FIG. 145. ARAUCARIA IMBRICATA.
A. andrachnoides (Andrachne-like). A synonym of A. hybrida.
A. canariensis (Canary). fl. greenish-white; panicles erect, hispid. May. l. oblong-lanceolate, serrated, glaucous beneath. h. 8ft. to 10ft. Canary Islands, 1796. Greenhouse.
A. densiflora (thickly-flowered).* fl. white; corolla oval; pedicels furnished with three bracteas at the base; panicle terminal, composed of closely packed racemes. l. 4in. to 5in. long, on long petioles, oblong, acute, sharply toothed, coriaceous, glabrous above and shining, but downy beneath, the middle nerve with rusty villi; branches angular, hairy. h. 20ft. Mexico, 1826. Greenhouse.
A. hybrida (hybrid).* fl. white; panicle terminal, pendulous, downy. September to December. l. oblong, acute, serrated, glabrous; branches pilose. h. 10ft. to 0ft. A half-hardy garden hybrid; it originated about 1800. SYN. A. andrachnoides.
A. Menziesi (Menzies').* fl. white; racemes axillary and terminal, panicled, dense-flowered. September. l. broad-oval, quite entire, glabrous, on long petioles. h. 6ft. to 10ft. North-west America, 1827. A noble hardy tree. A. laurifolia comes close to this species. SYN. A. procera.
A. mollis (soft). fl. rosy, drooping; panicle terminal, crowded, racemose. June. l. oblong-acute, sharply toothed, coriaceous, clothed with soft pubescence above, and white tomentum beneath. h. 6ft. Mexico. Greenhouse shrub.
A. mucronata (mucronate). A synonym of Pernettya mucronata.
A. pilosa (pilose). A synonym of Pernettya pilosa.
A. procera (tall).* A synonym of A. Menziesi.
A. serratifolia (saw-edge-leaved). A synonym of A. Andrachne serratifolia.
A. Unedo (Unedo).* The Strawberry Tree. fl. white, deep red in some of the varieties, nodding, in terminal racemose, bracteate panicles. September. fr. large, scarlet, nearly globose, granular, edible. l. oblong-lanceolate, glabrous, serrulated; branchlets clothed with glandular hairs. h. 8ft. to 10ft. West of Ireland, and South Europe. There are several varieties of this plant in cultivation. It is one of the greatest ornaments in the months of October and November—the season when it is in flower, and when, also, the fruit of the former year is ripe.
A. Xalapensis (Xalapan). fl. reddish white; corolla ovate; panicle terminal, composed of many racemes. April. l. petiolate, oblong, acute, quite entire, about 2in. long, glabrous above, but clothed with brownish tomentum beneath; epidermis separating, brownish purple. Young branches glabrous, but beset with ramentæ. h. 6ft. to 9ft. Mexico. Greenhouse species.
ARCHEGONIUM. The female organ in ferns, &c., analogous with the ovary in flowering plants.
ARCTOSTAPHYLOS (from arktos, a bear, and staphyle, a grape; bears eat the fruit of some species). ORD. Ericaceæ. Handsome hardy or half-hardy shrubs or sub-shrubs, agreeing in generic characters with Arbutus, except that the fruit is five-celled and the cells one-seeded, and not granular on the outside. For culture, &c., see [Arbutus].
A. alpina (alpine).* Black Bearberry. fl. white or flesh-coloured, in terminal, reflexed racemes; pedicels rather hairy. April. l. obovate, acute, wrinkled, serrated, deciduous. Stems procumbent, trailing. Scotland (but rare), &c. SYN. Arbutus alpina.
A. nitida (shining).* fl. white; racemes terminal. May. l. oblong-lanceolate, acute, smooth on both sides and shining above. h. 4ft. Mexico, 1839. An erect half-hardy evergreen.
A. pungens (stinging).* fl. white; pedicels close; racemes short, at first terminal, but at length lateral. February. l. ovate-oblong, acute, mucronate, rather pungent, quite entire, coriaceous, clothed with fine down on both surfaces; branchlets angular, downy. h. 1ft. Mexico, 1839. A dwarf, much branched, half-hardy evergreen shrub.
A. tomentosa (tomentose).* fl. pure white, campanulately urceolate, bracteate; peduncles axillary, shorter than the leaves, somewhat capitately racemose. December. l. oval, acute, sub-cordate at the base, clothed with white tomentum beneath, on short petioles; branches hispid. h. 4ft. North-west America, 1826. Shrubby species; hardy.
A. Uva-ursi.* Bearberry. fl. flesh-coloured, with a red mouth, growing in small clusters at the extremities of the branches. April. l. obovate, quite entire, coriaceous, shining. Highlands of Scotland and Wales. A hardy evergreen procumbent trailer. SYN. Arbutus Uva-ursi.
ARCTOTHECA (from arktos, a bear, and theke, a capsule; so named from the roughness of the fruit). ORD. Compositæ. Greenhouse herbaceous perennial, allied to Arctotis. Heads radiate; involucral scales imbricate in many rows, the outer linear, herbaceous, inner larger, scariose, very obtuse; receptacle honeycombed, bearing many little fringes; achenes ovate, somewhat four-sided, without wings or pappus. It thrives in a compost of peat, leaf soil, and loam. Propagated by divisions of the plant, or cuttings, in spring. Several species formerly classed in this genus are now included under Arctotis.
A. repens (creeping). fl.-heads yellow. July. l. petioled, lyrate-pinnatifid, green and mostly smooth above, white-woolly beneath. Cape of Good Hope, 1793. A stemless, creeping or decumbent herb.
ARCTOTIS (from arktos, a bear, and ous, an ear; in reference to the shaggy fruit). ORD. Compositæ. Mostly half-hardy herbaceous perennials. Involucral bracts numerous, imbricated, scariose on the margin; receptacle pitted, studded with bristles between the florets; achenes grooved, crowned with a pappus of membranous scales. The species of this genus are of easy culture in a compost of loam and leaf soil. Propagated by cuttings at any time of the year; these should be pricked in pots of very sandy soil, and placed in gentle warmth; they must be kept uncovered and moderately dry, or they will rot. The Arctotis are very handsome plants in sunny, dry positions outside during the summer months, but they must be protected during winter.
A. acaulis (stemless).* fl.-heads yellow and red. Summer. l. hoary on each side, ternate, lyrate. Stem very short, decumbent. h. 4in. Cape of Good Hope, 1759. Very rarely met with.
A. arborescens (tree-like).* fl.-heads, ray-florets white above, pink beneath; disk-florets yellow; disposed in large circular Daisy-like heads. Summer. l. linear-oblong, pinnate; upper ones amplexicaul; lower ones stalked. h. 2ft. Cape of Good Hope, 1815.
A. argentea (silvery). fl.-heads orange. August. l. lanceolate-linear, entire, downy. h. 1ft. Cape of Good Hope, 1774.
A. aureola (golden). Synonymous with A. grandiflora.
A. breviscapa (short-stalked). Synonymous with A. speciosa.
A. grandiflora (large-flowered).* fl.-heads orange; outer scales of involucre reflexed, cuneate, oblong, with a broad short point, somewhat cobwebbed. July. l. pinnatifid, serrulate, three-nerved. h. 1½ft. Cape of Good Hope, 1710. SYNS. A. aureola and A. undulata.
A. reptans (creeping). fl.-heads white, orange. July. l. hairy beneath; lower lyrate toothed; upper lanceolate toothed. Stem ascending. h. 8in. Cape of Good Hope, 1795.
A. rosea (rosy). fl.-heads pink. Autumn. l. spathulate-lanceolate, repand-toothed, hoary. Stem procumbent. Cape of Good Hope, 1793.
A. speciosa (showy).* fl.-heads yellow; outer scales of involucre linear recurved. July. l. lyrate, pinnatifid, hoary beneath, three-nerved. Plant stemless. h. 1½ft. Cape of Good Hope, 1812. Closely allied to A. acaulis. SYN. A. breviscapa.
A. undulata (wavy). Synonymous with A. grandiflora.