AND GENERAL HORTICULTURE. 



357 



PTE 



this climate, in low situations and in rich soil, 

 it does not sufficiently ripen its wood to with- 

 stand the frosts, and the tips of the branches 

 are often injured in winter. 



Pteroce'phalus. From pteron, a wing, and 

 kephale, a head ; in allusion to the I'eceptacle 

 of the flowers being villous. Nat Ord. Dip- 

 sacacece. 



A genus of desirable hardy annual and per- 

 ennial plants, founded on Scabiosa plumosa, 

 and some others from the Mediterranean 

 region. P. Parnassi, a native of Greece, is a 

 Scabious-like plant of dwarf, compact growth, 

 forming a dense rounded mass of hea^•J' 

 foliage in summer, with mauve-colored 

 flower-heads. It is a most desirable plant tor 

 the ordinary border or for the rock-garden. 

 The annual species merely require sowing in 

 the open border. Syns. Scabiosa and Cepha- 

 laria. 



Pterodi'scus. From pteron, a wing, and discus, 

 a disk ; referring to the broad wings of the 

 disk of the fruit. Nat. Ord. PedaliacecB. 



P. speciostis, the only cultivated species, is 

 a very handsome herbaceous, green-house 

 plant, with tuberous roots and a thick succu- 

 lent stem ; a native of South Africa. Its flow- 

 ers, which are of a beautiful lilac or reddish 

 color, are large, with a funnel-shaped tube 

 and a spreading five-lobed limb. Introduced 

 in 1848 ; propagated by seeds or by dividing 

 the plant in spring. 



Pterolo'bium. From pteron, a wing, and lobos, 

 a pod. The pods are winged at the extrem- 

 ity. Nat. Ord. LeguminosoB. 



A genus of tall, climbing shrubs, armed 

 with recurved prickles, natives of tropical 

 Asia, Africa, and America. P. Indicum, the 

 only species yet introduced, requires culture 

 similar to a Ccesalpinia, but is not often found 

 in cultivation. 



Pterolo'ma. A genus now included under Des- 

 modium. 



Pteroneu'ron. From pteron, a wing, and neuron, 

 a nerve ; referring to the winged placentas. 

 Nat. Ord. Cruciferm. 



A small genus of rock-plants now included 

 by many, under Cardamine. 



Pterophy'llus, A synonym of Ginkgo, the 

 Maiden-hair Tree. 



Ptero'stylis. From ptero7i, a wing, and stylis, a 

 column ; alluding to the broadly winged col- 

 umn. Nat. Oi"d. OrchidacecB. 



A genus of terrestrial Orchids with small 

 underground tubers, natives of New Zealand 

 and Australia. A few species are in cultiva- 

 tion, but they are grown more for curiosity 

 than for their beauty. 



Pterosty'rax. The name applied to a Japanese 

 shrub constituting a genus of Styracacem. It 

 forms a medium-sized shrub or low tree, cov- 

 ered with stellate hairs ; the leaves are ovate, 

 large and sharply serrated, and the creamy- 

 white fragrant flowers are borne in axillary or 

 terminal pendent clusters or panicles. It is 

 a late introduction from Japan (IST'i), and is 

 a valuable acquisition to our hardy shrubs. 



Ptilo'meris. From ptilon, a feather, and meris, 



a part ; alluding to the fringed, chaffy scales 



of some of the species. Nat. Ord. Compositoe. 



A small genus of hardy plants, natives of 



California. P. coronaria, the only species of 



PUL 



interest, has yellow flower heads, pedunculate 

 at the ends of the branches, and grows well 

 treated as other hardy annuals. 



Ptychospe'rma. Derivation of name not given. 

 Nat. Ord. Palmacew. 



A genus of elegant Palms with pinnate 

 leaves, natives of the eastern Archipelago. 

 P. Seemani is a very beautiful dwarf Palm, 

 well adapted for table and general decorative 

 purposes. The leaves somewhat resemble 

 those of the Caryota in appearance, and are of 

 a bright green color. This Palm never attains 

 large dimensions ; the stem, when fully de- 

 veloped, is about an inch in diameter, and is 

 used, on account of its strength and straight- 

 ness, for spears by the natives of New Guinea, 

 from whence it was received. Propagated by 

 seed. Seaforthia elegans, is by some included 

 in this genus under the name of P. Cunning- 

 hamiana. 



Pube'rulous. Minutely pubescent. 



Pubescent. Softly downy, or hairy. 



Pucci'nia. Named after 'an Italian botanist, 

 Puccini. 



A large genus of parasitic Fungi, the species 

 of which are more or less destructive to the 

 mother-plant, unless where they tend to re- 

 press over-luxuriance. P. graminis, which 

 occurs in almost every part of the world on 

 grasses, and especially on cereals, is the com- 

 mon wheat mildew, one of the most formida- 

 ble diseases of wheat, and one for which no 

 remedy has yet been found. Were it even 

 possible to devise any plan which might de- 

 stroy every particle of wheat mildew, there 

 would still be a supply in the fields from the 

 wild grasses. There are many other species 

 which ai-e very destructive when they get a 

 foothold, as those that attack the Barberry, 

 Gooseberry, Strawberry, Mint, etc. P. Mal- 

 vaceum nearly extirpated the Hollyhock in 

 many districts not many years ago, and it is 

 still a pest in many sections. Other species 

 attack the Onion, Carnation, Currant, Gentian, 

 and manj' other plants for which there ap- 

 pears to "be no remedy but the destruction of 

 the diseased plants. 



Puccoon, Hairy. Lithospermum hirtum. 



Pucra'ria. Named in honor of M. M. N. Pticrari, 

 a professor of botany at Copenhagen. Nat. 

 Ord. Leguminosce. 



A genus of climbing herbs or sub-shrubs, 

 natives of tropical Asia and Japan. Only three 

 species have been introduced, of which P. 

 Thunbergiana,is the most interesting. A starch, 

 largely used by the Chinese and Japanese, is 

 obtained from the roots ; and a fibre, used for 

 textile purposes, from the stems. 



Pudding Berries. The edible fruits of Comvs 

 Canadensis. 



PuUus. Dusky-brown, or blackish colored. 



Pulmona'ria. Lungwort. So named from the 

 supposed medicinal properties in diseases of 

 the lungs. Nat. Ord. BoraginacetB. 



An extensive genus of hardy herbaceous per- 

 ennials, common in the temperate regions of 

 both hemispheres. They are showy border 

 plants, with flowers of various shades of blue. 

 They grow freely in any good rich soil, and 

 are increased by seeds or root division. P. 

 Virginica is now placed under Mertensia, 

 which see. 



