336 



HENDERSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS 



POO 



thoroughly naturalized. P. arachnifera, Texas 

 Blue Grass, is an invaluable hardy winter 

 Grass for the south, and the longest, driest 

 and hottest summer fails to injure it. It makes 

 as good sod as the Kentucky Blue Grass (P. 

 pratensis), and if sown together (not too deep) 

 the seeds of the two varieties generally come 

 up together after the same shower, for it takes 

 a wet, damp, drizzly spell to start it. It can 

 be cultivated, both from seed and sets, and 

 may be planted either in the fall or spring. 

 P. serotina, the Fowl Meadow Grass or False 

 Red Top, and P. aquatica, the Water Meadow 

 Grass, are both very valuable glasses, more 

 especially for damp meadows, low banks of 

 streams, etc. They grow luxuriantly in such 

 situations, and furnish an immense quantity 

 of herbage, which may be cut several times 

 a season if desired. Thej' are also excellent 

 grasses for pasturage. P. annua is one of 

 the worst weeds of English gardens. 

 Poculiform. Resembling a drinking-cup or 



goblet in shape. 

 Pod. The capsule or seed-case of leguminous 

 and cruciferous plants, those of the former 

 (Peas, Beans, etc.) being called legumes, and 

 those of the latter (Cabbage, Turnip, etc.) 

 siliques and silicules. 

 Pod Fern. See Ellobocarpiis. 

 Poda'nthes. From j^o^^^ podos, a foot, and 

 anthos, a flower ; alluding to the flowers being 

 borne on long pedicels. Nat. Ord. Asclepia- 

 dacecB. 



A genus comprising about eight species of 

 shrubby plants closelj' allied to Stajyelia, all 

 natives of South Africa. They are but little 

 cultivated. 

 Podium, Podos. In Greek compounds, signify- 

 ing a stalk, stipe, etc., as Podocephalus, 

 stalked-headed ; Leptopodus, slender-stalked. 

 Podoca'rpus. Japan Yew. From pous, a foot, 

 and karpos, a fruit ; the fruits are foot-stalked. 

 Nat. Ord. Cojiiferce. 



A genus of hardy and half-hardj'' evergreen 

 trees and shrubs, indigenous in China, the 

 East Indies, and New Zealand. P. Japoniea 

 is an upright-growing shrub, with dark, shin- 

 ing, green leaves, luxuriant in its growth, and 

 in form resembling the Irish Yew. P. cupres- 

 sina is noted as one of the best timber trees 

 of Java ; while P. totara, a New Zealand spe- 

 cies, having a light, durable wood, has been 

 frequently the subject of contention and strife 

 among the natives ; its bark is made use of 

 for roofing purposes, and its fruits are eaten. 

 Several species have been introduced into 

 conservatories, and one or two Japanese or 

 Chinese varieties are sufficiently hardy to 

 stand out of doors, if slightly protected. 

 Podola'sia. From pons, podos, a foot, and 

 Lasia ; from which genus it differs in having a 

 long stipe to the spadix. Nat. Ord. Aroidete. 

 P. stlpitata, the only introduced species, is 

 a slender plant-stove perennial, with a short, 

 erect caudex, and sagittate or hastate leaves, 

 with elongated, narrow, acuminate lobes. It 

 was introduced from Borneo in 1882, and is 

 easily increased by division. 

 Podo'lepis. From pous, podos, a foot, and lepis, 

 a scale ; flower-stalk covered with scales. Nat. 

 Ord. CompositCB. 



Very pretty Australian plants. They are 

 all nearly hardy. The perennials are in- 



POG 



creased by dividing the root, and the annuals 

 (P. gracilis, etc.) by sowing in the green-house 

 or on a hot-bed in February or March, and 

 transplanting into the open border in May. 

 Podolo'bium. From pous, podos, a foot, and 

 lobos, a pod ; the seed-pod stands on a foot- 

 stalk within the calyx. Nat. Ord. Legumin- 



OSCB. 



A small genus of New Holland evergreen 

 shrubs, with handsome red and yellow flowers. 

 Ordinary green-house treatment will grow 

 them successfully. They were introduced in 

 1822, and are best grown from seed. This 

 genus is now included by some botanists 

 under Oxylobium. 



Podophy'llum. Duck's Foot. Abridged From 

 Anapodophyllum, a word signifying a duck's 

 foot; the leaves bear some resemblance to 

 that ; whence the English name, Duck's Foot. 

 Nat. Ord. Berberidacece. 



This is a small genus of hardy herbaceous 

 plants, with thick, creeping root-stocks, which 

 send up in spring a stem bearing two leaves, 

 with a solitary flower between them. P. pelta- 

 tum, a native species, is common in moist, 

 shady woods, and is distinguished by the 

 stamens being double the number of the pet- 

 als. Its leaves are from five to nine-lobed ; 

 its flowers large, white, and nodding; and its 

 fruit egg-shaped and yellowish, somewhat 

 resembling a small lemon, and hence some- 

 times called Wild Lemon, but more generally 

 May Apple, or Mandrake. Its foliage is nar- 

 cotic and poisonous, but the acid pulp of the 

 fruit is eatable, though of a mawkish flavor. 

 The roots possess active medical properties, 

 highly esteemed by the Eclectic practitioners. 

 Podo'pterus. From pous, podos, a foot, and 

 pteris, a wing ; in allusion to the outer peri- 

 anth segments being winged. Nat. Ord. Poly- 

 gonacecB. 



P. Mexicanus, the only species, is a hand- 

 some green-house shrub, with flexuous 

 branches, spiny at the tips. It grows freely 

 in a compost of loam and peat, and is 

 increased readilj' by cuttings of the young 

 wood. 

 Podosti'gma. From poi<.s, podos, a foot, and 

 stigma; alluding to the stalked stigma. Nat. 

 Ord. AsclepiadacecB. 



P. pubescens, the only species, a native of 

 the Southern States from Florida to North 

 Carolina, is a low pubescent perennial herb, 

 of but little horticultural interest. 

 Podothe'ca. From pous, podos, a foot, and 

 theke, a cell or capsule; alluding to the stalk 

 of the fruit. Nat. Ord. Compositce. 



A genus of Australian hardy annuals of no 

 great beauty ; easily raised from seed. Syn. 

 Podosperma. 

 Post's Narcissus. The popular name of Nar- 



cissris Poeticus. 

 Pogo'gyne. From pogon, a beard, and gyne, the 

 female organ; the style is bearded. Nat. Ord. 

 LabiatcE. 



P. multiflora, the only known species, is a 

 hardy annual. It is a native of California, and 

 was introduced in 1836. The flowers are lilac, 

 and produced in great numbers. It thrives 

 with the simplest garden culture. 

 Po'gon. A beard. This word is used in Greek 

 compounds, and denotes any collection of 

 long hairs. 



