5 1 o PHYSOSTELMA 



Physostelma Wight. Asclepiadaceae (n. 3). 2 Malaya. 



Physostemon Mart. (Cleome p.p. BH.}. Capparid. (v). 4 trop. 

 S. Am. 



Physostigma Balf. Leguminosae (in. 10). 2 trop. Afr. The keel is 

 spurred. P. -venenosuni Balf. is the ordeal bean of Calabar. 



Physotrichia Hiern. Umbelliferae (in. 5). 2 trop. Afr. 



Physurus L. C. Rich. Orchidaceae (n. 2). 25 warm As., Am. 



Phyt-, Phyto- (Gr. pref.), plant-; -logy, botany. 



Phytelephas Ruiz et Pav. Palmae(v). 4 trop. Am. Like Nipa, widely 

 different from other palms; with affinities to Pandanaceae and Cyclan- 

 thaceae. Short-stemmed with large pinnate rad. 1., and dioec. infls. 

 c? infl. a sausage-shaped spadix ; the fl. has an irreg. P and oo sta. 

 with long filaments. ? spadix simple with spathe of several 1., 

 and about 6 fls.; the fl. has an irreg. P (an outer whorl of 3 and 

 inner of 5 10 longer 1.), numerous stds. and usu. a 5-loc. ov. with 

 long style and stigmas. Each fl. gives a berry, and the actual fr. 

 consists of 6 or more of these united together. The outer coat is 

 hard, with woody protuberances. Each partial fr. contains several 

 seeds; the endosp. (cellulose) is very hard (vegetable-ivory) and is 

 used for turning into billiard balls, c. [Compare this fr. with Pan- 

 danus and Carludovica.] 



Phyteuma L. Campanulaceae (i. i). 45 Medit., Eur., As. P. orbi- 

 culare L. and P. spicatitin L. (rampion) in Brit. Fl. mech. interest- 

 ing (see fain. ). The fls. are small, and massed together in heads. A 

 tube is formed by the coherence of the tips of the long thin petals, 

 within which the anthers are held. The style pushes up through this 

 and drives the pollen gradually out at the end, where it is exposed 

 to insects. Finally the style emerges, the stigmas open and the petals 

 separate and fall back. [Compare with Campanula, Jasione and 

 Compositae.] 



Phytocrene Wall. Icacinaceae. 7 Indomal. Twining shrubs with 

 very large vessels in the stem. If the stem be cut a quantity of water 

 escapes, which is drunk by the Malabar natives. Fls. dioec. 



Phytolacca Tourn. ex L. (incl. Pircunia Bert.). Phytolaccaceae. 26 

 trop. and subtrop. Herbs with fleshy roots, or shrubs or trees. Fls. 

 reg. ; P 5, A 10 20, G 7 10 or (7 10); in the latter case fr. a 

 berry, in the former an aggregate of achenes or drupes. 



Phytolaccaceae (EP. , BH.). Dicots. (Archichl. Centrospermae; Cur- 

 vembryae BH.}. 20 gen., 60 sp., chiefly trop. Am. and S. Afr. Herbs, 

 shrubs, or trees, with racemose or cymose infls. of_ regular inconspic. 

 $ fls. P 4 5, A 4 5 or more (to oo ), G, rarely G, i oo or (i oo ), 

 ovules i in each cpl., amphi- or campylo-tropous. Drupe or nut, rarely 

 capsule. Seed with perisperm, often arillate. The fls. exhibit great 

 variety in structure, owing to branching of sta. and different numbers 

 and arrangements of cpls. Chief genera: Seguiera, Rivina, Phytolacca. 



Phytosalpinx Lunell = Lycopus Tourn. (Labi.). 



Piaranthus R. Br. Asclepiadaceae (n. 3). 128. Afr. 



Piassaba fibre, Attalea fun if era Mart. (Bahia), Leopoldinia Piassaba 

 Wallace. 



Picardaea Urb. Rubiaceae (i. i). i Haiti. 



Picconia DC. (Notelaea p.p.). Oleaceae. i Canaries, Madeira. 



