AND GENERAL HORTICULTURE. 



359 



PYC 



greenish-blue color, with bright orange an- 

 thers disposed in a large pyramidal panicle on 

 a tall scape. P. Altensteinii is a favorite green- 

 house species, its pure white flowers, contrast- 

 ing well with the bright scarlet scape and 

 bracts. Many species of this genus are now 

 placed under Pitcaimia. They thrive in a 

 compost of peat and loam, and are easily pro- 

 pagated by suckers, which are generally freely 

 produced. 



Pycna'nthemum. The generic name for the 

 native Mountain Mint, or Basil, of which there 

 are ten species, found from Virginia and New 

 York to Illinois, and westward. 



Pycno'stachys. From pyknos, dense, and 

 stachys, a spike ; referring to the dense flower 

 spikes. 



A genus of Labiatce, peculiar to tropical and 

 sub-tropical Africa, and consisting of erect 

 growing annual or perennial herbs. Several 

 of the species have been introduced to culti- 

 vation, the most showy and desirable of which 

 is P. Urticifolia. It was introduced from the 

 Shire valley in 1862, and has large dense 

 spikes of rich mazarine blue flowers. 



Py'knos. This term, used in Greek com- 

 pounds, signifies thick, close, dense, compact, 

 hence Pycnocephalus, thick-headed, or close- 

 headed ; applied to very compact kinds of 

 inflorescence. 



Pyraca'ntha. See CratcBgxts Pyracantha. 



Pyramidal. Pyramid-shaped, more frequently 

 used, however, to denote conical, as the 

 prickles of some roses, the root of the carrot, 

 and the heads of many trees. 



Pyre'thrum. Feverfew, From pyr, fire ; the 

 roots are hot to the taste. Nat. Ord. Com- 

 positoB. 



A genus of very interesting plants, mostly 

 hardy herbaceous perennials, which only 

 require planting in the open border and the 

 usual treatment of perennial plants. P. 

 Parthenium, is the well-known Feverfew, and 

 is common throughout Europe and the 

 Caucasus. The double-flowered form is a 

 very showy and useful plant, flowering all the 

 season and is a general favorite. P. Partheni- 

 folium aureum, called Golden Feather, is now 

 also common in every garden, and is largely 

 used for edgings, ribbon borders, carpet bed- 

 ding, etc., a variety called laciniatum, being 

 very distinct from the older kind. The most im- 

 portant, however, of the numerous genera is 

 thf Caucasian, P. roseum, which has yielded 

 the innumeraiile varieties, both single and 

 double, that have now become such popular 

 border flowers. They are extremely showy, 

 easy to grow, hardy, and invaluable as cut 

 flowers during several months in summer 

 and autumn. If cut down after flower- 

 ing in June they flower again freely in Sep- 

 tember. By judicious crossing, the color of 

 the blossoms is continually becoming more 

 varied, ranging from white, white with yellow 

 centre, yellow, and lilac, to rose, carmine, and 

 crimson. This species is also important as 

 being the basis of the Persian Insect Powder, 

 the best grade of which is imported from the 

 Caucasus, and is manufactured from the dried 

 flowers only. It is also cultivated in Cali- 

 fornia and when dried and ground, is known 

 in commerce as "Buhack." P. Tchichatchewi, 

 called the Turfing Daisy, is chiefly remarkable 

 for its power of sustaining drought, its foliage 



PYR 



retaining its verdure even in dry weather, 

 and when planted on dry banks or slopes. 

 Being of dwarf, creeping habit of growth, it 

 quickly forms a carpet of green which needs 

 no attention beyond that of removing the 

 flower stems, which, though not devoid of 

 interest may yet in some situations interfere 

 with the utility of the plant. This species has 

 been recommended as a substitute for lawns 

 in hot, dry situations where grass will not 

 survive. P. uliginosum, is one of the noblest 

 of all tall growing herbaceous plants, forming 

 dense tufts, five to seven feet in height, ter- 

 minated by lax clusters of pure white 

 flowers, each about twice the size of those of 

 the Ox-eye Daisy. They are all easily propa- 

 gated by division or by seed, which should be 

 sown in May or June to flower the following 

 season. 



Pyriform. Pear-shaped. 



Pyro'la. Wintergreen. Shin-leaf. Name a 

 diminutive of Pyrus, the Pear-tree, from the 

 resemblance of the leaves to those of the Pear. 

 Nat. Ord. Ericacem. 



A genus of low, smooth, perennial, her- 

 baceous herbs, with running subterranean 

 shoots, bearing a cluster of rounded and 

 petioled root-leaves, and a simple raceme of 

 nodding flowers, on an upright more or less 

 scaly bracted scape ; natives of Britain, north 

 and central Asia, and North America. Several 

 of our native varieties are very pretty and 

 sweet scented, and well worth cultivating. 



Pyrola'ceae. A natural order now included 

 under Ericacem. 



Pyroli'rion. Flame Lily. From pyr, fire, and 

 lirion, a lily ; alluding to the color and form 

 of the flowers. Nat. Ord. Amaryllidacece. 



A small genus of rare and beautiful Peruvian 

 bulbs allied to Zephyranthes. The flowers 

 are orange and yellow, produced in July and 

 August, before the leaves appear. They can 

 be grown in the open border. The bulbs 

 require to be kept dry and warm during the 

 winter, and are increased by offsets. If grown 

 in pots in the green-house, they must have 

 rest from December until April. Introduced 

 into England in 1833. 



Pyrula'ria. A diminutive from Pyrus, the 

 Pear ; in allusion to the form of the fruit, 

 which, in the original species, is like a small 

 Pear. Nat. Ord. Santolacew. 



A genus of two species of deciduous trees 

 or shrubs, one North American, the other 

 Himalayan. P. oleifera, the Buffalo, Elk, or 

 Oil-nut, is found in rich woods in the moun- 

 tains of Pennsylvania and southward through 

 the Alleghanies. The whole plant, and 

 especially the fruit is imbued with an acrid 

 oil. 



Py'rus. Pear. Also Apple, which see. From 

 peren, the Celtic word for Pear. Nat. Ord. 

 RosacecB. 



The different kinds of Crabs and Pears are 

 very ornamental flowering plants, indepen- 

 dent of the value of the fruit of some of the 

 species. The ornamental kinds are all low 

 trees, admirably adapted for the lawn or the 

 shrubbery, and are all of easy culture. They 

 are propagated by grafting the finer on the 

 more common kinds. To thrive and look 

 well, however, they require an airy situation, 

 and not to be crowded among other trees. 

 Among the kinds most worthy of notice are 



