ACOTYLEDONS. Plants having no cotyledons, or seed leaves, as in Cuscuta, but usually applied to cryptogamic or flowerless plants, such as ferns, mosses, &c.
ACRADENIA (from akra, top, and aden, a gland; referring to the five glands on the top of the ovary). ORD. Rutaceæ. An excellent neat and compact evergreen bush, suitable for the cool conservatory. It requires a rich loam and leaf mould. Propagated by seeds and cuttings under a bell glass.
A. Frankliniæ (Lady Franklin's).* fl. white, produced in great profusion, in terminal clusters. August. l. fragrant, opposite, trifoliate, gland-dotted. h. 8ft. Tasmania, 1845.
ACRE (from agros, an open field). The English Statute acre consists of 160 square rods (perches, poles, roods, or lugs); or 4840 square yards; or 43,560 square feet. The following list shows the differentiation in the number of square yards per acre in the various districts of Great Britain and Ireland: Cheshire, 10,240; Cornish, 5760; Cunningham, 6250; Derby (W.), 9000; Devonshire, 4000; Herefordshire, 3226⅔; Irish, 7840; Leicestershire, 2308¾; Scotch, 6150; Wales, North (customary), 3240; ditto (erw), 4320; Westmoreland, 6760; Wiltshire, 3630.
ACRIDOCARPUS (from akris, a locust; and karpos, fruit; meaning not obvious). ORD. Malpighiaceæ. A handsome sub-tropical or warm greenhouse climber, requiring plenty of water, and a very free drainage. Increased by imported seeds, and by cuttings in bottom heat.
A. natalitius (Natal).* fl. pale yellow; petals five, rounded, wedge-shaped, crenately-toothed at the edge; racemes simple, elongated, terminal. July. l. oblong or obovate, obtuse, leathery. Natal, 1867.
ACRIOPSIS (from akros, top, and opsis, eye). ORD. Orchidaceæ. A small genus of pretty stove epiphytal orchids, almost unknown to cultivation. Flowers small, arranged in loose panicles; lip adnate to the very curious column, from which it projects at right angles.
A. densiflora (crowded-flowered).* fl. green and pink. May. l. linear-lanceolate. h. 6in. Borneo, 1845.
A. javanica (Javanese). fl. yellow, green. May. l. linear-lanceolate. h. 3in. Java, 1840.
A. picta (painted).* fl. white, green, and purple. May. l. solitary, linear. h. 6in. Bantam, 1843.
ACROCLINIUM (from akros, top, and kline, a bed; referring to the open flowers). ORD. Compositæ. A small genus of elegant half hardy annuals with "everlasting" flower heads, which are solitary, terminal, and consist of tubular florets; involucrum many-leaved, imbricated. Leaves numerous, linear, smooth, acuminated. Stems numerous, erect. They thrive best in a loamy soil, and constitute very neat summer flowering annuals if sown out of doors in patches in June; they are also useful as winter decorative greenhouse plants if seed is sown in August in pots placed in a cold frame. The flower-heads should be gathered when young, if it is desired to preserve them.
