ASPHODEL, OR KING'S SPEAR:**

A genus of the monogynia order, belonging to the hexandria clas of plants. The calyx is divided into six parts; and the nectarium consists of six valves, covering the nectarium.—The

Species are five. 1. The luteus, or common yellow asphodel, hath roots composed of many thick fleasy fibres, which are yellow, and joined into a head at the top; from whence arise strong round single stalks near three feet high, garnished on the upper part with yellow star-shaped flowers, which appear in June, and the seeds ripen in autumn. 2. The ramosus, or branching asphodel, hath roots composed of fleasy fibres, to each of which is fastened an oblong bulb as large as a small potato; the leaves are long and flexible, having sharp edges; between these come out the flower-stalks, which arise more than three feet high, sending forth many lateral branches. The upper parts of these are adorned with many white star-shaped flowers, which grow in long spikes flowering gradually upward. They come out in the beginning of June, and the seeds ripen in autumn. 3. The ramosus, or unbranched asphodel, hath roots like the second, but the leaves are longer and narrower; the stalks are single, never putting out any side-branches. The flowers appear at the same time with the former, are of a purer white, and grow in longer spikes. 4. The albus, with keel-shaped leaves, hath roots composed of smaller fibres than the two last, nor are the knobs at bottom half so large; the leaves are long, almost triangular, and hollow like the keel of a boat; the stalks seldom rise above two feet high, and divide into several spreading branches; these are terminated by loose spikes of white flowers smaller than those of the former. 5. The filotus, or annual branching spiderwort, hath roots composed of many yellow fleasy fibres: the leaves are spread out from the crown of the root, close to the ground, in a large cluster; these are convex on their under side, but plain above. The flower-stalks rise immediately from the root, and grow about two feet high, dividing into three or four branches upward, which are adorned with white starry flowers, with purple lines on the outside. These flower in July and August, and their seeds ripen in October.

**Culture.** The way to increase these plants is by parting their roots in August, before they shoot up their fresh green leaves. They may also be raised from seeds sown in August; and the August following the plants produced from these may be transplanted into beds, and will produce flowers the second year. They must not be planted in small borders, among tender flowers; for they will draw away all the nourishment, and starve everything else.

The Lancashire asphodel is thought to be very noxious to sheep, whenever, through poverty of pasture, they are necessitated to eat it; although they are said to improve much in their flesh at first, they afterwards die with symptoms of a diseased liver. This is the plant of which such wonderful tales have been told by Pauli, Bartholome, and others, of its softening the bones of such animals as swallow it; and which they thence called *gramen offragum*. Horned cattle eat it without any ill effect.

**ASPIURELATA,** in natural history, are semi-metallic fossils, fusible by fire, and not malleable in their purest state, being in their native state intimately mixed with sulphur and other adventitious matter, and reduced to what are called ores.

Of this series of fossils there are only five bodies, each of which makes a distinct genus; viz. antimony, bismuth, zinc, or quicksilver.