Agathosma
(from agathos, pleasant, and osme, smell; the plants contained in this genus have a pleasant smell). SYNS. Bucco, Dichosma. ORD. Rutaceae. 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, some what cordate, long acuminated, fringed, at length spreading. h. 1ft. to 2ft. 1812. A. bruniades (Brunia-like).* fl. lilac or white, on terminal subumbellate heads; peduncles fastigiate, elongated. April. l. scattered, linear-trigonal, awl-shaped, dotted, and a little fringed; branches hairy. h. 1ft. 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.