464 A COMPENDIUM OF 
Pistil—pis’-til (Lat. pestz/lum, Fr. pistie; Ital- 
ian frstzllo, a pestle, from pznsere, to pound 
orcrush). The seed-bearing organ; the fe- 
male part of the flower 
Pith—(As. Dutch ft, pith, kernel). The 
soft, spongy mass or substance in the centre 
of plants and trees known as the medulla. 
Example: Sassafras. 
Placenta—pla-sen’-ta (Lat. placenta, a cake, 
from the Gr. plakous, a flat cake). The cell- 
ular part of the carpel bearing the ovule of 
the fruit. 
Plantain—plant’-an (Fr. plantain; Lat. plan- 
‘ago, a plantain, from f/anza, the sole of the 
foot). A plant common to many countries, 
and growing wild. 
Plicate—pli’-kat, also Plicated (Lat. pleco, I 
plait or knit). Plaited or folded like a fan. 
Plumule—plu’-mul, also Plumula (Lat. p/uma, 
plume or feather-like). The point of a seed 
which develops in a direction contrary to the 
radical, being the first gemmule or bud of the 
young plant. 
Plurilocular—plw’-ri-lok’-u-ler(Lat. plus, more, 
genative, plurts, and Joculus, a little place). 
Having several divisions containing seeds, as 
the orange and lemon. 
Poculiform—pok’-u-li-fawrm (Lat. poculum, a 
cup, and forma, shape). Cup-shaped. 
Pod—(Danish pude, apillow; Breton pod, apot). 
hg pericarp of such plants as beans, peas, 
Podocarp—pod’-o-karp (Gr. pous, a foot, gen- 
ative, podos and karpos, fruit). The stem sup- 
porting the fruit 
. 
