AND GENERAL HORTICULTURE. 



297 



P. 



PAC 



Pachide'ndron. From pachys, thick, and 

 dendron, a tree. Nat. Ord. LiliacecB. 

 A genus of tree Aloes, increased from suck- 

 ers, or young side shoots, when tliey are pro- 

 duced ; leaves taken off close from the stem, 

 and laid to dry for a few days, then planted in 

 dry soil, will produce young plants at the 

 base. This genus is now included under 

 Aloe by many botanists. 



Pachi'ra. The native name of the trees in 

 Guiana. Nat. Ord. Malvacem. 



A genus of very handsome dense-foliaged 

 trees, natives of tropical America. They are 

 commonly known in cultivation as Carolineas, 

 but owing to their size, are seldom seen 

 except in large collections. 



Pachyphy'tum. From pachys, thick, and phy- 

 ton, a plant; referring to the fleshy leaves. 

 Nat. Ord. CrassulacecB. 



P. bradeosiim is a green-house succulent, 

 allied to Echeveria, and grown for its unique 

 appearance. There are other species, but 

 they are less ornamental than this. Included 

 by some under Cotyledon. 



Pachyrhi'zus. From pachys, thick, and rhiza, 

 a root ; alluding to the thick, tuberous roots 

 of the plants. Nat. Ord. LeguminoscB. 



A small genus of tall, twining plants, 

 natives of the warmer parts of Asia, Africa 

 and America. The flowers of P. angulatus are 

 of a beautiful blue color, and are borne in 

 long racemes. It is cultivated in the tropics 

 for its large turnip-like, tuberous roots, 

 which are eaten either raw or boiled. It was 

 introduced in 1781, and is propagated by cut- 

 tings or by seeds. 



Pachysa'ndra. Mountain Spurge. From pachys, 

 thick and aner, andros, a stamen ; referring to 

 the thickness of the stamens. Nat. Ord. 

 Euphorbiacem. 



A small genus of hardy herbaceous plants 

 of more botanical than horticultural interest. 

 Of the two species, one, P. procumbens, is a 

 native of this country, the other, P. termi- 

 nalis, was introduced from Japan in 1882. 



Pachysto'ma. From pachys, thick, and stoma, 

 a mouth ; alluding to the thick lip. Nat. Ord. 

 OrchidacecB. 



A genus of stove-house terrestrial Orchids, 

 natives of the East Indies and the Malayan 

 Archipelago and tropical Africa. P. Thomp- 

 soniana, an African species, with large white 

 flowers, shining as if varnished, is the most 

 interesting of the genus and the most gener- 

 ally cultivated. 



Paddy. A name for unhusked Rice. 



Paedero'ta. From paideros, a name applied by 

 the ancients to a species of Acanthus. Nat. 

 Ord. ScrophulariacecB. 



A genus comprising two species of dwarf 

 hardy perennial herbs, inhabiting the moun- 

 tains of central and eastern Europe. The 

 yellow or blue flowers are disposed in dense 

 terminal spikes. They are usually treated as 

 annuals, and require a dry, airy situation, 

 forming excellent plants for the rock-garden. 



P.EO 



Paeo'nia. Named after the Greek physician 

 PcEon, who is said to have employed it in 

 medicine, and used it to cure Pluto of a 

 wound inflicted by Hercules. Nat. Oi-d. Ra- 

 nunculacece. 



The Pteonies common in our gardens are 

 divided into two groups, viz., those which are 

 allied to the Tree Pteony {Pcconia Moutan), 

 and which are all more or less shrubby, and 

 the common herbaceous Paeonies. Tlie her- 

 baceous PsBonies are well-known ornaments 

 of our gardens, where they ai-e great favor- 

 ites, from their showy flowers, their great 

 hardiness, and their easy culture ; all essen- 

 tial qualities for a large garden, and for such 

 only are they desirable. The roots of these 

 plants are composed of bundles of carrot-like 

 tubers, which may be separated from each 

 other to increase any particular species or 

 variety ; or the tubers of the common Pteo- 

 nies may be grafted with shoots of any choice 

 kinds. The Tree or shrubby species are 

 chiefly increased by grafting on the roots of 

 the herbaceous sorts. Of the herbaceous spe- 

 cies, P. officinalis, the old double crimson, was 

 the first introduced into English gardens, 

 having been brought from Switzerland in 

 1548, where it is indigenous, as well as in 

 many other parts of Europe and Asia. P. 

 albiflora, the old double white, is a native of 

 Siberia, and was introduced at about the 

 same period. P. tenuifolia, the Fern-leaved 

 Pteony, is a native of Russia, from whence it 

 was introduced in 1765. The fine, Fern-like 

 foliage of this species renders the plant a 

 beautiful object independently of its brilliant 

 flowers. There is a double variety of it. 

 From a limited number of species, several 

 hundred hybrids have been produced, many 

 of which are very beautiful, but scarcely 

 superior to the species, yet necessary to keep 

 alive the interest in the genus. One or two 

 herbaceous species have been found in Oregon 

 and California, but are inferior to the Euro- 

 pean species. P. Moutan and its varieties are 

 natives of China and Japan, principally on 

 Mount Ho-an, where it is reported they grow 

 to the height of ten feet. The native species 

 is purple, but there are white, pink, pale pur- 

 ple, and mottled varieties. Until the second 

 half of this century only such sorts as had 

 white, rose, salmon, and lilac-colored flowers 

 were known ; and we are indebted to Mr. 

 Fortune for the introduction of his Chinese 

 varieties, most of which have scarlet, violet, 

 and magenta-colored flowers. Von Siebold, 

 too, introduced a number of Japanese varie- 

 ties, which however form a difTerent race, and 

 are mostly single or semi-double. Each year 

 tliey increase in size and beauty, and soon 

 become the most attractive features of the 

 garden. They are the first of any of the 

 varieties of Proonias to flower, and put forth 

 their blooms early in May. Grown in pots 

 they may be forced into flower during winter 

 and are excellent subjects for conservatory 

 decoration. Many beautiful varieties have of 

 late years been produced from seed. The 

 shrubby species were first introduced in 1794. 



