= eG, E = < ke S 
AN ENCYCLOPÆDIA. OF HORTICULTURE: 157 
PLATYCARPUM (from platys, broad, and karpos, Platycerium—continued. 
a fruit; alluding to the shape of the capsule). ORD. extraordinary, of the whole order. They are distinct, 
Rubiacee. A monotypic genus. The species is a tall, epiphytal ferns, and thrive well in baskets or shallow 
stove tree, with robust, opposite, terete branches. <A pans. They also succeed when fastened to a large 
compost of loam and leaf mould will suit it. Propaga- block of wood, with a little peat and sphagnum round 
tion may be effected by half-ripened cuttings, inserted in their roots, and suspended in the stove. Rough peat 
sand, under a glass. Keeping the plants 
rather dry during the winter, has a tendency 
to bring them into flower. 
P. orenocense (Orinoco). fl. pale rose-colour, 
mediocre, disposed in terminal, trichotomously- 
branched panicles, pedicellate, ebracteate, and 
ebracteolate; calyx five-lobed, rather large, 
deciduous; corolla hypocraterimorphous, silky, 
with a short tube, and a limb o five’ equal, 
broadly — imbricated lobes. Capsule some- 
what woody, lin. in diameter. l. oblong, Sin. to 
6in. long, 2in. to 24in. broad, opposite, petiolate, 
Pg eae tomentose ; petioles about jin, long. 
h. 20ft. Orinoco, 1813.” 
. PLATYCARYA (from platys, broad, 
and karyon, a nut; alluding to the shape 
of the fruit). Syn. Fortunea. ORD. Ju- 
glandew. A monotypic genus. The species 
is an elegant, branching shrub or small 
tree, hardy only in favoured situations in 
è the South of England. It thrives, however, 
in a cool conservatory, and, when planted 
out, will do well in almost any soil, requir- 
ing culture similar to Juglans (which see). 
P. strobilacea (cone-fruited). A. yellow; spikes 
all cylindrical, many-flowered, erect, many- 
bracted. August. l. five to eight- -jugate, aro- 
matic; leaflets ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, ses- 
sile, opposite, with serrulated margins. Ja apon 
and North China, 1844. (S. Z. F. J. 149.) SY 
Fortunæa chinensis. 
PLATYCERIUM (from platys, broad, 
and keras, a horn; the fronds are divided 
into broad segments like stags’ horns). 
Elk’s-horn or Stag’s-horn Fern. ORD. 
Filices. A small genus (about half-a-dozen 
species) of mostly stove ferns, widely dif- 
fused; they are readily distinguishable by 
their dichotomously-forked fertile fronds, 
with stag’s -horn - like divisions. Sori férming large and sphagnum form a suitable compost in which to pot 
patches on the upper part of the lower surface of the them. The species described below require stove treat- 
fertile fronds. The Platyceriums may be considered at ment, except where otherwise stated. See also Ferns. 
once amongst the grandest, most beautiful, and most P, zxthiopicum (African). barren fronds rounded, convex, downy 
: when young, the odgo, 3 more or less lobed, the 
spreadi Jertile fronds 2ft. to 3ft. — 
pie i oo peng ent, twie — trichotomous, the dis 
* ‘alcicorne, 
vision broader than in 
Fig. 197. PLATYCERIUM ALCICORNE, 
pa prer eadeni teire E 
etter 
cottony down. Guinea Coast and Ango 
—— 196. (H. G. F. 9.) Syn. P. Stemmaria, 
P. æ. angolense (Angolan). A form having a 
broad-cuneate fertile frond, 9in. broad at the top, 
without either forks or horns, and with a patch 
of fruit nearly as broad as the lamina. 
P. alcicorne (elk’s-horn).* barren fronds rounded, 
convex, downy when y the sinuated, the 
lobes Spreading. Sertile Fronds 2. t. to 3ft. Tong, 
clustered, erect, two or three times dichotomous ; 
— —— aes — thie cottony 
wn. Temperate Australia, &c. reen 
house. Fig. 197. The large form, majus, 
comes from Polynesia. 
P. biforme o-formed). fronds 
A — to the base, imb 
the — fertile poe 6ft. to — 
ones — Sewn fin the 
outer edge rounded, entire, — = see 
P. — —— barren fronds very — = 
convex, or the ones- 
l laciniated wii 
Fic, 196. UPPER PORTION OF FERTILE FROND OF PLATYCERIUM ÆTHIOPICUM. | 
