Æ. fragrans (fragrant). fl. white, fragrant; umbels pedunculate, axillary, terminal. April. l. obovate, margin undulated, and unequally dilated, veiny; upper surface covered with saline excrescence. h. 6ft. New Holland, 1824.
ÆGILOPS. See Quercus Ægilops.
ÆGIPHILA (from aix, a goat, and philos, dear; a favourite with goats). ORD. Verbenaceæ. Stove ornamental evergreen shrubs, generally with ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, smooth leaves; and flowers in axillary and terminal panicles. They require a rich sandy loam. Propagated from cuttings, which will root in sand, under a glass, with bottom heat.
Æ. grandiflora (large-flowered).* fl. yellow, terminal, corymbose; corolla downy. November. Berry compressed, blue. l. verticillate oblong, entire, sub-cordate at base. h. 3ft. Havannah, 1843. The other species are probably not now in cultivation, and this one is not generally so.
ÆGLE (from Ægle, one of the Hesperides). Bengal Quince. ORD. Rutaceæ. A stove evergreen tree, producing very large fruit, which much resembles an orange in general appearance, very delicious to the taste, and exquisitely fragrant. This genus differs principally from Citrus by its numerous disunited stamens. The pulp of the fruit is an aperient, and a valuable remedy in dysentery, the thick rind and the dried unripe fruit are astringent. It thrives best in a rich loamy soil. Propagated by ripe cuttings, which, if not deprived of any of their leaves, will root in sand under a hand glass, in heat.
Æ. Marmelos (Marmelos). fl. white, very fragrant; panicles axillary, terminal. April. fr. fifteen-celled. l. trifoliate; leaflets toothletted. h. 10ft. India, 1759.
ÆOLANTHUS (from aiollo, to vary, and anthos, a flower; referring to the variableness of the flowers). ORD. Labiatæ. A genus of few herbs, with thickish leaves. Flowers loosely panicled. They thrive in sandy loam, and increase freely from seeds sown in a similar compost.
Æ. Livingstonii (Livingstone's). fl. brown. East Africa, 1859.
Æ. suaveolens (sweet-scented). fl. lilac, secund; cymes axillary and terminal, erect, usually trifid, with floral leaves under the divisions. July. l. nearly sessile, obovate, obsoletely denticulated, thickish, pale green. h. 1ft. Brazil, 1859. A pretty stove annual, with a sweet odour.
AERANTHUS (from aer, air, and anthos, a flower; referring to the habit). ORD. Orchideæ. A genus of a couple of species of remarkable stove orchids, requiring treatment similar to Anguloa, to which they are allied.
Æ. arachnitis (spider-like). fl. green. l. linear. h. 4in. Madagascar, 1850.
Æ. grandiflora (large-flowered).* fl. yellowish-green, large, solitary, terminal. h. 8in. Madagascar, 1823.