AND GENERAL HORTICULTURE. 



333 



PLA 



speaks of the Elk's Horn Fern: "I resided 

 for some time in a house which had been 

 occupied by Mr. Hugh Low, the garden and 

 fruit orchard of which afforded me most 

 delightful walks morning and evening. I 

 never saw the Elks Horn Fern {Platycerium 

 grande) so luxuriant anj-nhereas it was on the 

 boles of some large Orange trees here. The 

 barren fronds were broad, like the horns of 

 the giant Irish elk, and the more slender 

 fertile ones drooped on all sides from the base 

 of the nest formed by the leafy expansions. I 

 measured some of these fertile fronds, and 

 found them fully sereft feet in length. These 

 splendid Ferns, and the choicest of epiphytal 

 Orchids, which had been planted among the 

 branches of the trees, made a walk among them 

 most enjoyable."' This species is still quite 

 rare in the United States. Another species, 

 P. ^Ethiopicum, has been still more recently 

 introduced, and is to be found in few collec- 

 tions as yet. The fronds of this species are 

 of still grander proportions than the preceding, 

 and has received the common name of Moo.se 

 Horn Fern. The above with P. WaUichii, 

 are the best and most interesting of these 

 grotesque Ferns. All these species are 

 worthy of a place in any collection, however 

 small. It is supposed by many that they are 

 difficult to grow ; but this is not so. There 

 are very few plants that will accommodate 

 themselves to such varying conditions of heat, 

 moisture and exposure. They are admirable 

 I'oom plants. They may be grown in pots in a 

 porous soil composed of leaf-mold, sand, and 

 plenty of potsherds or pieces of charcoal ; or, 

 better still, they may be grown on cork or a 

 piece of a tree log, two or three feet long and 

 about a foot in diameter. They are propa- 

 gated by division and by spores, the latter, 

 however, being an uncertain method of propa- 

 gation, except by an expert. 



Platyco'don. From platys, broad, and kodoti, a 

 bell; the flowers are broad and bell shaped. 

 Nat. Ord. Campanulacece. 



A genus of hardy herbaceous perennials, 

 with large white or purple flowers, natives of 

 China and Dahuria. The various varieties of P. 

 grandiflora are most desirable plants for the 

 herbaceous border. A new dwarf variety 

 fi"om Japan, P. Mariesi, is a distinct and most 

 acceptable border plant. In the Northern 

 States they should have a slight protection in 

 winter. 



Platycra'ter. From platys, broad, and krafer, a 

 bowl ; alluding to the expanded cal\-x of the 

 barren flowers. Nat Ord. SaxifragacecB. 



P. argula, the only representative of the 

 genus, is a hardy prostrate, or creeping shrub, 

 with greenish-white, scattered flowers, much 

 larger than those of Hydrangea. It was intro- 

 duced from Japan in 1866, and is easily propa- 

 gated by cuttings. 



Platylo'bium. Flat Pea. From platys, broad, 

 and labos, a pod ; in reference to the broad 

 legumes. Nat. Ord. Leguminosce. 



A small genus of handsome evergreen 

 shrubs from Tasmania and New Holland. 

 Like other New Holland plants, these require 

 a light sandy soil, well drained. They should 

 be carefully watered, and have plenty of fresh 

 air whenever it can be admitted. ' A shelf 

 near to the glass, in the most aiiy part of the 

 green-house in winter, and a shaded situation 



PLE 



out of doors in summer, will suit them. The 

 slender branches of all the species require 

 some support though they do not look well 

 when trained to a regular trellis. It is, 

 therefore, better to use slight sticks, where 

 most wanted, allowing the points of the 

 shoots to hang in a graceful, pendant manner. 

 The prevailing color of the large pea-shaped 

 flowers is orange, or yellow and red. 

 The species are rarely met in collections, 

 though deserving of ijeneral cultivation. They 

 were introduced about 1800, and are propa- 

 gated by cuttings or from seed. 



Platylo'ma. From platys, broad, and lotiia, a 

 fringe. Nat. Ord. Polypodiacece. 



A genus of tropical Ferns, some of which 

 are veiy beautiful. They require to be 

 grown in a shaded house, warm and moist. 

 This genus is included under Pellcea by some 

 botanists. 



Platylo'phus. From pl-atys, broad, and lophos, 

 a crest ; the capsule is so much compressed 

 at the apex, as to appear winged. Nat. Ord. 

 Saxifragacece. 



P. trifoliata. White Alder, the only species 

 is a beautiful green-house evergreen tree 

 with white flowers, disposed in long, axillary, 

 many-flowered panicles. It is a native of the 

 Cape of Good Hope, and was introduced in 

 1820. Syn. Wienmannia. 



Platys. A term in Greek compounds, signify- 

 ing broad; as Platyphyllus, broad-leaved. 



Platyste'mon. From platys, broad, and stemon, 

 a stamen. Nat. Ord. Papaveracece. 



Very handsome yellow-flowering annuals, 

 quite hardy, of creeping habit, and free 

 flowering. The seed should be sown in March, 

 on a warm border, where the plants are 

 required to bloom. The two species that 

 compose this genus are natives of Cali- 

 fornia and Siberia. 



Platythe'ca Galioldes. This is given in 

 " Nicholson's Dictionary of Gax'dening " as the 

 correct name of Tetratheca or Tremandra 

 verticiUata. 



Platysti'gma. From platys, broad, and stigma, 

 the female organ. Nat. Ord. Papaveracew. 



P. lineare, the only cultivated species, is a 

 hardy annual, found in California in 1833. It 

 is a dwarf-growing and free-blooming plant. 

 The flowers are yellow, and, from their pro- 

 fusion, quite showy. It requires no more 

 care than any other hardy annual. 



Platysty'lis. From platys, broad, and stylos, a 

 style ; in allusion to the dilated style. Nat. 

 Ord. Leguminosx. 



A genus of very handsome herbaceous 

 border plants, now included by many botanists 

 under Lathyrus. 



Plectoco'mia. From plectos. plaited, and home, 

 leaves ; probably from the leaves being used 

 in plaiting. 



A genus of Palmacece, comprising some sis 

 species, allied to Calamus, and armed with 

 reeurs'ed prickles. The leaves are large, pin- 

 nate, furnished with long whif>-like tails, beset 

 on the under side with very strong spines. P. 

 Assamica, P. Andersoiii, P. Himalayana, and 

 P. elongata, are the best known species. They 

 are handsome plants, distinct, and graceful, 

 and are freely propagated by suckers. They 

 are natives of the Malayan Archipelago and 



