A. africana (African).* fl. crimson, disposed in racemes; petals four (furnished with claws), upper one largest. June. Legume ligneus, many-celled; seeds black, with scarlet aril. l. abruptly pinnate. h. 30ft. Sierra Leone, 1821.
AGALMYLA (from agalma, an ornament; and hule, a wood; the species are great ornaments to the woods in which they grow wild). ORD. Gesneraceæ. A small but very handsome genus of climbing or radicant herbs, with simple alternate leaves and axillary fascicles of flowers, something like the blooms of a Gesnera. Corolla limb oblique, five-lobed, scarcely two-lipped. A. staminea, the most generally cultivated species, is best grown in a basket, planted in a compost of rough peat, a little leaf soil, fresh sphagnum moss, and nodules of charcoal. Give an abundance of moisture when growing, which should be lessened after flowering, and allow the plant to rest during winter. It may be planted out on rockwork in the stove. Half-ripened cuttings will root freely in heat under a glass. The temperature in summer should not be less than 75deg. by day, and 65deg. by night.
A. longistyla (long-styled). fl. crimson. Java, 1873.
A. staminea (long-stamened).* fl. scarlet, disposed in axillary fascicles; corolla tubular, incurved, with a dilated throat. Summer. l. alternate, oblong, acuminated, denticulated, nearly equal at the base, downy beneath, and on the edges. Stem and petioles hairy. h. 2ft. Java, 1846. Stove species.
AGANISIA (from aganos, desirable; in reference to the beauty of these neat little plants). ORD. Orchidaceæ. A small genus of epiphytal orchids, requiring to be grown upon a block of wood suspended from the rafters of the stove. A damp atmosphere, syringing the roots and leaves freely when in a growing state, and shade during very bright sunshine, are primary points to be observed in their cultivation. Increased by dividing the pseudo-bulbs just previous to starting into new growth.
A. cœrulea (dark blue).* fl. peduncles axillary, few flowered. "The colour is the well known one of Vanda cœrulea. There are, however, darker blue blotches quasi-tesselated over the flower. The lip is veiled, and has two very small basilar teeth, and then a veiled middle lacinia, that is sacciform, bordered with most remarkable long bristles, and with a deep violet blotch on its middle part beneath. The white column has two cartilaginous quadrate arms close to the stigmatic hollow." l. cuneate, oblong, acuminate. Pseudo-bulbs distichous, depresso-ovoid. Brazil, 1876.
A. fimbriata (fringed).* fl. white; lip blue. Demerara, 1874. This species has also a sacciform, fimbriate lip, but, when compared with the foregoing, its flowers, leaves, and bulbs are much smaller, and the lip is not slit up to the apex, but the sac is round.
A. graminea (grass-leaved). A weedy looking species, of no garden value. Guiana, 1836.
A. ionoptera (violet-winged). The flowers, not very much larger than those of the lily of the valley, are white, with violet petals, and violet tips and streaks on the sepals. Peru, 1871.
A. pulchella (pretty).* fl. white, with a blotch of yellow in the centre of the lip; the spike is produced from the bottom of the bulb. h. 8in. Demerara, 1838. It blossoms at different times of the year, and lasts two or three weeks in perfection. This species is very rare and pretty, and is best grown in a pot, with peat, and good drainage; requires a liberal supply of water at the roots, and the hottest house.
AGANOSMA (from aganos, mild, and osme, a smell; scent of flowers). ORD. Apocynaceæ. A genus of showy stove or warm greenhouse shrubs, with opposite leaves and terminal corymbs of large funnel-shaped flowers, the coronet of which is cup-shaped or cylindrical, "having its parts so united that they appear only as lobes around the mouth of the cup." All the species mentioned are well worth cultivating. They thrive best in a mixture of loam, sand, and peat, in equal proportions. Propagated by cuttings in sand, under glass, and with bottom heat.
A. acuminata (pointed-leaved).* fl. large, white, fragrant; petals linear, falcate, curled; panicles axillary, longer than the leaves, scattered. l. from oblong to broad-lanceolate, acuminated, glabrous. Sylhet. Shrubby climber.
A. caryophyllata (clove scented).* fl. pale yellow, tinged with red, deliciously clove scented; corymbs terminal. October. l. oval, acutish at both ends, tomentose beneath as well as the branches. India, 1812. Shrubby twiner.
A. cymosa (cymose-flowered).* fl. small, whitish, fragrant; calyx and corolla hoary outside; cymes terminal, shorter than the leaves. l. elliptic, acuminated. Sylhet. Shrub.
A. elegans (elegant).* fl. small, purple; corolla downy outside, as well as the calyces, bracteas, and pedicels; sepals longer than the tube of the corolla; corymbs terminal, crowded. l. elliptic, short-acuminated, glabrous. India. Shrubby twiner.
A. marginata (bordered).* fl. numerous, large, white, fragrant; petals linear, falcate; panicles terminal, loose, corymbose, glabrous. l. lanceolate, smooth. Sylhet. Shrubby climber.
A. Roxburghii (Roxburgh's).* fl. pure white, large, fragrant; calyx and corolla hoary outside; petals triangular; corymbs terminal. October. l. ovate-cordate, acuminated; petioles and veins red, glabrous, pale beneath, and shining above. India, 1812. Shrubby twiner.
A. Wallichii (Wallich's).* fl. white, fragrant; calyx and corolla downy outside; corymbs terminal. l. elliptic-acuminated, shining above and pale beneath, glabrous. India. This species differs from the last in the veins of the leaves being parallel, not longitudinal, from the base to the apex. Shrubby twiner.
AGAPANTHUS (from agape, love, and anthos, a flower). ORD. Liliaceæ. African Lily. A genus, with numerous varieties, of very handsome greenhouse or conservatory herbaceous plants. Flowers large, scapose; perianth tubular, tube short; stamens six, having the filaments somewhat declinate. Leaves linear or lorate, arching, radical. They are of easy culture, and thrive best in strong turfy loam, leaf mould, decomposed manure, and river sand. They may be grown in large pots or tubs outside, to be removed in autumn, and placed under the stage in the greenhouse, or where they will be protected from frost, and kept moderately dry. If planted and left outside, the crowns should be well covered with cocoa-nut fibre in winter. During the summer, and especially in dry weather, the plants can hardly be over watered. They thrive admirably on the margins of lakes or running streams, and few plants, alike in flower and foliage, are more effective. Clear manure water may be given previous to or when the plants are in flower, and, after flowering, gradually lessen the quantity of water, until they are stowed away for the winter. They increase very rapidly, by offsets, and, if necessary, the old plants may be divided in early spring, to any extent required. In the more southern parts of this country they are quite hardy.
FIG. 39. AGAPANTHUS UMBELLATUS.