceous cypress-
like asparagus attaining a height of only 3 to 5 inches ; used in China
as an edging along pathways in gardens. Requires a shady situation.
This seems to be a new species, but it has not yet flowered in
America.

23016. ASPARAGUS sp. Asparagus. From F. N. Meyer,
Shanghai, Kiangsu, China. Reported as a plumy, herbaceous asparagus,
used by the Chinese as an ornamental pot plant and as greenery
in floral bouquets. Requires a shady situation. An undescribed
species, related to A. schoberianus, which has not yet flowered in
America.
        