AND GENERAL HORTICULTURE. 



323 



PHY 



Phyllo'stachys. From phyllon, a leaf, and 

 stachys, a spike ; alluding to the branchlets 

 being furnished with leaves. Nat. Ord. 

 GraminacefB. 



A genus of tree-like Chinese and Japanese 

 grasses, with half-round stems, prominent 

 lobes and leaf-bearing branchlets in fascicles 

 or tufts. P. Nigra, produces the Whangee 

 Canes, which, " although slender, are nearly 

 solid, and appear to he generally used for 

 such purposes as require great strength and 

 toughness. Chairs, pipe-stems, and walking- 

 sticks are often seen in England made from 

 the culms of this species." P. bambtisoides 

 grows from ten to twelve feet high, the 

 yellow reed-like culms, being unarmed, very 

 smooth above, and with very prominent nodes. 



Phyllo'ta. From phyllon, a leaf, and oits, otis, 

 an ear ; i-efi?rring to the shape of the leaves. 

 Nat. Old. LeguminoscE. 



A genus of Australian shrubs, closely allied 

 to Dillwynia and Aotus, and requiring the 

 same general treatment. P. Philicoides with 

 yellow flowers forming leafy heads or spikes 

 is the only species in cultivation. Syns. P. 

 aspera, P. comosa, and P. sqimrrosa. 



Pliyllotae'nium. A genus of Aroide^s, estab- 

 lished on a New Grenadian species, formerly 

 called Xunthosma. It resembles the Caladium, 

 but differs in its persistent leaves, acrid, 

 milky juice, and the absence of rudimentary 

 organs. P. Lindeni has large hastate-oblong, 

 deep green leaves ; the mid-rib and the 

 numerous well defined veins of which are clear 

 ivory white. It is a most showy variegated 

 plant for the warm green-house. Introduced 

 from New Grenada in 1871. 



Phyllo'xera. See Insects. 



Phy'llum. A sepal. In Greek compound, a 

 leaf, as Diphyllous ; two-leaved, Triphyllous, 

 three-leaved, etc. 



Phymato'des. A genus of Ferns, now included 

 under Polypodium. 



Phy'salis. Ground Cherry, Strawberry Tomato. 

 From physa, a bladder ; alluding to the 

 inflated calyx. Nat. Ord. Solanacece. 



A genus of American, principally Mexican 

 plants, several species of which are in culti- 

 vation. P. Alkekengi is the Strawberry To- 

 mato common in cultivated grounds and waste 

 places, having become naturalized from 

 Europe. P. Peruviana edulis, the Cape Goose- 

 berry, a native of South America, is occasion- 

 ally grown as a dessert fruit, some people 

 liking its peculiar flavor. 



Physia'nthus. From physa, a bladder, and 

 anthos, a flower ; alluding to the corolla being 

 inflated at the base. Nat. Ord. Asclepiada- 

 cexB. 



A small genus of green-house climbing plants, 

 natives of Brazil and Buenos Ayres. P. albens 

 bears immense quantities of pure white, fra- 

 grant flowers, in axillary clusters, very much 

 like a single Tuberose, which are much used 

 in the formation of bouquets during the sum- 

 . mer months. It is well adapted for covering 

 trellises, or for any situation where a climber 

 is required, and succeeds best in the warmest 

 situation. It has large and handsome seed- 

 vessels which look like oval gourds, and 

 which, when opened, are found to contain tlie 

 seeds, en\-eloped in a quantity of fine, silky 

 substance, which looks like the cocoons of 



PHY 



silk-worms after the fine silk has been spun 

 off. They are rapid growers, sometimes 

 growing twenty feet in a summer. They 

 require the protection of the green-house dur- 

 ing winter. A wonderful peculiaj-ity of this 

 plant is its power to trap insects. For this rea- 

 son Professor George Thurber has well named 

 it " The Cruel Plant," and describes the trap 

 contrivance thus: "The anthers are so 

 placed that their spreading cells form a series 

 of notches in a ring around the pistil. The 

 insect, in putting its proboscis down for the 

 honey, must pass it into one of these notches, 

 and in attempting to withdraw it, the end is 

 sure to get caught in a notch, boot-jack 

 fashion, as it were, and the more the insect 

 pulls, the more its trunk is drawn towards 

 the point of the notch." Thus caught, the 

 insect starves to death ; hence, the well- 

 deserved name of "Cruel Plant." It was 

 introduced in 1830, and is propagated by cut- 

 tings or by seeds. 



Physic-nut-tree. Curcas (Jatropha), purgans. 



Physi'dium. A synonym for Angelonia. 



Physochlai'na. From physa, a bladder, and 

 chlaina, an outer garment; alluding to the 

 inflated calyx. Nat. Ord. Solanacece. 



A small genus of hardy, erect, herbaceous 

 perennials, natives of Central Asia. The 

 three introduced species produce their very 

 elegant flowers early in the season and are 

 therefore desirable plants for the herbaceous 

 border. They thrive in any light garden soil, 

 and are increased by seed or by division. Syn. 

 Hyoscyamus. 



Physoste'gia. From physa, a bladder, and 

 st^ge, a covering ; alluding to the calyx. Nat. 

 Ord. Labiate. 



A genus of hardy herbaceous perennials, 

 natives of North and South America. P. 

 Virgiixiana, P. imbricata, and P. denticulata, are 

 the most desirable species, and produce white, 

 pink, purple, and red flowers, in terminal, 

 leafless clusters. They are nearly allied to 

 Dracocephalum, and require the same treat- 

 ment. 



Physoste'lma. From physa, a bladder, and 

 stelma, a girdle ; alluding to the shape of 

 corona scales. Nat. Ord. Asclepiadiacew. 



A small genus of plant-stove, climbing, 

 glabrous shrubs, natives of the Malayan 

 Archipelago. P. WallicMi, the only species in 

 cultivation, has green and yellow flowers with 

 coriaceous, almost veinless leaves. It requires 

 the same treatment as Uoya, to which genus 

 it is closely allied. 



Physosti'gma. Ordeal Bean of Old Calabar. 

 From physa, a bladder, and stigma; the 

 bearded style is terminated by a large, 

 oblique hood, covering the stigma. Nat. 

 Ord. LeguminosoR. 



P. veneno»um is a climbing plant, the seeds 

 of which are extremely poisonous, and are 

 employed by the natives of Old Calabar as an 

 ordeal ; persons suspected of witchcraft or 

 other crime being compelled to eat them 

 until they vomit or die — the former being 

 regarded as a proof of innocence — the latter 

 of guilt. 



Physu'rus. From physa, a bladder, and oura, a 

 tail. Nat. Ord. OrchidacecB. 



A small genus of lovely little Orchids, 

 both epiphytal and terrestrial, natives of 



