Part 13

=AGARICUS= (derived from _Agaria_, the name of a town in Sarmentosa). Mushroom. ORD. _Fungi_. The most extensive genus known. It, however, contains but one or two species of cultural value. The most important ones are the common field mushroom, _A. campestris_ (Fig. 44), the Fairy Ring mushroom, _A. pratensis_, and _A. vaginatus_. Familiar species are the Parasol mushroom, _A. procerus_ (Fig. 43); St. George's mushroom, _A. gambosus_ (Fig. 42); and the deadly Fly Agaric, _A. muscarius_ (Fig. 41). For practical purposes the majority of this genus are poisonous, and many virulently so. Great care must be exercised in experimenting with unknown species, even by experienced fungologists. _See_ =Mushroom=.

=AGASTACHYS= (from _agastos_, admirable, and _stachys_, a spike). ORD. _Proteaceæ_. A greenhouse evergreen shrub, with four sepalled apetalous flowers, which are disposed in numerous spikes. It thrives in a compost of equal parts loam, sand, and peat. Cuttings of ripened wood will strike in sandy soil under a glass, in a cool house.

=A. odorata= (fragrant).* _fl._ pale yellow, sweet scented, crowded; spikes 4in. to 5in. long. April. _l._ bluntly lanceolate, sub-sessile, thickish, about 2in. long. _h._ about 3ft. New Holland, 1826.

=AGATHÆA= (from _agathos_, excellent; in reference to the beauty of the flowers). ORD. _Compositæ_. Allied to _Cineraria_, and requiring the same greenhouse treatment. It makes a very pretty object for summer decoration in the flower garden. Young cuttings root freely, in a gentle heat, at all times; and the plant may be had in bloom all the year round.

=A. cœlestis= (sky-blue).* _fl.-heads_ blue; peduncle one-headed. June. _l._ opposite, ovate, naked. _h._ 1-1/2ft. Cape of Good Hope, 1753. Herbaceous perennial. See Fig. 40.

=AGATHA ROSE.= _See_ =Rosa gallica Agatha=.

=AGATHIS.= _See_ =Dammara=.

=AGATHOPHYLLUM= (from _agathos_, pleasant, and _phyllon_, a leaf; referring to the pleasant clove-like smell of the leaf). Madagascar Nutmeg. ORD. _Lauraceæ_. A stove evergreen tree, of economic value only, having the fruit enclosed by the persistent calyx; thriving in peat and light rich loam. Of easy propagation by cuttings in sand, with a moderate bottom heat.

=A. aromaticum= (aromatic). _fl._ white. _l._ stalked, alternate, obovate, obtuse, leathery, entire, smooth. _h._ 30ft. Madagascar, 1823.

=AGATHOSMA= (from _agathos_, pleasant, and _osme_, smell; the plants contained in this genus have a pleasant smell). SYNS. _Bucco_, _Dichosma_. ORD. _Rutaceæ_. Beautiful small heath-like greenhouse shrubs, from the Cape of Good Hope. Flowers in terminal heads, or umbels; petals five, divided, with long claws, and scattered, short, narrow leaves, usually with revolute edges. They are of easy culture, thriving best in a mixture of sand and peat, with the addition of a little turfy loam. Young cuttings will strike root freely in a pot of sand, under a bell glass, in a cool house. They require to be shaded somewhat in the summer. Winter temperature, 40deg. to 45deg. About forty-six species are known.

=A. acuminata= (taper-pointed leaved).* _fl._ violet; calyces smooth, glandular, on terminal subcapitate heads. April. _l._ ovate, somewhat cordate, long acuminated, fringed, at length spreading. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. 1812.

=A. bruniades= (Brunia-like).* _fl._ lilac or white, on terminal sub-umbellate heads; peduncles fastigiate, elongated. April. _l._ scattered, linear-trigonal, awl-shaped, dotted, and a little fringed; branches hairy. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. 1820.

=A. cerefolia= (chervil-leaved). _fl._ white, small; pedicels and calyces beset with glandular hairs; heads terminal sub-umbellate. April. _l._ crowded, lanceolate, acute, spreading, keeled, fringed. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. 1794.

=A. ciliata= (ciliated).* _fl._ white; pedicels smoothish; heads terminal sub-umbellate. April. _l._ scattered, lanceolate, acute, with toothletted-fringed, revolute edges, dotted beneath, and bearing hairs on the middle nerve, becoming at length reflexed. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. 1774.

=A. erecta= (upright).* _fl._ pale violet, terminal, sub-umbellate; peduncles short, villous. April. _l._ imbricate, trigonal, blunt, dotted beneath, a little fringed. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. 1818.

=A. hirta= (hairy). _fl._ purple, densely capitate; petals bearded at the claws. April. _l._ somewhat imbricate, linear, awl-shaped, channelled, hairy on the back, decurrent. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. 1794.

=A. hispida= (rough-haired). _fl._ violet, on terminal sub-umbellate heads; pedicels and sepals pubescent; petals quite smooth. May. _l._ crowded, linear, trigonal, blunt, spreading, hispid, keeled, and two-furrowed beneath. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. 1786.

=A. imbricata= (imbricated). _fl._ pale purple, in terminal sub-capitate heads; petals with a roundish limb; sepals smoothish; pedicels pubescent. April. _l._ imbricate, crowded, ovate, acuminated, dotted, fringed. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. 1774.

=A. orbicularis= (round-leaved). _fl._ white, on terminal sub-umbellate heads; stamens twice as long as the corolla; pedicels pubescent. April. _l._ scattered, spreading, orbicular, ovate, or reniform, smooth, reflexed, small, thickish, without any dots beneath; branches villous. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. 1790.

=A. prolifera= (proliferous). _fl._ white, on terminal sub-umbellate heads; sepals smooth; pedicels somewhat fastigiate, pubescent. April. _l._ spreading, lanceolate, cuspidate; keel and edges fringed, dotted; branches whorled, proliferous. _h._ 1ft. to 3ft. 1790.

=A. pubescens= (downy). _fl._ white; umbels terminal; peduncles and sepals villous. April. _l._ lanceolate, trigonal, pointless, with margins and rib ciliated. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. 1798.

=A. rugosa= (coarsely-wrinkled). _fl._ white, on terminal sub-umbellate heads; sepals pubescent; pedicels capillary, clothed with glandular hairs. April. _l._ spreading, oblong or ovate, blunt, keeled, wrinkled, villous beneath, reflexed. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. 1790.

=A. vestita= (clothed). _fl._ lilac, on terminal sub-capitate heads; pedicels quite smooth. May. _l._ closely imbricated, ovate, acuminated, keeled, fringed. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. 1824.

=AGATHYRSUS.= _See_ =Mulgedium=.

=AGATI= (its Sanscrit name). ORD. _Leguminosæ_. Ornamental stove trees from India, with lanceolate stipulas, abruptly-pinnate leaves, having many pairs of leaflets. Flowers large, few, racemose. Legumes 1-1/2ft. long. A mixture of loam, peat, and sand is most suitable. Young cuttings will root in a pot of sand, with a hand glass over them, placed in heat.

=A. coccinea= (scarlet).* _fl._ red, rather smaller than the next species. Legumes rather terete. _l._ leaflets powdery. July. _h._ 20ft. to 30ft. 1768.

=A. grandiflora= (large-flowered). _fl._ rosy red. July. Legumes evidently compressed. _l._ leaflets glabrous. _h._ 14ft. to 26ft. 1768.

=A. g. flore-albo= (white flowered). _fl._ white, double. N. Australia, 1869.

=AGAVE= (from _agauos_, admirable; referring to the stately form in which some of them flower). ORD. _Amaryllidaceæ_. Flower-scape tall, proceeding from the centre of the rosette of leaves; perianth funnel-shaped, six-parted. Leaves large, fleshy, tufted. Mr. B. S. Williams describes them as follows: "They are noble, massive-growing plants, and form magnificent ornaments in the greenhouse or conservatory; whilst, from their slow growth, they do not rapidly get too large, even for a small greenhouse. Indeed, some of the real gems of this genus are neat, compact-growing plants, seldom exceeding 2ft. in height. Besides being fine ornamental plants for indoor decoration, the larger growing kinds are unquestionably the finest objects for the embellishment of terrace-walks, or surmounting flights of steps in the open air during the summer season, and also for plunging in rockwork, or about any rustic nooks in the pleasure-grounds, as, in such situations, they are quite in keeping, and thrive admirably. As is well known, they attain maturity very slowly; but when this condition is reached, the plant sends up a flower spike, and, after perfecting this, dies." _A. Sartorii_, and a few others are, however, exceptional, and go on flowering year after year. It is certainly fallacious to suppose it takes them a hundred years to flower. Agaves succeed well potted in good loam and river sand, to which may be added a little peat and leaf mould for some of the smaller-growing kinds. The drainage should be good, as they enjoy a liberal supply of water during the summer season, but during winter considerably less will be required. They can be increased by suckers when these are to be obtained, and also by seeds, to secure the production of which, in the species that do not yield suckers, the flowers should be carefully impregnated. In the following descriptive list of species, only those of horticultural value are mentioned, some of which are still rare; and in describing them we have availed ourselves of Mr. J. G. Baker's excellent monograph, which appeared in the columns of the _Gardener's Chronicle_. Many are omitted, not from any deficiency in horticultural beauty, but because, in several instances, only one plant of a species is known to exist in cultivation, and such cannot, therefore, hope to become in general cultivation for many years hence.

=A. albicans= (whitened). Probably a variety of _A. micrantha_.

=A. americana= (American).* _fl._ yellowish green, 2in. to 3-1/2in. long; in very dense globose clusters, on pedicels 1/4in. to 1/2in. long; scape, including the thyrsoid panicle, 24ft. to 36ft. August. _l._ usually thirty to forty, sometimes more, in a rosette, oblanceolate-spathulate, 3ft. to 6ft. long, 6in. to 9in. broad above the middle, glaucous green, more or less concave all down the face, the outer leaves recurved, the dark brown pungent point 1in. to 2in. long; prickles brown tipped, 1/6in. to 1/4in. long. S. America, 1640. See Fig. 45.

=A. a. mexicana= (Mexican). A variety much shorter in the leaves than the species, of which it may be regarded as one of the many small forms.

=A. a. picta= (painted).* _l._ 2ft. to 3ft. long, about 4in. wide, lower ones recurved, upper ones erect, moderately thick, rich golden yellow on both sides, bordered with dark green. A very splendid variety. SYN. _A. ornata_.

=A. a. variegata= (variegated). _l._ 6ft. or more in length, 6in. or 8in. wide, dark green in the centre, broadly margined with rich yellow. A very desirable variety.

=A. amœna= (pleasing). Referred to _A. Scolymus_.

=A. amurensis= (Amur River). Synonymous with _A. xylacantha_.

=A. applanata= (plano-convex-leaved). _fl._ unknown. _l._ twenty to forty in a dense sessile rosette, reaching a couple of feet in diameter, oblong-spathulate, 8in. to 12in. long, 2in. to 3-1/2in. broad, the lower half of the face flat, the upper half concave, suddenly terminating in a pungent brown spine above 1in. long, blue-green bordered with brown; prickles 1/4in. to 1/3in. long, bright brown. Mexico, 1869.

=A. atrovirens= (dark-green). Synonymous with _A. Salmiana_.

=A. attenuata= (attenuated).* _fl._ greenish-yellow, 2in. long; pedicels about 1/4in. long, on a dense spike, 6ft. to 8ft. long, and 6in. in diameter; bracts overtopping the perianth. _l._ ten to twenty, in a dense rosette at the top of the stem, oblong-spathulate, 2ft. to 2-1/2ft. long, 8in. to 9in. broad two-thirds of the way up, narrowed to 2-1/2in. to 3in. above the base, persistently glaucous, one of the most fleshy of all in texture; face rather concave when young; tip not pungent, edge quite entire. Stem 4ft. to 7ft. high, 3in. to 4in. thick. Mexico, 1834. A most distinct species.

=A. Beaucarnei= (Beaucarne's). Synonymous with _A. Kerchovei_.

=A. Botterii= (Botteri's).* _fl._ greenish-yellow, about 1in. long, on a dense spike, longer than the leaves; primary bracts lanceolate, with a long point, the lower ones as long as the flowers; scape covered with adpressed lanceolate bracts. _l._ about fifty in a rosette, oblong-spathulate, about 2ft. long, 6in. broad above the middle, narrowed to 4-1/2in. above the base; pale green, concave in the centre; spine hard, pungent, about 1/2in. long; marginal teeth crowded, 1/8in., upcurved at the tip. Stemless. Mexico, about 1865.

=A. bulbifera= (bulb-bearing). Synonymous with _A. vivipara_.

=A. cæspitosa= (tufted). Synonymous with _A. Sartorii_.

=A. cantula.= Synonymous with _A. vivipara_.

=A. Celsiana= (Cels's).* _fl._ tinged purplish-brown, 2in. long, in a dense spike, 1ft. or more long, and 6in. to 8in. in diameter when expanded; scape 4ft. long, the lower bract leaves lanceolate, the upper ones subulate. _l._ twenty to thirty in a rosette, oblong-spathulate, 1-1/2ft. to 2ft. long, 4in. to 5in. broad at the middle, narrowed to 2-1/2in. to 3in. above the base, persistently glaucous, the point hardly at all pungent; spines very unequal in size and shape, green, largest brown and horny at the top. Mexico, 1839. This is a beautiful species, the stem of which scarcely rises off the surface of the ground. See Fig. 46.

=A. coccinea= (scarlet). _fl._ unknown. _l._ twenty to thirty in a dense rosette, oblanceolate-spathulate, 1-1/2ft. to 2ft. long, 4in. to 6in. broad two-thirds of the way up, narrowed to 3in. above the dilated base, where it is 1in. to 1-1/4in. thick, deep heavy green; terminal spine 1-1/2in. or more in length, red; side prickles irregular, deltoid, unequal, nearly straight, 1/6in. to 1/4in. long, red. Mexico, 1859.

=A. cochlearis= (cochleate). _fl._ yellowish green, above 4in. long, in dense clusters. _l._ forming a sessile rosette 10ft. broad, oblong-spathulate, 5ft. to 6ft. long, above 1ft. broad, 5in. thick at the base, opaque green, with a deeply excavated face; terminal spine very stout, pungent; side prickles curved variously, middle sized, deltoid. Stems 26ft. high. Mexico, previous to 1867.

=A. Consideranti= (Considerant's). Synonymous with _A. Victoriæ Regina_.

=A. Corderoyi= (Corderoy's).* _fl._ unknown. _l._ forty to fifty in a dense rosette, rigidly erecto-patent, ensiform, 1-1/2ft. long, 3/4in. to 1in. broad, bright green; terminal spine hard, brown, 1in. long; side prickles moderately close, erecto-patent, dark brown, 1/6in. long. Mexico, 1868. A very distinct and pretty species.

=A. crenata= (crenated). Referred to _A. Scolymus_.

=A. cucullata= (hooded). Referred to _A. Scolymus_.

=A. dasylirioides= (Dasylirion-like).* _fl._ yellow, about 1-1/2in. long; spike as long as the scape, often decurved; lower bracts much longer than the flowers; pedicels obsolete; scape 6ft. long, densely clothed with spreading subulate bract leaves, the lower ones 1ft. long. _l._ eighty to a hundred in a dense rosette, linear-ensiform, 1-1/2ft. to 3ft. long, about 1in. broad, narrowing gradually from the middle to a short brown pungent point, pale glaucous green, rigidly leathery; edge minutely denticulate. Mexico, 1846.

=A. d. dealbata= (whitened). A variety of preceding, but with more glaucous foliage.

=A. densiflora= (close-flowered).* _fl._ yellowish-red, 1-1/2in. to 2in. long, on a dense spike, 2ft. long; pedicels very short; scape, including the spike, 6ft. long, the lower bracts ascending, the upper ones spreading. _l._ thirty to forty in a stemless rosette, oblanceolate-spathulate, 2ft. to 3ft. long, and 2-1/2in. to 5in. broad, bright green when mature; terminal spine 1/2in. long, thick, pungent, slightly decurrent; side spines crowded, short, bright chestnut brown. Mexico (previous to) 1857. See Fig. 47.

=A. Deserti= (Desert's).* _fl._ yellow, under 2in. long, on a thyrsoid panicle, the branches very short, the lower horizontal, the upper ascending; pedicels short; scape 4ft. to 10ft. high, 1in. to 2in. thick at the base, furnished with distant lanceolate acuminate toothed bracts. _l._ few, in a rosette, oblanceolate, 6in. to 12in. long, 1-1/2in. to 2in. broad above the middle, thick, fleshy, very glaucous; face deeply concave; terminal spine 1in. to 2in. long, slender; prickles crowded, strong, hooked, horny, nearly 1/4in. long. California, 1877.

=A. Desmetiana= (De Smet's). Probably synonymous with _A. miradorensis_.

=A. Elemeetiana= (Elemeet's).* _fl._ yellowish-green, 1in. to 1-1/2in. long, in a dense spike 8ft. to 9ft. long, 7in. to 8in. in diameter when expanded; pedicels 1/4in. long; scape, including the spike, 12ft. to 13ft. high, stiffly erect, lower 3ft. to 4ft., barren, with squarrose lanceolate bracts. _l._ twenty to twenty-five in a rosette, lanceolate-oblong, 1-1/2ft. to 2ft. long, 3in. to 6in. wide, slightly glaucous; face flat above the middle terminal spine, not pungent, the margin pale and quite entire. Stemless. A very distinct species. Mexico, 1864.

=A. Fenzliana= (Fenzl's). Synonymous with _A. Hookeri_.

=A. ferox= (fierce). _fl._ unknown. _l._ about twenty in a rosette, oblong-spathulate, 4in. to 8in. broad; face nearly flat, except at the top, slightly glaucous green; terminal spine above 1in. long, hard, pungent; margin slightly wavy between the large dark brown teeth, which are about 1/4in. long, and curved at the top. Mexico, 1861.

=A. filifera= (thread-bearing).* _fl._ greenish, about 2in. long; pedicels very short and stout, in a dense spike 2ft. to 3ft. long; scape 3ft. to 4ft. long, its bract-leaves subulate, the lower ones ascending, the upper squarrose. _l._ sixty to a hundred in a dense rosette, stiff, straight, ensiform, 6in. to 9in. long, 1in. broad at the middle, gradually narrowing to a grey pungent tip; face flat, the continuous grey edge splitting off copiously into irregular spreading grey wiry threads; outer leaves of the rosette not all recurved, but spreading stiffly. Mexico.

=A. f. filamentosa= (thready).* A form with larger leaves and scape; including the spike, 10ft. to 12ft. high. A well-known, handsome variety.

=A. Galeotti= (Galeotti's). _fl._ unknown. _l._ thirty to forty in a dense rosette, 2ft. to 3ft. broad, oblong-spathulate, 1ft. to 1-1/2ft. long, 2in. to 6in. broad; face rather flat or convex, green; terminal spine hard, pungent; prickles close, straight, or slightly hooked, purplish-black. Mexico, 1877.

=A. Ghiesbreghtii= (Ghiesbreght's). _fl._ unknown. _l._ thirty to forty in a dense rosette, rigid, lanceolate, 9in. to 12in. long, 2in. to 3in. broad, bright glossy green; terminal spine 1/2in. long, pungent; border narrow, red-brown till a late stage; side prickles numerous, irregular, two to three lines long. Mexico, 1862. Very handsome dwarf species. _A. Rohanii_ and _A. Leguayana_ are mere varieties.

=A. heteracantha= (various-spined).* _fl._ greenish, 1-1/2in. long, on a dense spike 3ft. long; scape 3ft. to 4ft. long. _l._ fifty to eighty in a rosette, rigid, ensiform, 1-1/2ft. to 2ft. long, 2in. to 2-1/2in. broad in the middle, dull green, with numerous darker green lines on the back; terminal point 1in. long; side spines numerous, strongly hooked, lanceolate. Stemless. Mexico.

=A. Hookeri= (Hooker's).* _fl._ large, yellow, very numerous, in stalked panicled cymes. _l._ thirty to forty in a sessile rosette, 8ft. or 9ft. in diameter, oblanceolate-spathulate, bright green on the face, rather glaucous on the back, 4ft. to 5ft. long, 5in. to 9in. broad, 2in. to 3in. thick; terminal spine 2in. long, and decurrent for nearly half a foot; face flattish or slightly concave; side prickles irregular, brown and horny, about 1/4in. long, and curved in different directions. Mexico. SYN. _A. Fenzliana_. A rare and noble species, very massive.

=A. horrida= (horrid).* _fl._ unknown. _l._ thirty to forty in a dense rosette, rigid, lanceolate-spathulate, 8in. to 12in. long, 1in. to 2in. broad, bright green; terminal spine pungent, nearly 1in. long; margin furnished with a continuous broad grey border, with copious prickles 3/8in. to 1/2in. long.

=A. h. Gilbeyi= (Gilbey's).* _l._ about thirty, 3in. to 4in. long, 2in. broad, dark green with a pale stripe down the middle, three to four large spines on each side. Mexico, 1873.

=A. h. lævior= (smoother). _l._ somewhat narrower, longer, with marginal spines less strongly developed, and of a paler colour. Mexico, 1870.

=A. h. macrodonta= (long-toothed). _l._ fifty to sixty, 2-1/2in. broad; spines larger than in the typical form. Mexico, 1876.

=A. h. micrantha= (small-toothed). Border of leaf narrower, and spines smaller, than in the typical form.

=A. Jacobiana= (Jacob's). Synonymous with _A. Salmiana_.

=A. Kerchovei= (Kerchove's).* _fl._ unknown. _l._ thirty to forty in a stemless rosette, stiff, rigid, typically ensiform, 6in. to 12in. long, 1-1/2in. to 2in. broad, narrowing gradually to a pungent spine 1in. long, dull green, with a distinct pale central band, rounded on the back, without any stripes of dark green, the margin with a continuous moderately broad grey border; side prickles irregular, grey, lanceolate, curved, 1/6in. to 1/4in. long. SYN. _A. Beaucarnei_.

There are several varieties of _A. Kerchovei_, of which the following are the most important:--

=A. K. diplacantha= (double-spined).* With very few distant, small teeth, often collected or united in pairs.

=A. K. inermis= (unarmed). Dwarf, with spines entirely obsolete.

=A. K. macrodonta= (long-toothed). _l._ 1-1/2ft. long, without any distinct central band, and with copious irregular grey lanceolate prickles, about 1/3in. long.

=A. K. pectinata= (comb-like). _l._ 1ft. long, 2-1/4in. broad, without any central band.

=A. lophantha= (crest-flowered).* _fl._ greenish, arranged in a dense spike 4ft. to 5ft. long; scape 7ft. to 8ft. long, its leaves brown, the lower ones 6in. long. _l._ thirty to forty in a rosette, rigid, ensiform, 2ft. to 3ft. long, 1-1/2in. broad at the middle, rather concave down the face, rounded on the back, not marked with any lines, dull green; terminal spine 1in. long; margins bordered by a very narrow continuous grey hoary line, furnished with distant linear falcate teeth, about 1/12in. long, sessile. Mexico.

=A. l. cœrulescens= (bluish).* _l._ with a decided glaucous bloom.

=A. l. longifolia= (long-leaved). A mere variety of above species.