348 



HENDERSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS 



PEI 



cuttings or by division. This variety lias a 

 tendency to breali into from six to twelve 

 crowns or shoots, and the simplest way to 

 divide these up is to fill up to the lower leaves 

 with moss, which quickly induces the crowns 

 or shoots to root into it, and when thus well- 

 rooted, the plant is pulled apart and each 

 shoot or crown separately potted. This moss- 

 ing process for division may be done at any 

 season, but it is safest during the spring or 

 fall months : say during April and May in 

 spring, or September and October in the fall. 

 As the Primrose is at all times impatient of 

 heat and disturbance of the roots, this divis- 

 ion of the plant had better be avoided during 

 hot weather. The first Double White Prim- 

 rose was originated by John Henderson, now 

 of Flushing, L. I., but of London in 1836, 

 when the Double White was raised. Mr. 

 Henderson has furnished us the following 

 brief but intei'esting particulars in regard to 

 its origin : "I raised tlie Double White Chi- 

 nese Primrose in 1836, and exhibited it at the 

 Horticultural Society of London in January, 

 1837, and was awarded the Silver Banksian 

 Medal for it. It was raised in this way : In 

 the winter of 1835-6 we had a fine strain of 

 fimbriated Primulas ; and in order to preserve 

 the true stock, I selected the finest, and placed 

 them on a shelf near the glass, and during 

 the flowering season coQstantly impregnated 

 the flowers. The seeds were sown in June, 

 and among the seedlings were about eighteen 

 plants that came with double flowers, both 

 purple and white, some plain-edged, others 

 fimbriated. The one selected as the best is 

 that still in cultivation, and known as the 

 Double White." A double purple, in the same 

 style as the white, wa.s also raised by Mr. 

 Henderson, and is still grown. The Japan 

 Primrose, Primula Jajwnica, is a noble species 

 of recent introduction, bearing flowers of a 

 deep crimson rose, arranged in from thi'ee to 

 six whorls of many flowei'S each, on a strong, 

 straight stem from one to two feet high. 

 This plant is a favorite in England, but is 

 worthless in our dry, hot climate. Of the 

 genus Primula this country furnishes but 

 few species, and they are of little interest to 

 its flora. Dr. C. C. Parry found a beautiful 

 low-growing species in the Bocky Mountains, 

 with purple and yellow flowers. It finds its 

 home in very high latitudes, where it is con- 

 stantly watered from the melting snow. From 

 this peculiarity it cannot be successfully 

 grown in our houses or borders. There are 

 many other species included in this genus, 

 mostly interesting, but not of special import- 

 ance. We only add Primula verts, the com- 

 mon English Cowslip, and P. elatior, the com- 

 mon Ox-lip. 



Primula'ceae. A natural order of herbaceous 

 plants generally with a perennial rhizome, 

 natives chiefly of temperate and cold regions 

 in the Northern Hemisphere ; in the tropics 

 occupying lofty situations. The species are 

 more remarkable for their beauty than for the 

 little economic value they possess. Primula, 

 Androsace, Glaux, and Cyclamen, occur amongst 

 the genera, which are over thirty in number 

 and comprise nearly two hundred and fifty 

 species. 



Prlnceps. Chief, principal. 



PRO 



Prince's Feather. Amaranthus hypochondria^ 

 cus, also a common name for Polygonum orien- 

 tale. 



Pri'nos. Winter Berry. The ancient name of 

 the Holly, which some of the species resem- 

 ble. Nat. Ord. Aquifoliacem. 



Very handsome berry-bearing, hardy, decid- 

 uous shrubs, common from Maine to Virginia 

 and southward. P. verticillata, is the Black 

 Alder or Winter Berry. It is covered with 

 glossy red berries during most of the winter. 

 P. IcBvigata, is the Smooth Winter Berry. The 

 fruit is larger than in the preceding, and rip- 

 ens earlier in the fall ; but the berries are of 

 the same glossy red. These two species are 

 beautiful plants, especially in the winter, and 

 are worthy of a place in the shrubbery or on 

 the lawn. They are used in the winter for 

 decorative purposes. P. glabra is the Ink 

 Berry, the fruit of which is black. It is a less 

 desirable plant than the species named above. 

 Professor Gray has placed these jilauts in the 

 genus Ilex. 



Prio'nium. From prionion, a small saw ; allud- 

 ing to the serrated leaves. Nat. Ord. Junca- 

 cecB. 



P. Palmita, Palmiet, the native name, is a 

 veiy remarkable rush, found on the banks of 

 rivers in South Africa. It often increases to 

 such an extent as to choke the rivers in which 

 it grows, and produces a network of strong, 

 black fibre, suitable for brush making ; the 

 leaves themselves are useful for plaiting and 

 thatching. 



Prismatic. Prism-shaped ; having several lon- 

 gitudinal angles and intermediate flat faces, 

 as the calyx of Frankenia pulverulenta. 



Prismatoca'rpus. From prisma, prismatos, a 

 prism, and karpos, a fruit ; alluding to the 

 long prismatic form of the fruit. Nat. Ord. 

 CampanulacecB. 



A genus of green-house or hardy perennial 

 herbs or shrubs, natives of South Africa. P. 

 nitidus, the best known species, has white 

 flowers, two to four in a cluster, towards the 

 top of the branches. Better known in culti- 

 vation under the name of Campanula prisma- 

 tocarpus. 



Pritcha'rdia. A commemorative name. Nat. 

 Ord. Palmacece. 



A genus of Palms inhabiting California 

 and the Sandwich Islands. The best known 

 is P. Pacifica, a spineless tree with fan-shaped, 

 deeply-cut leaves, covered with white down 

 when young. The fruit of this Palm is de- 

 scribed as almost like a black-heart Cherry. 

 The leaves are used as fans and umbrellas by 

 the chiefs, who are alone permitted to use 

 them. In a show-er of rain the leaves are so 

 worn on the back of the head as to send 

 the water behind the wearer. Some of the 

 species are under cultivation. P. Jilifcra, is 

 now called Washingtoniafilifera, which see. 



Pri'va. A name of unknowrumeaning, given by 

 Adanson. Nat. Ord. VerhenacetB. 



A genus of erect perennial herbs, with a 

 woody or tuberous rhizome ; widely distrib- 

 uted through tropical America, Africa and 

 India. P. Imvis, introduced from the Argen- 

 tine Republic in 1833, is the only species of 

 interest, but it is not much cultivated. 



Privet. See Ligustrum. 



Proboscideus. Trumpet-like; proboscis-like. 



