A. Vitaliana (Vital's).* fl. rich yellow, comparatively large; tube inflated at the middle, almost nestling among the leaves. May to July. l. linear, acute, greyish. Stems numerous. h. 1in. to 2in. Pyrenees, &c., 1787. When well grown, it produces flowers in abundance, and is the only species in cultivation having yellow flowers. A well-drained, sunny pocket is desirable, with a calcareous soil, covering the surface with nodules of sandstone. SYN. Gregoria Vitaliana.
A. Wulfeniana (Wulfen's).* fl. rosy or crimson, large. Summer. l. oval, acuminated, in dense rosettes. h. 2in. Styria. A very rare species in cultivation in this country.
ANDROSÆMUM. See Hypericum.
ANDROSTEPHIUM (from aner, a man, and stephos, a crown; some of the stamens are barren and petaloid, forming a corona). ORD. Liliaceæ. A very pretty little hardy bulb, of dwarf habit, allied to Brodiæa. It requires a rich sandy loam, in a sunny position, and may be propagated by offsets and seeds; the latter should be sown as soon as ripe in a cold frame. Plant 6in. deep, when it will require no protection in winter.
A. violaceum (violet). fl. violet blue, about 1in. long, three to six in an umbel, on pedicels about their own length; tube infundibuliform, about as long as the spreading segments; corona half as long. Spring. l. four to six, very narrow. h. 6in. Texas, 1874.
ANDRYALA (the meaning of this is unknown). ORD. Compositæ. These are pretty half-hardy evergreen herbaceous perennials, easily grown in ordinary well-drained garden soil. Increased by seeds and divisions in spring. Two species only are in cultivation.
A. lanata (woolly).* fl.-heads yellow, Hieracium-like. May. l. white, woolly, thick, oblong-ovate; radical ones stalked; upper ones sessile. Stems with a leaf at each joint. h. about 1ft. South Europe, 1732.
A. mogadorensis (Mogador). fl.-heads bright yellow, as large as a half-crown; disk bright orange. April. Morocco, 1871. This species is rare in cultivation.
ANEILEMA (from a, not, and eilema, involucre; in reference to the absence of the involucre). ORD. Commelynaceæ. Greenhouse and stove evergreen perennials, with generally a trailing habit. A genus resembling Commelyna, from which it is distinguished by the inflorescence being sub-paniculate, and the peduncles entirely exserted from the bracts at the branching of the panicle. Flowers without any involucre. They thrive in a compost of loam, peat, leaf mould, and sand, well mixed. Increased by seeds and root divisions. There are a large number of species known to botanists.
A. biflora (two-flowered).* fl. blue; floral stalks two-flowered. July. l. lanceolate. Stem creeping; plant smooth. New Holland, 1820. Greenhouse species.
A. sinicum (Chinese). fl. pale blue; racemes about seven-flowered, alternate, placed in a panicle form. May. l. ligulate, acuminate. Stems branched, diffuse. h. 1ft. China, 1820. Greenhouse species.
ANEMIA (from aneimon, naked; in reference to the naked panicles of sporangia). Including Anemidictyon. ORD. Filices. A well-marked genus of stove and greenhouse ferns, chiefly confined to Tropical America. Capsules small, very abundant, forming a copiously-branched panicle, quite distinct from the leafy part of the frond. This genus of handsome dwarf-growing ferns is of easy culture, in a compost of fibrous peat, leaf soil, and sand. Several species are exceedingly pretty for fern cases. For general culture, see Ferns.
A. adiantifolia (maidenhair-leaved).* sti. 12in. to 18in. long, firm, naked. fronds, barren portion shortly-stalked, 6in. to 9in. long, 4in. to 6in. broad, deltoid, bi-tripinnate; pinnæ close, lanceolate, the lowest the largest; ultimate divisions oblong or linear-cuneate, the outer toothed, with a firm texture; panicle 3in. to 4in. long, the peduncle 1in. to 3in. long. West Indies, 1793. A very handsome stove fern.
A. ciliata (ciliated). Synonymous with A. hirsuta.
A. collina (hill). sti. 8in. to 12in. long, firm, erect, densely clothed with fine ferruginous hairs. fronds, barren portion sessile, 6in. to 12in. long, 2in. to 3in. broad, with about twelve sessile pinnæ on each side, which are 1in. to 1½in. long, and about ½in. broad, unequal-sided, obliquely-truncate below, blunt, sub-entire, with a sub-coriaceous texture; panicle 2in. to 3in. long, close, the peduncle 4in. to 6in. long. Brazil, 1829. Very rare stove species. SYN. A. hirta.
A. deltoidea (deltoid-like). Synonymous with A. tomentosa.
A. Dregeana (Drege's).* sti. 8in. to 12in. long, firm, slightly villose. fronds, barren portion sub-sessile, 8in. to 12in. long, 2in. to 3in. broad, about equal in width in the lower half, with eight to twelve pinnæ on each side, which are 1in. to 1½in. long, ½in. to ¾in. broad, ovate-deltoid, unequal at the base, the upper side sub-cordate, the edge inciso-crenate; panicle 3in. to 4in. long, the lower branches elongated; peduncle same length. Natal. Stove species.
A. flexuosa (wavy). Synonymous with A. tomentosa.
A. hirsuta (hairy). sti. 6in. to 12in. long, slender, naked. fronds, barren portion 2in. to 6in. long, 1in. to 3in. broad, sessile, oblong-deltoid, bipinnatifid; pinnæ in six to eight opposite pairs, 1in. to 1½in. long, ¼in. to ¾in. broad, varying from oblong, obtuse, sub-entire, truncate at the base on the lower side, to deeply pinnatifid with narrow divisions; panicle 1in. to 2in. long, close; peduncle 2in. to 6in. long, slender. Jamaica, 1704. Very handsome stove species. SYNS. A. repens and A. ciliata.
A. hirta (hairy). Synonymous with A. collina.
A. mandioccana (Mandioccan).* sti. 6in. to 12in. long, deciduously villose. fronds, barren portion 1ft. or more long, 2in. to 4in. broad, oblong-lanceolate, the lower half about equal in width; pinnæ in twenty or more close pairs, the point narrowed, but scarcely acute; edge finely serrulate, the upper base parallel with the stem, the lower obliquely truncate; rachis and surfaces finely pilose; texture sub-coriaceous; panicle very compound, 3in. to 4in. long: peduncle longer. Brazil. A very beautiful and distinct stove species.
A. Phyllitidis (Phyllitis-like).* sti. 6in. to 18in. long, stramineous, naked, or fibrillose. fronds, barren portion sessile, 4in. to 12in. long, 2in. to 8in. broad, ovate-oblong, simply pinnate; pinnæ in four to twelve sessile pairs, the lowest the largest, ovate, 1in. to 6in. long, ½in. to 2in. broad, the apex acute, the edge crenulate, the base rounded or cuneate, or unequal, with a firm texture; panicle dense, 3in. to 9in. long, the branches short; peduncles the same length. Cuba, Mexico, &c. SYN. Anemidictyon Phyllitidis. Greenhouse species.
A. P. lineata (lined). fronds with a yellowish-green central stripe down the pinnæ. South America, 1868.
A. P. plumbea (leaden). Synonymous with A. P. tessellata.
A. P. tessellata (tessellated). Pinnæ dark green, with bright green centre and leaden-grey border. Brazil, 1875. The forms of this species are numerous: fraxinifolia and macrophylla are names often met with, but only show slight deviations. They all have a more hardy constitution than the other species, and grow well in the greenhouse. SYN. A. P. plumbea.
A. repens (creeping). Synonymous with A. hirsuta.
A. tomentosa (tomentose).* sti. 6in. to 12in. long, strong, erect, clothed with ferruginous hairs. fronds, barren portion 6in. to 12in. long, half as broad, ovate-deltoid, bipinnatifid or bipinnate; lowest pinnæ the largest, the blunt lobes ½in. to ¾in. long, ¼in. broad, nearly entire; rachis and surfaces densely pilose, with a firm texture; panicle 4in. to 9in. long, loose; peduncle 1in. to 2in. long. Tropical America. Greenhouse species. SYNS. A. deltoidea, A. flexuosa, A. villosa.
A. villosa (hairy). Synonymous with A. tomentosa.