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ASPLENIUM 
L. (the bird’s nest fern) is an interesting epiphyte of the Old World 
tropics. It bears a rosette of leaves forming a nest in which humus 
collects ; the roots ramify in this and obtain food and water. A. rhi- 
zophyllum Kunze is the walking fern, so-called because the leaf-tips 
when they touch the soil bud into new individuals, and thus the plant 
spreads to some distance. 
Astelia Banks et Soland. Liliaceae (vi). 9 sp. Polynes. Dioecious. 
Astephanus R. Br. Asclepiadaceae (11. 2). 12 sp. Madag., E. Afr., 
trop. and subtrop. Am. 
Aster Tourn. ex Linn. Compositae (in). 200 sp. Am., As., Afr., 
Eur., 2 sp. on the Brit, coast (Michaelmas daisy), both, like so many 
shore plants (p. 186), somewhat fleshy. The China aster of gardens 
(A. chinensis L.) is a species of Callistephus. 
Asterales (Benth.-Hook.). The 2nd cohort of Dicotyledons (Gamopet.). 
Asteriscium Cham, et Schlecht. Umbelliferae (2). 17 sp. Mex., S. Am. 
Asteriscus Moench. = Odontospermum Neck. 
Astilbe Buch.-Ham. Saxifragaceae (1). 6 sp. As., N. Am. 
Astragalus Tourn. ex. Linn. Leguminosae (ill. 6). About 1200 sp. 
cosmop. except Austr., 3 in Brit, (milk- vetch). The majority are 
N. temp, plants living on steppes, prairies, &c. and are more or less 
xerophytic. A great number are thorny ; the thorns commonly form 
by the stiffening of the petiole or midrib of the leaf when the blade 
falls off (p. 20). A. gummifer Labill. and others yield gum- 
tragacanth, obtained by wounding the stem, and allowing the gum 
to exude and harden (p. 198). 
Astrantia (Tourn.) Linn. Umbelliferae (3). 5 sp. Eur., As. 
Astrocarpus Neck. Resedaceae. 1 variable sp. S-W. Eur. 
Astrocaryum G. F. W. Mey. Palmae (iv. 7). 30 sp. trop. Am. 
Astroloma R. Br. Epacridaceae (incl. in Styphelia in Nat . Pfl .). 
25 sp. Austr. 
Astronia Noronha. Melastomaceae (11). 20 sp. Malay Arch., Polynes. 
Asystasia Blume. Acanthaceae (iv. B). 20 sp. palaeotrop. 
Atalantia Correa. Rutaceae (x). 12 sp. trop. As., China, Austr. 
Athamanta Linn. Umbelliferae (6). 3 sp. Eur., W. As. 
Atbanasia Linn. Compositae (vn). 40 sp. S. Afr. 
Atherosperma Labill. Monimiaceae. 1 sp. Victoria, Tasmania. 
Athrixia Ker-Gawl. Compositae (iv). 15 sp. Austr., Afr. 
Atbrotaxis D. Don. Coniferae (Arauc. ic; see C. for genus 
characters). 4 sp. Tasmania. 
Athyrium Roth = Asplenium Linn. 
Atractylis Linn. Compositae (xi). 15 sp. Medit. to Japan. 
Atragene Linn. = Clematis Linn. 
Atraphaxis Linn. Polygonaceae (11. 3). 17 sp. Cent. As., N. Afr., 
Greece. 
Atriplex (Tourn.) Linn. Chenopodiaceae (4). 120 sp. temp, and sub- 
trop., 6 in Brit, (orache). Firs, unisexual, naked or with perianth. 
Atropa Linn. Solanaceae (11). 2 sp. Eur., Medit., As. A . Belladonna 
