ADESMIA (from a, without, desmos, a bond; in reference to the stamens being free). ORD. Leguminosæ. Chiefly greenhouse evergreen shrubs, or trailers, from South America, with lanceolate stipulas, abruptly pinnate leaves, ending in a bristle; axillary one-flowered pedicels, or the flowers racemosely disposed at the tops of the branches, in consequence of the upper leaves being abortive. They will grow well in a mixture of loam, peat, and sand. Propagated by cuttings placed in sand, covered by a hand glass, in a gentle heat; or by seeds, which are generally more satisfactory. The annual species—A. muricata, A. papposa, and A. pendula—are not worth growing. The following are fairly representative of the most ornamental species.
A. glutinosa (sticky).* fl. yellow; racemes elongated, terminal, simple, spinescent, and are (as well as the linear bracteas) clothed with white hairs. May. l. with about three pairs of elliptic, hairy leaflets; branches spreading, beset with glandular, glutinous hairs. Stem shrubby; legumes three-jointed, very long. h. 1ft. to 2ft. 1831.
A. Loudonii (Loudon's). fl. yellow. May, h. 2ft. Valparaiso, 1830.
A. microphylla (small-leaved).* fl. yellow; racemes somewhat capitate, terminal, simple, spinescent. June. l. with six pairs of small orbicular leaflets, on short petioles, pubescent; branches spinose. Stem shrubby. h. 1ft. to 2ft. 1830.
A. Uspallatensis (Uspallatan). fl. yellow. July. h. 1ft. China, 1832.
A. viscosa (clammy). fl. yellow. August. h. 12ft. Chili, 1831.
ADHATODA (its native name). ORD. Acanthaceæ. Allied to Justicia. Very ornamental stove shrubs, requiring a good fibrous peat and loam, with a moderate addition of silver sand. To grow them well, they require liberal treatment and plenty of heat, when the flowers will be produced in great profusion. Increased by young cuttings in spring, placed in sandy soil, in bottom heat. See Justicia.
A. cydoniæfolia (quince-leaved).* fl. produced in rather dense clusters at the point of every branch; tube of corolla white, the upper lip white tipped with purple; the lower lip large, rich deep purple, with a white stripe down the centre. October. l. opposite, ovate, dark green, and are, as well as the branches, slightly downy. Brazil, 1855. This species is an excellent subject for training up pillars or rafters; and, when in bloom, makes a pretty basket plant. It has a somewhat straggling habit, but a little care only is needed in pruning and training to grow it into an elegant shape.
A. vasica (Vasica). fl. purple. July. h. 10ft. India, 1699.
ADHERENT. Strictly signifies sticking to anything, but is more commonly employed in the sense of adnate.
ADHESION. The union of parts usually distinct.
ADIANTOPSIS. See Cheilanthes.
ADIANTUM (from adiantos, dry, as if plunged in water it yet remains dry). Maidenhair. ORD. Filices. A large genus of handsome tropical and temperate ferns. Sori marginal, varying in shape from globose to linear, usually numerous and distinct, sometimes confluent and continuous. Involucre the same shape as the sorus, formed of the reflexed margin of the fronds, bearing the capsules on its upper side. None of the Adiantums are truly hardy except the American A. pedatum; even our own native species requires protection. The chief requirements of this handsome genus of ferns are good drainage, and a compost of fibrous peat, loam and sand. In most cases, plenty of pot room is essential, and a larger quantity of loam will be needed for strong-growing sorts. For general culture, see Ferns.
A. æmulum (rival).* sti. slender, about 6in. long. fronds slender, pyramidate, tri-subquadripinnate; pinnæ distinct, obliquely pyramidate, unequally-sided; pinnules rhomboid or oblong, tapering to the base, the terminal one distinctly cuneate, all sparingly lobate. sori, 2in. to 4in., circular, or nearly so. Brazil, 1877. Stove or greenhouse species.
A. æthiopicum (Æthiopian).* sti. 6in. to 9in. long, rather slender, erect. fronds 12in. to 18in. long, 6in. to 9in. broad, deltoid, tri- or quadripinnate; lower pinnæ 3in. to 4in. long, 2in. to 3in. broad, deltoid; ultimate segments ¼in. to ½in. across, ¼in. deep, suborbicular, the upper part broadly lobed; rachis and surfaces naked. sori in several roundish patches. A. Chilense (Chilian), A. scabrum (scurfy), A. sulphureum (sulphured) are mere forms of this species. Spain, and almost cosmopolitan. A very pretty greenhouse fern. SYNS. A. assimile, A. emarginatum.
A. affine (related).* sti. 6in. to 9in. long, erect. fronds with a terminal central pinna 4in. to 6in. long, 1in. to 1½in. broad, and several smaller erecto-patent lateral ones, the lowest of which are again branched; pinnules, ½in. to ¾in. long, ¼in. deep, dimidiate, the lower edge straight, the upper nearly parallel with it, crenate, like the oblique or bluntly rounded outer edge. sori numerous, roundish. New Zealand. Greenhouse species. SYN. A. Cunninghami.
A. amabile (lovely). Synonymous with A. glaucophyllum. Also a garden name for A. Moorei.
A. amœnum (pleasing). Synonymous with A. flabellulatum.
A. andicolum. A synonym of A. glaucophyllum.
A. aneitense (Aneiteum).* sti. and rachises castaneous, the latter glabrous beneath, ferrugino-pilose above; fronds deltoid, three to four pinnate, 1½ft. to 2ft. long, and broad; segments, about ½in. long, rhomboidal, ascending, nearly sessile, inner side close to rachis, lower erecto-patent, shallowly lobed. sori round, reniform, in centre of lobes, four to six to a segment. Aneiteum Isles, 1880. Stove or greenhouse species.
A. assimile (assimilated). An Australian form of the widely-distributed A. æthiopicum.
A. Bausei (Bause's).* fronds 1½ft. to 2½ft. long, spreading, triangular, tri-quadripinnate; pinnæ stalked, the lower ones obliquely triangular; pinnules broad, laterally deflexed, the basal ones obliquely ovate with a truncate base, the intermediate somewhat trapeziform, the terminal cuneate—all shallowly lobed and pedicellate. sori oblong reniform, set across the apices of the lobes, 1879. A beautiful stove or greenhouse hybrid, between A. trapeziforme and A. decorum.
A. bellum (handsome).* fronds tufted, 3in. to 6in. high, bipinnate. ovate-lanceolate; pinnæ of three to six pinnules, ½in. to 1½in. long, stalked; pinnules cuneate or irregular transverse-oblong, the somewhat larger terminal ones cuneate, lobed, the margin erose, all shortly stalked. sori two to three on the smaller pinnules, roundish, or sublunate. Bermuda, 1879. Greenhouse or Wardian case species.
A. Capillus-Veneris (Venus's hair).* Common Maidenhair. sti. sub-erect, rather slender, 4in. to 9in. long. fronds very variable in size, with short terminal and numerous erecto-patent lateral branches on each side, the lowest slightly branched again; segments ½in. to 1in. broad, deeply lobed, and the lobes again bluntly crenated. sori placed in roundish sinuses of the crenation. Great Britain, and world-wide in its distribution. Greenhouse, case, or frame species.
A. C.-V. cornubiense (Cornish).* fronds very numerous, and dwarf, more or less oblong in general outline, with large, broad pinnules of a deep green, with finely-waved margins, and an almost pellucid, but firm texture. One of the best forms, but somewhat delicate in constitution.
A. C.-V. crispulum (crisped).* fronds, with the stipes, from 6in. to 12in. long, more attenuated than those of the type, and narrower at the base; pinnules less numerous, but broad and thin, crisp, of a light green colour, more or less cut at the broadest part. A handsome variety, of vigorous growth.
