ASCYRUM (from a, without, and skyros, hard; that is to say, a plant which is soft to the touch). ORD. Hypericinae. A genus of elegant little herbs and sub-shrubs, with sessile, entire leaves, destitute of pellucid dots, but usually furnished with black dots beneath. Flowers resembling Hypericum. They require to be protected during winter by a frame; for this purpose they should be grown in pots, as they never exist long in the open border. A compost of peat, pure leaf soil, and sand, in equal portions, suits them well; young cuttings of the shrubby kinds will root in sand under a hand bell glass. Propagated by careful divisions of the roots in spring. All may be raised from seeds. ASCYRUM amplexicaule (stem-clasping). fl. yellow, few, axillary, and terminal; corymbs naked. July. l. stem-clasping, ovate, cordate, sinuately-curled. Stem dichotomously panicled. h. 2ft. North America, 1823. The flowers and leaves are longer in this than in any other of the species. ASCYRUM Crux Andreae.* St. Andrew's Cross. fl., petals narrow-pale yellow, nearly sessile, in terminal corymbs. July. l. ovate-linear, obtuse, usually in bundles in the axils. Stem shrubby, round. h. 1ft. North America (in sandy fields), 1759. This proves to be quite hardy in many situations. ASCYRUM hypericoides (Hypericum-like). fl. yellow. August. l. linear-oblong, obtuse. h. 2ft. North America, 1759. ASCYRUM stans (standing). St. Peter's Wort. fl. yellow. August. l. oval or oblong, somewhat clasping. h. 2ft. North America, 1816.