14 



AEKACACIA XANTHORRHIZA. Arracacha. A perennial 

 herb, 2 to 3 feet hi2:h, 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 im- 

 portant article of food in South and Central America. Cooked 

 like parsnips, which they resemble. For the Gulf States and 

 California. 



42791. AETEMISIA 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, Soo- 

 chow, 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 " aspara- 

 gus fern," A. plumosiis, which is a popular decorative plant. 



42773. ASPARAGUS SCANDENS. From the Botanic Gar- 

 dens, Madrid, Spain. Slender climbing vine, up to 6 feet, with freely 

 branching green stems, the branches with twigs and leaves (clad- 

 odes) 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 situa- 

 tion. This seems to be a new species, but it has not yet flowered in 

 America. 



23016. ASPARAGUS sp. Asparagus. From F. Meyer, 

 Shanghai, Kiangsu, China. Reported as a plumy, herbaceous aspar- 

 agus, 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. gchoherianus, which has not yet flowered in 

 America. 



