AMMODENDRON (from ammos, sand, and dendron, a tree; in reference to its natural habitat). SYN. Sophora. ORD. Leguminosæ. A small, neat, hardy evergreen, silky shrub, having the petioles hardening into spines; an excellent subject for shrubberies. It thrives in an ordinary soil, with good drainage, and is propagated by layers and seeds.
A. Sieversii (Sievers').* fl. purple, disposed in racemes. June. l. bifoliolate; leaflets lanceolate, silky-white on both surfaces. h. 2ft. to 4ft. Siberia, 1837.
AMMYRSINE. See Leiophyllum.
AMOMOPHYLLUM. See Spathiphyllum.
FIG. 77. INFLORESCENCE OF AMMOBIUM ALATUM.
AMOMUM (from a, not, and momos, impurity; in reference to the quality of counteracting poison). ORD. Zingiberaceæ. Stove, deciduous, herbaceous perennials, chiefly aromatic, formerly used in embalming. Flowers produced close to the ground, in spikes or clusters, bracteate. Leaves distichous, sheathing at the base, lanceolate, entire. For culture, see [Alpinia.]
A. angustifolium (narrow-leaved).* fl. sometimes of a uniform chrome-yellow, sometimes crimson, with the labellum of a yellow colour, more or less pale, and sometimes entirely crimson; scape naked, from 3in. to 8in. in length; spike capitate. July. l. linear-lanceolate. h. 8ft. Madagascar.
A. Cardamomum (Cardamom).* fl. brownish; lip three-lobed, spurred; scape compound, flexuous, procumbent. August. h. 8ft. East Indies, 1823.
A. Danielli (Daniel's). fl. 4in. across; outer sepals fine red; the spreading labellum whitish, tinged with rose and yellow; scape short, arising from the bottom of the stem. l. oblong-lanceolate, 9in. long. h. 2½ft. Western Africa.
A. grandiflorum (large-flowered). fl. white, numerous, close; spike short. June. l. elliptic-lanceolate, pointed. h. 3ft. Sierra Leone, 1795.
A. Granum Paradisi.* Grains of Paradise. fl. white, tinged with yellow and rose. l. elliptic-lanceolate, long-pointed. Stems very red at base, and dull purplish-red above from the long, sheathing leafstalks. h. 3ft. West Africa.
A. Melegueta (Melegueta).* Grains of Paradise. fl. pale pink, solitary, with an orbicular, irregularly toothed lip. May. l. narrow, linear-elliptic, distichous, sessile. h. 1ft. to 2ft. Sierra Leone, 1869. Habit creeping.
A. sceptrum (sceptre). fl. bright rose purple, large, sub-erect; the most conspicuous portion is the lip, which is 2½in. in diameter; flower-scapes 6in. high. January. l. narrow, oblong-lanceolate. h. 5ft. to 6ft. Old Calabar, 1863.
A. vitellinum (yolk-of-egg-coloured). fl. yellow; lip oblong, obtuse, toothed; spike oblong, sessile, rather loose. April. l. oval. h. 2ft. East Indies, 1846. Plant stemless, glabrous.
AMORPHA (from a, not, and morphe, form; incomplete formation of the flowers). Bastard Indigo. ORD. Leguminosæ. A handsome genus of hardy deciduous shrubs with very graceful impari-pinnate leaves, and many pairs of leaflets, which are full of pellucid dots. Racemes spicate, elongated, usually in fascicles at the tops of the branches; corolla without wings and keel; vexillum or standard ovate, concave. They are well adapted for small shrubberies, requiring a sheltered situation, and thrive well in common garden soil. Increased by layers, or cuttings, taken off at a joint, and planted in a sheltered situation early in autumn; these should be allowed to remain undisturbed till the following autumn. Amorphas produce an abundance of suckers, from which they may be readily propagated.
A. canescens (hoary).* The Lead Plant. fl. dark blue. July. l., leaflets ovate-elliptic, mucronate. h. 3ft. Missouri, 1812. Whole plant clothed with hoary hairs.
A. fruticosa (shrubby).* The False Indigo. fl. very dark bluish purple. June. l., leaflets elliptic-oblong; lower ones distant from the stem. h. 6ft. Carolina, 1724. Shrub glabrous, or a little villous. There are several varieties, having mucronate, emarginate, or narrower leaflets, but all with purple flowers. A host of names, representing the merest forms of A. fruticosa, are to be found in nurserymen's catalogues. Amongst them are: caroliniana, crocea, crocea-lanata, dealbata, fragrans, glabra, herbacea, nana, pubescens, &c. These differ so slightly from the type and from each other, that it is impossible to distinguish them.