160 



The Dictionary of Gardening, 



Flectocomia — conti7iued. 

 the under Hide with excessively strong, compound spines, 

 shaped something like a mole's foot, with the claws 

 directed downwards. The species, the best-known of 

 which are described below, are very handsome plants, 

 and are of easy culture. A compost of rich loam and 

 peat, in about equal parts, is suitable. Propagated freely 

 by suckers. 



P. assamica (Assamese), yf., spathes 2iin. to Sin. long; spadix 



large, the liianches 2^ft. long. l. gracefully arched, broad and 

 deeitly Iiifid wlien young, ultimately pinnate ' upper surface deep 

 green, the under side a heaiitifnl powdery- white. h. 80ft. 

 Assum, 1841. An elegant plant. (H. M. 5105.) 



P. elongata (elongated), ji., spadix axillary; peduncle covered 

 witli iuiliricatf. sheiithiii'i sjijithes. I. with the flafielli about 

 20ft. loii^' ; pinuult's distant, arthed downwards, linear-lanceolate, 

 tapering to Imth tJids, very acuminate, the longest 3ft. in length, 

 2in. to Sin. Iiroad, coriaceous. Stem, in the lower part, almost as 

 thick as the leg. India, 1869. A gigantic, climbing species. 



P. himalayana (Himalayan). ,fl., spathes almo.st stem-clasping, 

 conduplicate ; brunches of the spadix about 2ft. long, covered 

 with rusty {omentum. I. ample ; pinnules alternate, linear- 

 lanceolate, very acuminate, Uft. long, IJin. broad, the margins 

 shortly toothed ; pinniferous part of the petioles armed with 

 stout, hooked prickles. Himalayas, 1878. A distinct and grace- 

 ful palm. 



FLECTOGYNE. Included under Asi>id{stra. 



PLECTRANTHERA. A synonym of Luxem- 

 burgia (wliicli ,>.>r). 



PLECTRANTHUS {from plectron, a spur, and 

 (oiUtus, a flower; in aUusion to the corolla-tube being gib- 

 bous at base). Cockspur-flower. Syn. Germanea. Ord. 

 Labiates. This genus comprises nearly seventy species 

 of stove or greenhouse, perennial herbs, sub-shrubs, or 

 rarely tall shrubs, natives of tropical and South Africa, 

 tropical and sub-tropical Asia as far as Japan, the 

 Malayan Archipelago, Australia, and the Pacific Islands. 

 Flowers small or mediocre, often pedicellate ; calyx of 

 five equal or bilabiate teeth ; corolla tube exserted, 

 gibbous or oblique ; limb bilabiate, the upper lobe three 

 or four-fid, the lower one entire ; whorls six to many- 

 flowered, or cymes opposite and more or less evolute, 

 racemose, thyrsoid, or loosely paniculate, rarely densely 

 spicate. Nutlets ovoid or oblong, smooth or minutely 

 dotted. Leaves variable, the floral ones reduced to 

 small, deciduous bracts. The species best known to 

 cultivation are described below. They do well in any 

 light, rich soil. Propagation may be effected by cut- 

 tings, which root readily. 



Fig. 200. Plectuantiius fruticosus, .showing Habit and Portion 

 of detached Inflorescence. 



P. australis (Southern), ji. pale purple, on short, unequal 

 pedicels ; corolla almr)st tHrice as long as the calyx ; whorls 

 rather loose, about ten-flowered, and :Un. apart ; raceme elon- 

 gated, simple. Summer. I. peti<tlatp, IvroacUy ovate, obtuse, 

 inciso-crenate, rounded at base, aliylith' ru,i;".se, pubescent ; floral 

 ones round-ovate, deciduous. Stem herbaceou.s, erect, pubescent. 

 /(. 2ft. to 3ft. Australia. Greenhouse. (B. R. 1098.) 



Plectranthus — continued. 



P. barbatUS (l>earded). A synonym of Coleus harbahttf. 



P. COleoide8(Coleusdike). Jl. lilac; condla four times as long as 

 the calyx ; panicle thyrsoid, 6in. long. Siunmer. l. petiolate, 

 ovate, crenate, subcortlate at ttase, rather thick, puberulous ; 

 floral ones deciduous, h. lit. to 2ft. Neilgherries, 1865. Stove 

 herbaceous perennial. (B. M. 5841.) Sv.n. Coleus Coliullei. 



P. COmosns (tufted). A synonym of C'oleun harhatus. 



P. foetidus (stinking). ^?. purple (?); calyx softly villous; corolla 

 tlirice as ](ing as the calyx ; whorls many-flowered, approximate ; 

 racemes dense, slightly branched. Summer. I. shortly petiolate, 

 broadly ovate, crenate, truncate or cordate at base, thick, much 

 wrinkled, very villous on l>oth sides ; floral ones broadly ovate- 

 cordate, acuminate, deciduous. Stem obtusely tetragonal, h. 3ft. 

 to 5ft. Eastern Australia, 1877. Ureenhou.se sub-shrub. (B. M. 

 6792.) 



P. Forskolei ( Forsk3rs. A synonym of Coleus barbatus. 



P. fruticosus (shrubby), ji. blue, elegant, disposed in a slightly, 

 branched panicle ; pedicels Mn. long ; corolla tube twice as long 

 as the calyx. Summer. /. petiolate, broadly ovate, sub-cor-late, 

 doubly toothed, slightly glabrous ; floral ones bract-like. A. 3ft. 

 to 4ft. t'ape Colony. Greenhouse shrub. See Fig. 200. (R. ti. 

 1364, 431.) 



P. ternatus (ternate). Onime-root. Jl. purple, on short pedicels ; 

 corolla dark-dotted, thrice as long as the calyx ; whorls teniate, 

 rather loose, many-flowered ; racemes simple. August. I. long- 

 stalked, ovate-robundate, acute, deeply crenate, narrowed at base, 

 some fleshy, pubescent above, canescent beneath. Stem erect ; 

 branches cano-tomentose or pubescent. /). 1ft. iMadagascar, 

 1821. Stove herbacenus perennial. (B. M. 2460.) 



FIiECTRITIS (from plektwn, b, spur; in allusion to 



the calcarate corolla). Including Betckea. Ord. Vale- 

 rianecp. A genus comprising only three species of erect, 

 hardy, anniial herbs, of which two are Californian, and 

 the third Chilian. Flowers pink, in dense, capitullform 

 cymes, axillary or terminal ; corolla five-fid, spreading. 

 Leaves entire or sinuate-toothed. Seeds of P. congesta 

 only require to be sown in the open ground in May, in 

 a sheltere I situation. It is doubtful, however, whether 

 the genus is still represented in our gardens. 



P. congesta (crowded). Jl. pink, in oval or oblong heads, often 

 arranged in verticillate, approximate or distant glomerules ; 

 corolla manifestly bilabiate, with a small spur much shorter 

 than the tube. June. /. very glabrous ; radical ones obovate or 

 spathulate. entire ; cauline ones broadly ovate, sessile, slightly 

 toothed ; floral ones linear-oblong. /). 9in, to 18in. California, 

 1826. (B. R. 1094. under name of Valerianella conrjesta.) 



FIiXCTROlTIA (from plektron, a cock's spur ; in 

 allusion to the large spines which are to be found on 

 some of the species). Syns. Cnnthium, Dondisia, Mitnt- 

 sfigtna, Phallaria, Psilostoma, Psydra.v. Ord. RuhiacecB. 

 A large genus (about seventy species) of stove or green- 

 house, unarmed or spiny, shrubs, sometimes climbing, 

 with terete branchlets ; they are natives of tropical Asia, 

 Africa, and Australia, South Africa, and the Pacific 

 Islands. Flowers white or greenish, small, fascicled or 

 disposed in corymbose, pedunculate cymes ; calyx with a 

 short tube, and a very short, truncate or four or five- 

 toothed limb ; corolla tube short or slightly elongated, 

 with four or five ovate-triangular lobes. Fruit small or 

 mediocre. Leaves opposite, membranous or coriaceous, 

 shortly petiolate, oblong, ovate, or lanceolate ; stipules 

 intrapetiolar. Few of the species have been introduced, 

 and none are important horticulturally. They thrive 

 in any rich compost, aud may be readily increased by 

 cuttings. 



PIiIiEA (named after Aug. Plee, 1787-1825, author 



of a work on the Flora of the Environs of Paris). Ord. 



Liliarece. A monotypic genus. The species is a hardy. 



perennial herb, with nodose, erect, Rush-like stems or 



rhizomes. It thrives in peat soil, and requires a moist 



situation ; or it may be grown in pots, placed in pans of 



water. Propagation may be effected by seeds. 



P. tenuifolia (>leuder-leaved). Jl. white, greenish without, 



solitary between the bracts, pedicellate, erect, lin. wiile, disposed 



in simple racemes ; perianth segments spreading. October. 



I., radical ones few, rather long, linear, erect, .somewhat rigid, 



6in. t(i 9in. long; cauline ones one or two, long-sheathed, smaller 



than the radical ones. Stem 2ft. high. South United States, 



1824. (B. M. 1956.) 



FL£I0NE. Included under Coelogyne (which see). 



