ASCENDING. Directed upwards; as the stem, which is the ascending axis.
ASCLEPIADEÆ. A large order of, for the most part, lactescent, climbing shrubs. Flowers sub-umbellate, fascicled or racemose, interpetiolar; pollen collected in the form of waxy masses, coalescing to the cells of the anthers; follicles two, one of which is abortive. Leaves entire, usually opposite.
ASCLEPIAS (the Greek name of Æsculapius of the Latins). Swallow-wort. ORD. Asclepiadeæ. Erect, hardy, herbaceous or sub-shrubby perennials, except where otherwise specified. Corolla five-parted, reflexed; umbels interpetiolar; corona seated on the upper part of the tube of the filaments, five-leaved. Leaves opposite, verticillate, sometimes alternate. Most of the hardy species are very handsome border plants, thriving in peaty, or light rich soil, and are increased by dividing the roots in spring, and sometimes also by seeds. The doubtfully hardy or rarer species should always be grown in a peat soil, and have a little protection during severe frost, by mulching the roots. The most important of the greenhouse and stove species is A. curassavica. In order to obtain good bushy specimens of this, it will be necessary to cut the plants back annually, after keeping them slightly dry, and resting for a month or two in midwinter. When growth has sufficiently advanced, they should be shaken out and repotted. At this stage, a close, moist atmosphere will be needful to produce the usually very free growth. The points of the shoots must be nipped out, in order to promote a bushy habit. When the pots have become filled with roots, liquid manure may be applied; but it must be quite clear and not over strong. All the indoor species grow best in good fibry loam and leaf mould, and require to be potted firmly. Cuttings should be secured in spring, struck in gentle heat, under a bell glass, and as soon as they are well rooted, potted into 60-size pots. A shift must be given as often as the pots become filled with roots, up to the time when the plant commences flowering. Seeds may be sown in pots in spring, pricked out singly when large enough, and then treated similarly to cuttings.
A. acuminata (taper-pointed).* fl. red and white; umbels lateral, solitary, erect. July. l. ovate, sub-cordate, acuminated, on short petioles; superior ones sessile, glabrous, but rough on the edges. Stems erect, glabrous, simple. h. 2ft. New Jersey, 1826. Hardy, herbaceous.
A. amœna (pleasing).* fl. beautiful purple; umbels terminal, erect; appendages of corona exserted, red. July. l. opposite, almost sessile, oblong-oval, downy beneath, with a large purple middle nerve. Stem simple, with two rows of down. h. 2ft. to 3ft. New England, 1732. Hardy, herbaceous.
A. Cornuti (Cornuti's).* Synonymous with A. syriaca.
A. curassavica (Curassavian). Redhead. fl. reddish orange-scarlet; umbels erect, solitary, lateral. July to September. l. opposite, oblong-lanceolate, tapering at both ends. Stem rather downy, simple, seldom a little branched. h. 1ft. to 3ft. Tropical America, 1692. The white-flowered variety is a very pretty contrast. Stove herbaceous.
A. Douglasii (Douglas's).* fl. large, waxy, purplish-lilac, sweet-scented, in many-flowered umbels. Summer. l. opposite, ovate-cordate, acuminated, 6½in. long by 5in. or more wide, glabrous above, downy beneath. Stem thick, woolly, simple. h. 2ft. to 3ft. West America, 1846.
A. hybrida (hybrid). A synonym of A. purpurascens.
A. incarnata (flesh-coloured).* fl. red or purplish; umbels numerous, usually twin. July. l. opposite, lanceolate, rather woolly on both surfaces. Stem erect, branched and tomentose at the top. h. 2ft. Canada (on the banks of rivers), 1710. Hardy, herbaceous.
A. mexicana (Mexican). fl. white; umbels many-flowered. July. l. verticillate, linear-lanceolate, with revolute edges; lower ones four to six in a whorl; upper ones three in a whorl, or opposite. h. 2ft. to 3ft. Mexico, 1821. Greenhouse evergreen.
A. phytolaccoides (Phytolacca-like). fl. purple; corona white, with truncate leaflets; umbels lateral and terminal, solitary, on long peduncles, drooping. July. l. broad, ovate-oblong, acute, glabrous, paler beneath. Stem erect, simple, spotted with purple. h. 3ft. to 4ft. Virginia and Carolina (on the mountains), 1812.
A. purpurascens (purplish). fl. purple; umbels erect. July. l. opposite, large, ovate, with a purplish middle nerve, villous beneath. Stem simple, rather hairy at top, brownish green at bottom. h. 2ft. to 3ft. Virginia (in shady swamps), 1732. Hardy. SYN. A. hybrida.
A. quadrifolia (four-leaved).* fl. white, small, sweet-scented, with red nectaries; umbels twin, terminal, loose-flowered; pedicels filiform. July. l. ovate, acuminated, petiolate; those in the middle of the stem larger, and four in a whorl; the rest opposite. Stems erect, simple, glabrous. h. 1ft. New York, 1820. Hardy species.
A. rubra (red), fl. red; umbels compound, July, August. l. alternate, ovate, acuminated. Stem erect, simple. h. 1ft. to 2ft. Virginia, 1825.
A. Sullivanti (Sullivant's). Similar to A. syriaca, but having larger and deeper coloured flowers.
A. syriaca (Syrian).* fl. pale purple, sweet scented, in large, loose, drooping umbels. July. l. opposite, lanceolate-oblong, or oval, gradually acute, tomentose beneath. Stems simple. h. 3ft. to 5ft. North America, 1629. SYN. A. Cornuti.
FIG. 158. FLOWERING BRANCH OF ASCLEPIAS TUBEROSA.
A. tuberosa (tuberous).* fl. bright orange, very showy; umbels disposed in a terminal sub-corymb. July to September. l. scattered, oblong-lanceolate, hairy. Stems erectish, divaricately branched at top, very hairy. h. 1ft. to 2ft. North America (in stony, sandy fields and woods), 1690. A desirable hardy herbaceous border plant. See Fig. 158.
A. variegata (variegated). fl., petals and foliola of corona white, fructification red, in dense umbels, very handsome; umbels almost sessile; pedicels hairy. July. l. opposite, ovate, petiolate, wrinkled, naked. Stems simple. erect, variegated with purple. h. 3ft. to 4ft. New York to Carolina (on dry, sandy hills), 1597.
A. verticillata (whorled). fl., corolla with yellowish green petals and white nectaries; umbels many-flowered. July and August. l. very narrow, linear, thick, quite glabrous, usually verticillate, but sometimes scattered. Stems erect, often branched, having a downy line on one side. h. 1ft. to 2ft. New Jersey, 1759.
ASCYRON. See Hypericum Ascyron.
ASCYRUM (from a, without, and skyros, hard; that is to say, a plant which is soft to the touch). ORD. Hypericinæ. A genus of elegant little herbs and sub-shrubs, with sessile, entire leaves, destitute of pellucid dots, but usually furnished with black dots beneath. Flowers resembling Hypericum. They require to be protected during winter by a frame; for this purpose they should be grown in pots, as they never exist long in the open border. A compost of peat, pure leaf soil, and sand, in equal portions, suits them well; young cuttings of the shrubby kinds will root in sand under a hand bell glass. Propagated by careful divisions of the roots in spring. All may be raised from seeds.
A. amplexicaule (stem-clasping). fl. yellow, few, axillary, and terminal; corymbs naked. July. l. stem-clasping, ovate, cordate, sinuately-curled. Stem dichotomously panicled. h. 2ft. North America, 1823. The flowers and leaves are longer in this than in any other of the species.
A. Crux Andreæ.* St. Andrew's Cross. fl., petals narrow-pale, yellow, nearly sessile, in terminal corymbs. July. l. ovate-linear, obtuse, usually in bundles in the axils. Stem shrubby, round. h. 1ft. North America (in sandy fields), 1759. This proves to be quite hardy in many situations.
A. hypericoides (Hypericum-like). fl. yellow. August. l. linear-oblong, obtuse. h. 2ft. North America, 1759.
A. stans (standing). St. Peter's Wort. fl. yellow. August. l. oval or oblong, somewhat clasping. h. 2ft. North America, 1816.