A C A 
tacuijjem 'omen acanthi , it will by no means agree 
with this, or the Egyptian Acacia. However, as the 
botanifts in general have agreed that the plant here 
mentioned is the Acanthus of Virgil, and there being 
feveral entire columns of the Corinthian order yet 
remaining at Rome, upon whole capitals the leaves 
of this plant are fo well expreffed, as not to admit of 
any doubt of their being defigned from our Acanthus, 
and thefe columns being as antient as the time of 
Vitruvius, there can be no doubt that this is 
the plant from whofe leaves Callimachus, a famous 
architect, compofed the capitals of the Corinthian 
pillars. 
The fecond fort was difcovered in Portugal by Dr. 
Bernard de Juffieu, demonftrator of plants in the roy al 
garden at Paris, from whom I received the feeds in 
1725, which fucceeded in the Chelfea garden, and 
frequently perfefts feeds there ; which being fown, 
conftantly produce the fame plants as the parent, and 
therefore muft be a diftind fpecies. 
The third fort is at prefent very rare in England ; it 
grows naturally in the eaft, and is by Dr. Linnaeus 
fuppofed to be the Acanthus of Diofcorides, but with 
what certainty I cannot determine. This fort is not 
fo hardy as either of the two former, fo requires Khel- 
ter in the winter ; therefore the plants while young, 
fhould be kept in pots, and placed under a common 
frame during the winter feafon ; where they may en- 
joy the open air in mild weather, but fcreened from 
hard frofts. When the plants have acquired ftrength, 
fome of them may be turned out of the pots, and 
planted in a border near a fouth wall, and in hard 
frofts if they are covered with mats or hand-glafles, 
they may be fecured, and thefe plants will more cer- 
tainly flower than thofe in the pots. 
The leaves of the fourth fort are deeply jagged, in 
very regular order, and each fegment is terminated 
with a lharp fpine, as are alfo the foot-ftalks of the 
leaves, and the empalement of the flower, which ren- 
ders it troublefome to handle either of them. 
The fifth fort grows naturally in both Indies ; I re- 
ceived it from the Spanifh Weft-Indies. There is a 
good figure of this plant in PJpJenet’s Phytographia, 
tab. 261, fig. 4. under the following title, Frutex In- 
dicus fpinofus, foliis Agrifolii filiqua geminata brevi. 
This is a fhrub which rifes about four feet high, is 
divided into many branches, jgarnifhed with leaves, 
very like thofe of the common Holly, both in fize and 
fliape, and are armed with fpines in the fame manner; 
the flowers come out fingly, which are white, and 
fhaped like thofe of the common Acanthus, but 
fmaller. After the flower is paft, the germen becomes 
an oval bicapfular veffel, having one oblong feed in 
each cell. This fhrub is evergreen, but is too tender 
to thrive out of a ftove in England, and can only be 
propagated by feeds, which do not ripen in Europe. 
The other forts are lafting plants, which may be pro- 
pagated either by feeds, or parting of their roots; if 
by the former method, the feeds fhould be fown in 
a light dry foil, towards the end of March: if the 
feafon proves favourable, the plants will appear in 
May, and all the culture they require, is to keep them 
clean from weeds, and where the plants are too clofe, 
to thin them, fo as to leave them about fix inches 
afunder, which will be room enough for them to grow 
till autumn, when they fhould be tranfplanted v/here 
they are defigned to remain. The firft, fecond, and third 
forts, being tenderer than the others, ought to be 
planted in a warm border near a wall ; and as thefe 
do not multiply fo fall by their roots, fo they do not 
require more room than three feet; but the fourth 
fort fpreads its roots to a great diftance, therefore muft 
have more than twice that room. This being hardy 
in refpeft to cold, may be planted between fhrubs, to 
fill up vacant fpaces, where it will thrive faft enough, 
provided the ground be light, and not over wet, and 
when the plants are in flower, will make an agreeable 
variety. If this fort is propagated by its root, it may 
be performed either in fpring or autumn ; but the 
three firft muft only be removed in the fpring, for if ' 
AGE 
they are tranfplanted in the autumn, and the following 
winter prove cold, they will be in danger of being 
deftroyed. 
Thefe plants take root very deep in the ground, fo 
that when they are planted in wet ground, their roots 
will rot in winter: I have frequently traced them more 
than four feet, therefore they fhould not be removed 
after they have been growing long in a place, but the 
fide fhoots may be annually taken off, efpeciaily from 
the creeping kinds, otherwife they wifi fpread fo far, 
as to over-bear any of their neighbouring plants or 
fhrubs. When the forts with creeping roots are once 
eftablifhed in a garden, they are with difficulty eradi- 
cated, for every root which may happen to be left 3 
will fhoot again, fo as to become troublefome. 
A C A R N A. See Cnicus. . 
A CAUL IS, or ACAULOS [of ce neg. and caulis a 
ftalk or Item; i. e. without ftalk;] a plant is faid to 
be acaulis , or without ftalk, whole flower refts on 
the ground, having no viflble ftalk. 
ACER [fo called according to Voflius, from acris, L.’ 
becaufe of the very great hardnefs of its wood.] The 
Maple-tree. 
The Characters of this tree are, 
’The empalement of the flower is nionopetalus , coloured , and 
cut into five foarp fegment s at the brim , and is permanent. 
The corolla is compofed of five oval petals which fpread 
open , and are larger than the empalement. It hath eight 
fhort awl-Jhapedflamina crowned by fimple fummits. The 
germen is comprejjed , and immerfed in the large perforated 
receptacle. The ftyle is fender. It hath two acuminated 
fligma which are reflexed. The capfules are two , joined 
at their bafe ; they are roundifh , each being terminated by 
a large wing , inclofing one roundifh feed in each. 
This is ranged by Dr. Linnaeus, in his twenty- third 
clafs of plants, entitled Polygamia Moncecia. 
The Species are, 
1. Acer ( Pfeudo Plat anus) foliis quinquelobis insequaliter 
ferratis floribus racemofls. Lin. Sp. Plant: 1054. The 
greater Maple, falfely called Plat anus. Acer majus mul- 
tis falfo platanus. J. B. The Sycamore-tree. 
2. Acer ( Campeflre ) foliis lobatis obtufls emarginatis. 1 
Lin. Sp. Plant. 1055. The f mall , or common Maple. 
Acer campeftre & minus. C. B. P. 43 1 . By the French, 
Petit enable des hois. 
3. Acer [Negundo) foliis compofitis floribus racemofis. 1 
Hort 144. The Virginia Afo-leaved Maple. Acer maxi- 
mum foliis trifidis vel quinquefidis Virginianum. Pluk. 
Phyt. 
4. Acer flPlatanoides) foliis quinquelobis acuminatis a- 
cute dentatis glabris floribus corymhofls. Lin. Flor. 
Suec. 303. The Norway Maple with Plane-tree leaves . 
Acer platanoides. Munt. Phyt. 
5. Acer ( Rubrum ) foliis quinquelobis fubdentatis fubtus 
glaucis pedunculis flmpliciflimis aggregatis. Lin. Sp. 
Plant. 1055. The fcarlet flowering Maple of Virginia. 
Acer Virginianum folio majore fubtus argenteo fupra 
viridi fplendente. Pluk. Aim. 7. 
6. Acer \Saccharimm) foliis quinquepartito-palmatis a- 
cuminato dentatis. Lin. Sp. Plant 1055. The American 
Sugar Maple. 
7. Acer ( Penfylvanicum ) foliis trilobis acuminatis ferru- 
latis floribus racemofls. Lin. Sp. Plant. 1055. The 
Mountain Maple of America. 
8. Acer ( Opalus ) foliis lobatis, minime incifis fruftu ra- 
cemofo. The Italian Maple , commonly called Opalus. 
Acer major folio rotundiore minus laciniato & opalus 
Italorum, Raii Hift. 
9. Acer ( Monfpefulanum ) foliis trilobis integerrimis. Prod. 
Leyd. 459. The Montpelier Maple. Acer trifolium. C. 
B. P. 431. 
10. Acer ( Creticn ) foliis trilobis integerrimis fubtus pu- 
befcentibus. Cretan Maple with three entire lobes to the 
leaves , which are fomewhat hairy on their under fide. 
Thefe trees are eaflly propagated by fowing their 
feeds, which fhould be done foon after they are ripe, 
in a bed of common earth, covering them about half 
an inch thick with light mould. The fpring following 
they will appear above ground, and, if kept clear from 
weeds, fome of the forts will grow above a foot high 
B ' the 
