12 



AN ALPHABETICAL LIST OF 



with its umbelliferous heads of red brown bloom is much liked by 

 bees. A, syriaca, dull purple, is a pretty herbaceous perennial. 



Asperula odorata {Woodruff). — A wild annual plant in many British 

 woodlands, that delights in shady nooks, where its insignificant star- 

 shaped, pearly white flowers, and vivid green leaves can enjoy 

 their attracti\re odours unmolested, in spring. The v/horled posi- 

 tion of the leaves of this plant renders it very similar to the 

 common cleavers, but its scent sufficiently distinguishes it. It 

 does not emit its fragrance while growing ; but, if held in the 

 warm hand for a short period it throws out its perfume. The 

 scent is very powerful, and will retain its strength for some years, 

 imparting sweetness to every object near it. If plenty of sprigs 

 are placed in drawers, for years afterwards, when opened, a sweet 

 breath of cowslip leas and new-mown hay will give a welcome to 

 a feast of reason and a flow of soul. A. azurea setosa is another 

 variety, carrying rosy blue flowers that are slightly scented. 



Asphodelus [King's Spears). — A bulbous plant from the South of 

 Europe, with an origin traced in fabulous history to that memor- 

 able apple which Discord threw into the assembly of gods who 

 attended the nuptials of Peleus and Thetis, as a prize for the fairest 

 of the Goddesses. The decision, which was in favour of Venus, so 

 offended Juno and Minerva, that they endeavoured to break the 

 beautiful crook given to the shepherd of Ida, but which was saved 

 by its turning into the blossom of a yellow Asphodel, so much 

 resembling a royal sceptre. 



The roots were to the Greeks and Romans what the potato now 

 is to us, and it was also the belief of the ancients that the flowers 

 produced grains that afforded nourishment to the dead. The plant 

 is mentioned by Milton as forming part of the nuptial couch of 

 Adam and Eve, and Rapin, in his poems on gardens, refers to it as 

 an article of food in this strain : — 



' And rising, Asphodel forsakes her bed, 

 On whose sweet root our rustic fathers fed.' 



It is a stately plant, quite hardy, producing stout flower-stems 

 several feet high, and carrying an abundance of branches full of 

 large yellow blossoms. 



' The Asi>hodelus the flowers of the Elysian Fiehls.'— Ruskin. 



Aspidium [Shield Fern). A. fragrans, a scented hardy species. A. 



nevadense, a fragrant greenhouse variety. 

 Asplenium fragrans. — A wild fern in North America, the fronds are 



used by local rustics for stuffing beds. 

 Asterocephalus atropurpureus.— A plant belonging to a pretty class 



