AEROPHYTES. Plants that are grown entirely in the air.
ÆSCHYNANTHUS (from aischuno, to be ashamed, and anthos, a flower). ORD. Gesneraceæ. A genus of very beautiful twining, radicant or parasitical stove shrubs, with opposite, simple, entire leaves, and axillary, terminal, few flowered, umbellate peduncles. They possess all the qualifications worthy of extensive cultivation—handsome flowers, fine deep green leaves, an agreeable fragrance, and are easily grown on blocks, which must be covered with green moss, fastened on with small copper wire. Preparatory to fastening them on, the roots should be covered with moss, and the plants secured to the block also by wire. After this, but little attention is requisite, except duly syringing and occasionally dipping in tepid water. As pot plants they are very beautiful, and in this method perfection is only obtained by growing them on fast and strong by generous treatment, which consists in frequently repotting in light rich compost till they are large enough to be trained up a trellis, formed of slender rods of willow or hazel. Propagated by seeds and cuttings. The former are very unsatisfactory; the latter root readily during spring in a well-drained pot, filled with a light compost, and having a surface of pure white sand, about 1in. deep. The best are obtained from half-ripened wood, cut into 2in. or 3in. lengths, and all leaves, with the exception of one or two at the top, removed. The cuttings should then be covered over with a bell glass, and placed in moderate bottom heat. So soon as rooted, transfer them singly to small pots, and again place under hand glasses, until they are thoroughly established, then gradually harden off. When about twelve months old, place the plants in their permanent quarters. Baskets are commonly and very effectively employed. Line these with moss, and fill with a light rich compost; place the plant as near the centre as possible, and, to promote a uniform growth, fasten down the branches with small neat pegs, at equal distances. During the summer, give copious supplies of water, to produce a liberal growth, which is of the utmost importance the first season, when they should not be permitted to flower. The following winter they should be kept cool and rather dry, thus giving them a rest. The year following, if properly managed, they will bloom profusely.
Æ. atrosanguinea (dark-red).* fl. dark red; corolla 1½in. long, cylindrical, saccate at base, pilose; peduncle one-flowered. July. l. pilose, oblong, sub-cordate, serrated, unequal. h. 1½ft. Guatemala, 1848.
Æ. Aucklandi. (Lord Auckland's). Synonymous with Æ. speciosus.
Æ. Boschianus (Bosch's).* fl. scarlet, axillary, clustered; corolla tubular, with wide throat; calyx tubular, smooth, purplish-brown. July. l. ovate, obtuse, entire. h. 1ft. Java, 1844. See Fig. 36.
Æ. cordifolius (heart-leaved).* fl. deep red, striped with black, inside of the tube orange, axillary, clustered. Summer. l. cordate, quite smooth, dark green on the upper side, paler below. h. 1ft. Borneo, 1858.
Æ. fulgens (shining).* fl. bright crimson, very long; throat and the under side of the tube orange; lobes striped with black, disposed in terminal umbels. October. l. large, oblong-lanceolate, acuminate, thick and fleshy, bright dark green. h. 1ft. East Indies, 1855.
Æ. grandiflorus (large-flowered).* fl. deep crimson and orange, large; corolla clavate; segments obtuse, with a dark mark at top, equal; umbels many-flowered. August. l. oblong-lanceolate, acuminated, serrated, obscurely-nerved, fleshy, dark green, h. 5ft. East Indies, 1838.
Æ. javanicus (Java). fl. bright red, stained with yellow in the throat; corolla downy, tubular; corymbs terminal, bracteate. June. l. small, ovate, slightly toothed, with sunk veins. Java, 1848. Plant scandent.
Æ. Lobbianus (Lobb's).* fl. rich scarlet; calyx large, campanulate; corolla downy; corymbs terminal, bracteate. June. l. elliptic, entire or slightly serrated, glaucous. Java, 1845. Plant subscandent.
FIG. 36. ÆSCHYNANTHUS BOSCHIANUS.
Æ. longiflorus (long-flowered).* fl. scarlet, erect, fascicled; corolla with a long clavate curved tube, and oblique constructed bilobed mouth; upper lobe bifid. Summer. l. broad-lanceolate, acuminate, entire. Java, 1845. Plant pendulous.
Æ. miniatus (vermilion).* fl. rich vermilion; corolla tomentose; upper lip bilobed, lower one tripartite; peduncles axillary, three-flowered. June. l. oval acute, entire. h. 1½ft. Java, 1845. SYN. Æ. radicans.
Æ. pulcher (fair).* fl. bright scarlet; corolla three times larger than the calyx; corymbs terminal, bracteate. June. l. ovate, obscurely toothed. Java, 1845. Scandent.
Æ. radicans (stem-fibred). Synonymous with Æ. miniatus.
Æ. speciosus (showy).* fl. rich orange-coloured; corolla with long clavate curved tube, and obliquely four-lobed limb; upper lobe bifid, terminal, numerous, downy. Summer. l. upper ones always verticillate, ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, slightly serrate. h. 2ft. Java, 1845. SYN. Æ. Aucklandi.
Æ. splendidus (splendid).* fl. bright scarlet, spotted with black on the margins; corolla clavate, 3in. long, in terminal fascicles. Summer, lasting in perfection for a considerable time. l. elliptic lanceolate, acuminated, entire, rather undulated. h. 1ft. Hybrid.
Æ. tricolor (three-coloured).* fl. deep blood red, usually twin; throat and base of the lobes bright orange, the three upper lobes being striped with black. July. l. cordate, dark green above, paler on the under side; edges, under surface, and stem, slightly hairy. h. 1ft. Borneo, 1857.
Æ. zebrinus (zebra-marked). fl. green, brown. Autumn. Java, 1846.
ÆSCHYNOMENE (from aischuno, to be ashamed; in reference to the leaves of some of the species falling on the slightest touch, like those of the Sensitive plant). ORD. Leguminosæ. Stove herbs and shrubs, with impari-pinnate leaves, having many pairs of leaflets, and axillary racemes of usually yellow flowers. They thrive well in a good rich loam. Propagated by cuttings, placed in sand under a bell glass, in a brisk heat. Seeds of the herbaceous species require a good heat to start them into growth. The annuals are not worth growing. There are about forty other species known besides those mentioned, some of which may prove worthy of cultivation when introduced.
Æ. aristata (awned). A synonym of Pictatia aristata.
Æ. aspera (rough-stemmed). fl. yellow; racemes compound; peduncles, bracteas, calyces, and corollas, hispid. June. l. with thirty to forty pairs of linear leaflets, which (as well as the legumes) are smooth. Stem herbaceous, erect. h. 6ft. to 8ft. East Indies, 1759. Perennial.
Æ. sensitiva (sensitive).* fl. white; legumes and racemes glabrous; peduncles branched, few-flowered. June. l. with sixteen to twenty pairs of linear leaflets. Stem smooth. h. 3ft. to 6ft. Jamaica, 1733. This shrub requires a sandy soil.
ÆSCULUS (a name given by Pliny to a kind of oak having an edible fruit; derived from esca, nourishment). The Horse Chestnut. ORD. Sapindaceæ. A genus of hardy showy trees, well adapted for lawns or parks, having a beautiful appearance when in flower. They will do well in any soil, but the more loamy the better. Increased by layers, put down in the spring, or by grafting or budding on the common horse chestnut. Seeds, where procurable, should be sown singly in rows in spring, where they may remain until they are of sufficient size to be permanently planted out. This genus is distinguished from Pavia, in having its capsules echinated, i.e., covered with prickles, like a hedgehog; but this character is not always consistent.
Æ. carnea (flesh-coloured). Synonymous with Æ. rubicunda.
Æ. glabra (smooth-leaved).* fl. greenish yellow; corolla of four spreading petals, with their claws about the length of the calyx; stamens longer than the corolla. June. l. with five leaflets, very smooth; foliage larger than the common species. h. 20ft. North America, 1821. SYNS. A. ohioensis, A. pallida.
Æ. Hippocastanum (Common Horse-Chestnut). fl. white, tinged with red, on very handsome terminal racemes, which are produced in great profusion; petals five. April and May. l. with seven obovately-cuneated, acute, toothed leaflets. Asia, 1629. This, the common horse chestnut, is well known by the beautiful parabolic form in which it grows, and during the period of its flowering no tree possesses greater beauty. It has two or three unimportant varieties, differing in the variation of their leaves, and one also with double flowers. These are increased by grafting only.
Æ. ohioensis (Ohio). A synonym of A. glabra.
Æ. pallida (pale-flowered). A synonym of A. glabra.
Æ. rubicunda (red-flowered).* fl. scarlet, in very fine terminal racemes; petals four, having the claws shorter than the calyx; stamens eight. June. l. with five to seven obovately-cuneated, acute, unequally serrated leaflets. h. 20ft. North America, 1820. This is a very distinct and beautiful tree when in flower, and does not attain so large a size as Æ. Hippocastanum. SYN. Æ. carnea.