248 
AR CTOSTAPHYL OS 
Arctostaphylos Adans. Ericaceae (11. 6). 18 sp. chiefly N. Am. 
Two are circumpolar and occur in Brit, (alpine). A. Uva-ursi 
Spreng., the red bearberry, is common in the Highlands, especially 
on wind-swept ridges and dry places. A. alpina Spreng., the black 
bearberry, is rarer. The former is evergreen, the latter not. On 
this account and because of its soft berry it is sometimes placed in a 
separate genus Arctous Niedz. The berries form one of the principal 
foods of grouse &c. The firs, appear as soon as the snow melts; 
they resemble those of Erica in structure and mechanism. 
Arctotis Linn. Compositae (x). 58 sp. Afr., Austr. 
Arctous Niedz. See Arctostaphylos. 
Ardisia Sw. Myrsinaceae (11). 200 sp. Some show ‘vivipary’ like 
Rhizophora (< q . v.). 
Arduina Mill. = Carissa Linn. 
Areca Linn. Palmae (iv. 6). About 15 sp. Malacca to New Guinea. 
A. Catechu L. is largely cultivated in trop. As. for its seeds (Areca 
or Betel nuts). The infl. is below the oldest living leaves, monoecious, 
with the ? firs, at the bases of the twigs, the & above. The seed 
is about as big as a damson ; it is cut into slices and rolled up 
in a leaf of Betel pepper (Piper Betle) with a little lime. When 
chewed, it turns the saliva bright red ; it acts as a stimulus upon 
the digestive organs, and is supposed by the natives (who use it 
habitually) to be a preventive of dysentery. For A, oleracea Jacq. 
see Oreodoxa. 
Arenaria Linn, (inch Alsine Scop., Cherleria Hall., Honckenya Ehrh., 
Moehringia L.). About 150 sp. cosmop. 8 in Brit, (sandworts), of 
which the most noteworthy is A . (Honck.) peploides L. the sea- 
purslane, common on sandy coasts. It has long creeping stems below 
the sand, bearing scale leaves ; the green leaves are fleshy with water 
storage tissue (p. 186). A. Cherleria Hook. (C. sedoides L.), the 
cyphel, is a tufted alpine plant (p. 183) common in the Highlands. 
Arenga Labill. Palmae (iv. 6). About 8 sp. E. Ind. Like Caryota, 
but the spadix unisexual. Sta. 00, cpls. 3. A. saccharifera Labill., 
the Gomuti palm, is largely cultivated as a source of palm sugar 
(jaggery), obtained by evaporation of the sap that flows from wounds 
made in the young infl. The tree only flowers once. A variety of 
sago is obtained by washing and granulating the pith. 
Aretliusa Gronov. Orchidaceae (4). 2 sp. Japan and N. Am. 
Aretia Hall. Merged in Androsace L. (12 sp. Eur., Siber.). 
Argania Roem. et Schult. Sapotaceae (1). 1 sp. A. Sideroxylon R. 
& S., in Morocco. The fruit is eaten by cattle ; the pressed seeds yield 
Argan oil, used instead of olive oil. 
Argemone Toum. Papaveraceae (11). 6 sp. trop. Am. 
Argyreia Lour. Convolvulaceae (1. 4). 25 sp. trop. As., Afr. 
Argyrolobium Eckl. et Zeyh. Leguminosae (ill. 3). 40 sp. Afr., Medit., 
Ind. Mostly xerophytes. 
