AN ENCYCLOPAEDIA 
aga 
OF HORTICULTURE. 71 
Pentas—continued. 
under a propagating glass, in gentle heat. The plants 
should be occasionally pinched as they grow, to en- 
courage a more compact habit. 
P. carnea (fiesh-coloured).* fl. disposed in numerous, large, 
cymose heads. Winter, and almost all the year round. J. soft, 
opposite, bright green. h. 14ft. South Africa, 1842. A hand- 
some, compact-growing, soft-wooded sub-shrub. See Fig. 75. 
(B. M. 4086; B. R. 1844, 32.) 
P. c. kermesina (carmine).* A showy plant, differing from the 
type chiefly in having flowers of a lively carmine-rose, tinted 
with violet in the throat. (R. H. 1870, 130.) ' 
» parvifiora (small-flowered). . flame-colour; corolla tube 
twice or thrice as long as the calyx. April. J. ovate or oval- 
oblong, acuminate, narrowed at base, scarcely puberulous on the 
veins. R. ft. Western tropical Africa, 1846, Sub-shrub. 
PENTATAXIS. Included under Helichrysum. 
PENTLANDIA. Included under Urceolina 
(which see). 
PENTSTEMON (from pente, five, and stemon, a | 
stamen; the fifth stamen being present and conspicuous, 
although sterile). Beard-tongue. Syn. Penstemon. ORD. 
Scrophularinee. A genus comprising about sixty-six 
species of very ornamental, mostly hardy, perennial herbs 
or sub-shrubs, natives of (mostly Western) North America, 
including Mexico. Flowers red, violet, blue, white, or 
rarely yellowish-white, showy; calyx of five imbricated 
segments; corolla tube usually elongated, equal or ventri- 
cose; limb bilabiate, the upper lip two-lobed, and the 
lower three-cleft, bearded or naked; stamens four, didy- 
namous, shorter than the corolla, the staminode filiform, 
with a clavate or spathulate tip, generally much shorter 
than the stamens; peduncles dichotomously many-flowered, 
bracteate at the ramifications and disposed in a terminal 
panicle or thyrse, which is often leafy at base, rarely one- 
flowered, and disposed in a simple raceme. Leaves 
opposite, the radical and lower ones petioled, gra- 
duating into amplexicaul floral ones, or decreasing into 
bracts. Flowering branches often erect, simple, rarely 
diffusely branched. Amongst popular hardy plants, few 
surpass Pentstemons for their usefulness and ornamental 
character in the mixed border or rock- garden, or for 
planting in beds by themselves. Their flowering season 
commences about June, and continues until after the 
appearance of frost, in autumn. Many of the species 
are very attractive, and are indispensable in the 
choicest collection of herbaceous plants; and a selection 
from the numerous varieties, improved so much of late 
years, 1s equally valuable for garden decoration and for cut 
flowers. 
Pentstemons are very varied in colour, and 288 
a naturally graceful and exceedingly floriferous habit. 
They may readily be propagated from seeds, and also 
from cuttings; the latter method being most generally 
adopted for perpetuating species and named varieties. 
Seeds may, however, sometimes be obtained, in favour- 
able seasons, from plants that do not readily produce cut- 
tings; under such circumstances, it is most important to 
collect them, if required for increasing stock. If pre- 
served from named varieties, with a view to raising new 
ones, only such as have finely-formed flowers and dis- 
tinct colours should be selected for seed-bearing. Seeds 
should be sown in pans or shallow boxes 9 light 
soil, about February, or early in March, and placed 
on a gentle hotbed. So soon as the seedlings are 
large enough to handle, they should be potted off singly, 
or pricked into boxes, and kept in a little warmth 
until established, when they may be gradually hardened 
and placed in a cold frame. Towards the end of May, 
plant them in a prepared border outside, where, if pro- 
perly attended to, many will flower in the ensuing autumn. 
Seeds may also be sown, in the open ground, early in 
June, when the plants should be potted up in August, 
and preserved in cold frames through the winter, for 
flowering early the following year, after being again 
Pentstemon—continued. 
transferred to the outside. Cuttings root readily at 
almost any season when they are procurable. The best 
time to take them is in August and September, from the 
numerous side-growths that are usually plentiful at that 
season. They may be inserted in cutting-pots or pans, 
and placed in a close frame without artificial heat, or, 
failing this, under a hand glass, in a sheltered position, 
where coverings may be readily applied, if necessary, 
afterwards. For the winter, the ‘staat succeed best in 
a cold frame; they may be put into permanent quarters 
again, outside, during April, or earlier, should the 
weather be favourable. It is important, first, to expose 
them for a few days, in order to thoroughly harden 
them, and avoid an undue check. 
Although Pentstemons are hardy, they frequently 
succumb when subjected successively to wet and frost, 
the first-named being, perhaps, the more destructive of 
the two. It is important, therefore, to provide good drain- 
age, particularly for any of the more select species or 
varieties. A sandy loam, enriched with leaf mould or 
decayed manure, should be the compost prepared, if 
necessary, or these ingredients may be added to fairly 
good soil in borders for enriching it. Pentstemons well 
repay for liberal treatment and a rich soil. They re- 
quire plenty of water throughout the summer; it is in 
winter when they suffer from being too wet. The best 
plan is to insert cuttings annually, and preserve a stock 
in a cold frame, If any old plants are to kept outside, 
they should be covered, in autumn, with ashes. 
The species and varieties best known to gardeners are 
described below; except where otherwise indicated, they 
are hardy, herbaceous perennials. 
acuminatus -pointed). ilac, or changing to violet; 
oS oe ae y Gaes Na: arii Slamet bearded 
above ; panicle strict, geet. a e sessile, crowded. July. 
J. entire; radical ones petioled, oblong or ovate, obtuse, mu- 
cronulate ; upper ones cordate, clasping. Stem erect, lft. high. 
1827. (B. R. .) 
P. angustifolius (narrow-leaved). A synonym of P. campanu- 
latus. 
b PENTSTEMON BARBATUS, showing Habit and portion of 
re detached Inflorescence. 
„ antirrhinoides (Sna n-like).* fl, lemon-yellow; corolla 
* naked, so lips; sterile filament densel 
side ; uncles two-leaved, often one-flowe 
cena one an: ar or oval, sub-petiolate, rather 
small, entire. h. 9in. to 18in. 1824. Plant sub-cinereous, much- 
branched. (B. M. 6157.) 
P. atropurpureus (dark purple). A synonym of P. campanu- 
latus. 
P. at attenuated) f. yellowish-white or bluish-purple, 
variable ; evo more than zin. long; inflorescence villous or 
viscous-pubescent. July. l. very glabrous, nearly always entire, 
rarel slightly denticulate ; alt ones lanceolate or oblong. 
h. ltt. to 2ft. 1827. (B. R. 1295.) 
azureus (azure- blue).“ fi., corolla of a beautiful azure- blue, 
at the Nase tf the tube. more than In Tong: 
