ANDROS (anc. geog.), an island in the Irish sea (Pliny), called Hedres by Ptolemy: Now Bardsey, distant about a mile from the coast of North Wales.
ANDROSACE: A genus of the monogynia order, belonging to the pentandria class of plants; and in the natural method ranking under the 21st order, Precia. The essential characters are, The male calyx is five-leaved; the corolla is five-petaled; the stamens are five, inserted on the rudiment of the stylus: The female calyx is five-leaved; the corolla is wanting; the style is three; the capsule is trilocular; the seeds are two. Of this genus Dr. Linnaeus reckons six.
Species. 1. The maxima grows naturally in Austria and Bohemia, among the corn. It hath broad leaves, which spread near the ground; from the centre of these the footstalks arise, which are terminated by an umbel of white flowers like those of the auricula. These appear in April and May, and the seeds ripen in June; soon after which the plants perish. 2. The septentrionalis, villosa, carnea, and lactea, grow naturally on the Alps and Helvetian mountains, as also in Siberia. They are much smaller than the former, seldom growing more than three inches high. Of the other species, called the elongata, we have no particular description.
Culture. These plants are propagated by seeds, which should be sown soon after they are ripe, otherwise they seldom come up the same year. If permitted to scatter, they will grow better than when they are sown.