Asphodeline
ORD. Liliaceae. A genus of plants allied to Asphodelus, but distinguished from it by having erect leafy stems. They thrive in any ordinary garden soil. Propagated by division.
A. brevicaulis (short-stemmed). fl. in lax, often panicled racemes, yellow, veined with green. l. subulate, ascending, lower ones 4in. to 6in. long. Stem slender, often flexuose. Orient.
A. damascena (Damascene). fl. white, in dense generally simple racemes, 6in. to 12in. long. l. in dense rosette, 6in. to 9in. long, subulate. Stem simple, erect. h. 1 1/2ft. to 2ft. Asia Minor.
A. liburnica (Liburnian). fl. yellow, striped with green, in generally simple lax racemes, 6in. to 9in. long. Stem simple, erect, strict, 1ft. to 2ft. high, upper half naked. South Europe.
A. lutea (yellow). fl. yellow, fragrant, in a dense, very long, straight, simple raceme, in the axils of buff-coloured bracts, which are nearly as long as the flowers. Summer. l. numerous, awl-shaped, triangular, furrowed, smooth, dark green, marked with lines of a paler tint; root leaves tufted. Stem 3ft. or 4ft. high. Sicily, 1596. The best known and handsomest species. SYN. Asphodelus luteus.
A. l. fl.-pl. This resembles the species, but the flowers are double, and last much longer than those of the typical form; it is a very pretty plant. A. taurica (Taurian). fl. white, striped with green, in generally simple dense racemes, 6in. to 12in. long, 1in. to 2in. wide. Stem simple, erect, 1ft. to 2ft. high, densely leafy at base of raceme. Asia Minor, &c. SYN. Asphodelus tauricus.
A. tenuior (slenderer). fl. yellow, in simple lax-flowered racemes, 3in. to 4in. long, 2in. wide. Stem simple lower half leaf, upper naked, 1ft. Orient. SYN. Asphodelus tenuior.