A. chelonioides (Chelonia-like).* fl. in terminal racemes, reddish purple, the border white. l. opposite, ovate-acute. h. 34ft. India, 1871. A pretty dwarf sub-shrub.
A. coromandeliana (Coromandel). fl. deep lilac; racemes axillary, elongated, secund, strict. July. l. opposite, cordate-ovate; branches diffuse. h. 4ft. India, 1845. SYN. Justicia gangetica.
A. macrophylla (large-leaved).* fl. bilabiate, bell-shaped, rosy purple outside, and almost pure white within; spikes terminal, erect, 1ft. long. June. l. very large, obovate-lanceolate. h. 8ft. to 20ft. Fernando Po, 1867.
A. scandens (climbing).* fl. cream-coloured; tube of corolla widened and recurved above, lobes of limb crenately curved; racemes terminal, compact, thyrse-formed. July. l. obovate or ovate acute, glabrous. h. 6ft. Sierra Leone, 1845. This handsome stove climber requires a high, moist temperature after shifting. SYN. Henfreya scandens.
A. violacea (violet).* fl. violet purple, striped with white, in terminal racemes. l. shortly-stalked, ovate-acuminate, deep green, minutely hairy on both surfaces. h. 1ft. to 2ft. India, 1870. A pretty dwarf plant.
ATACCIA CRISTATA. See Tacca integrifolia.
ATALANTIA (mythological: Atalanta, the daughter of Schœneus). ORD. Rutaceæ. A genus of ornamental stove evergreen shrubs, having the eight stamens united below into a tube, and with undivided leaves. It comprises about ten species. They thrive well in a mixture of loam and peat. Propagated by means of ripened cuttings, which will root readily if planted in sand under a hand glass, in heat.
A. monophylla (one-leaved). fl. small, white, in axillary racemes. fr. golden yellow, about the size of a nutmeg. June. l. simple, ovate-oblong, emarginate at the apex. Spines small, simple. h. 8ft. India, 1777. A thorny shrub.
ATAMASCO LILY. See Zephyranthes Atamasco.
ATHAMANTA (named from Mount Athamas, in Sicily, where some species are found). ORD. Umbelliferæ. A genus of greenhouse or hardy herbaceous plants, usually velvety from villi on the stem, leaves, and fruit. Flowers white; involucra of one or few leaves; involucel of many leaves. The undermentioned is the only species in cultivation, and is a very graceful perennial, with Fennel-like foliage. It thrives well in any ordinary soil. Increased by divisions, or by seeds sown in spring.
A. Matthioli (Matthioli's). fl. white, twelve to twenty-five to an umbel. Summer. l. three or four ternate; leaflets linear-filiform, elongated, divaricate. h. 1ft. to 2ft. Alps of Carinthia, 1802.
ATHANASIA (from a, not, and thanatos, death; alluding to the length of time which the flowers last). ORD. Compositæ. Rather ornamental greenhouse evergreen shrubs with yellow flowers, from the Cape of Good Hope. They grow well in a soil consisting of three parts loam and one part peat. Propagation is effected by cuttings, taken from half-ripened wood in spring, and placed in sand, under a hand glass.
A. capitata (headed).* fl.-heads yellow. March. l. pinnati-partite; younger hoary, older smooth. h. 1½ft. Cape of Good Hope, 1774.
A. pubescens (downy). fl.-heads yellow. July. l. oblong, entire (or tridentate), softly hairy on both sides; when old, sub-glabrous. h. 6ft. Cape of Good Hope, 1768.
ATHEROSPERMA (from ather, an awn, and sperma, seed; seeds awned). ORD. Monimiaceæ. A beautiful greenhouse evergreen tree, with the aspect of a stately conifer. Flowers panicled, diœcious; perianth five to eight-fid. Leaves opposite, aromatic. A compost of loam and peat, in about equal proportions, is necessary. It can be readily propagated by cuttings.