An Encyclopedia of Horticulture. 



215 



Pots and Potting — contmued. 

 alike, regarding moisture, as may be practicable ; either 

 extreme must be avoided. 



A strong Pottiug-benoh is always requisite for the 

 proper execution of work upon it. Unless the bench is 

 firm. Potting on it is unsatisfactory, as the soil cannot 

 be pressed or rammed unless the Pot rests upon 

 a solid base. The shape and strength of material best 

 suited tor a strong Potting-bench are indicated in 

 Fig. 269. Such a one made strong would last a very 

 long time, and could be moved about to any part of the 

 garden, if desired. 



POTTERT-TREE. A common name applied to 

 Moquilea ufiUs. 



POTTLE. Sf'e Measures. 



POXTPARTIA. Included under Spondias (which 



POTTROUMA (the native name in Guiana). Ord. 

 Vrticacea^. Of this genus of trees, about thirty species 

 have been enumerated, natives of tropical South America. 

 Flowers dioecious, numerously disposed, the males in 

 glomerules or cymose-paniculate heads, the females in 

 cymes ; peduncles axillary, solitary or twin. Mature fruit 

 distinct, erect, much larger than in allied genera. Leaves 

 alternate, long-stalked, undivided or sometimes on the 

 same tree palmately three to five-fid or parted ; stipules 

 large, very caducous. P. edalis^ the only species which 

 calls for mention here, requires culture similar to Arto- 

 carpus (which see). 



P. edulls (ediljle). ./>. in clusters, of the form and taste of Hazel 

 nuts (much esteeiiied by the natives of Columbia). I. green above, 

 bluish-white I'eiieath, as large as those of Wifjaadia impcrialis. 

 Cold legions of Cohinibiau Cordilleras, 1873. Greenhouse. 



POURRETIA. A synonym of Puya (which see). 



POURRETIA FRIGIDA. A synonym of Dyckia 

 frig^ida (which see). 



POXJS, PODUS. Used in Greek compounds, this 

 signifies a foot or stalk ; e.g., Podosperm (the same as 

 Pnnicnlup), the stalk on which some seeds are borne. 



PRSCOX. Appearing or developing comparatively 

 early. 



PRJEMORSE. Having an irregular, ragged termi- 

 nation ; appearing as if bitten off. 



PRAIRIE CLOVER. See Petalostemon. 



PRASANTHEA. A synonym of Paliavana (which 

 see). 



FRASINUS. Grass-green. 



PRASOPKYLLUM (from Pmson, a Leek, and 

 phyllon. a leaf; in allusion to the similarity which exists 

 in the leaves). Oeu. Onluilece. A genus comprising 

 about twenty-six species of greenhouse, terrestrial orchids ; 

 two are natives of New Zealand, one is New Caledonian, 

 and the rest are Australian. Flowers small, in loose or 

 dense, sessile spikes ; the perianth often abruptly inflexed 

 above the ovary. Leaves in a long sheath, sometimes 

 elongated, terete, sometimes reduced to a short muoro. 

 The species are of botanical interest only. 



PRATEITSIS. Inhabiting meadows. 



PRATIA (named after M. Prat-Bernon, of the French 

 Navy, who accompanied Freycinet, but died a few days 

 after the expedition sailed). Stn. Piddiniitonia. Ord. 

 Campanulacets. A genu.s comprising about fifteen species 

 of usually slender, prostrate or creeping, rarely tall, as- 

 cendent or erect, greenhouse or hardy herbs, natives of 

 Tropical Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and South America. 

 Flowers often rather small, in many species abortive, 

 dioecious ; calyx tube adnate, obovoid or turbinate ; limb 

 five-parted ; corolla oblique, with incurved, oblique or 

 sub-bilabiate lobes; peduncles axillary, one-flowered. 



Pratia — continued. 

 Leaves alternate, frequently broad, toothed. For culture, 

 see Lobelia, to which this genus is allied, and from 

 which it principally dift'er.s in the fruit being a globose 

 or obovoid berry, and not a dry capsule. 



P. angulata (angled).* Jl. white, nearly iin. long, with the 

 corolla t\ibular at the extreme base, and oblong, acute limbs ; 

 peduncles axillary, slender, 2in. long, ebracteate. Summer. 

 I. shortly stalked, rather thick, sub-orbicular, truncate or rounded 

 at the base, coarsely toothed. Stem creeping, slender, matted, 

 with few large, scattered, spreading, white hairs. New Zealand, 

 1879. An extremely pretty little creeper for rockwork ; quite 

 hardy. Sv.x. Lnbelia litturalii^. 



P. begonisefolla (Begonia-leaved). j>. blue, small, on solitiiry 

 pedicels. .June to August, fi: purple, about the size of a Pea. 

 t. roundisli-cordate, serrated, petiolate, hairy on both surfaces, 

 oblique at the base, stems filiform, creeping, hairy. Nepaul, 

 1827. Greenhouse. (B. R. 1373.) 



P. repens (creeping).* Jl. white, with a violet tint, over iin. long ; 

 corolla funnel-shaped, but split at the hack ; peduncles rather 

 long, axillary, one-flowered. .June to October. I. petiol.ate, 

 rather reniform, undulately sub-crenated. Falkland Islands. A 

 very pretty little hardy plant, well adapted for a sunny position 

 on rockwork. .Sy.N'S. Lobelia Pi-atiana, L. repens. 



PREMITA (from premnon, the stump of a tree ; in 

 allusion to the low stems of most species). Stn. 

 Baldingera. Ord. VerhenavetB. A genus comprising 

 upwards of thirty species of glabrous, pubescent, or 

 tomentose, stove shrubs, sub-shrubs, or trees, inhabiting 

 the warmer regions of the Old World. Flowers white or 

 bluish, small, disposed in terminal, trichotomous panicles, 

 or in opposite cymes or clusters, forming a spike like 

 thyrse ; calyx small, two-lobed or three to five-toothed ; 

 corolla tube short, cylindrical ; limb spreading, four-fid. 

 Leaves opposite, entire or toothed. Few of the species 

 are cultivated in this country. They thrive in a compost 

 of sandy loam, peat, and leaf mould, and may be increased 

 by seeds, or by cuttings. 



P. esculenta (edible), fi. disposed in small, terminal, con- 

 tracted cymes ; corolla yellowish-white. May. fr. purple. 

 I. very short-stalked, oblong, acuminate, slightly narrowed at 

 base, dentate. IJranchlets and cymes farinaceously-puberulous. 

 Ii. 6ft. to 8ft. East Indies, 1824. Shrub. 



P. integrifoUa (entire-leaved). Headache-tree. fi. strongly- 

 scented, disposed in a loosely corymbose, terminal panicle ; 

 corolla gr.enish-white. July. /. short-stalked, ovate or oval, 

 entire or crenate-toothed above, opposite, sometimes whorled, 

 2in. to Sin. long. h. 10ft. to 12ft. East Indies, 1827. Tree. 

 SvNS. P. sen-atifolia, P. spinom. 



P. latifolia (broad-leaved', fi. disposed in terminal, axillary, 

 pedunculate panicles ; corolla dirty-white. June. I. stalked, 

 rotundate-cordate or oval, 2iin. long, coarctate-acuminate (u- 

 obtuse, entire or obsoletely repand above, shining above, pate 

 beneath, k. 15ft. Kast Indies, 1827. Erect, branched shrub or 

 small tree. 



P. serratlfolla (serrate-leaved). A synonym of P. inteitrifolia. 



P. spinosa (spiny). A synonym of P. IntegrifoUa. 



FREITANTHES (from pmnes, drooping, and antltos. 

 a flower ; on account of the drooping flower-heads). In- 

 cluding Harpalyce and Nabulun. Okd. Compositce. A 

 genus comprising about sixteen species of hardy, erect, 

 often tall and sub-scandent, glabrous or rarely hispid 

 herbs, of which six inhabit Central Europe, the East 

 Indies, and the Canary Islands, and the rest are North 

 American. Flower-heads homogamous, purple, violet, 

 white, or yellowish - white, often slender, drooping, 

 loosely paniculate, rarely in sheathed, racemiform, erect 

 panicles ; style often long-exserted ; involucre cylindrical, 

 often narrow ; receptacle flat, naked. Leaves alternate, 

 mostly petiolate, sagittate-cordate, deeply pinnatifid or 

 lyrate, or the upper ones narrow, sessile, and auriculate- 

 amplexicaul. The species are not particularly ornamental. 

 They thrive in any ordinary garden soil. All may be 

 increased by seeds, sown in the open border, and the 

 perennial species also by division. Those described 

 below are perennials. 



P. alba (whits), fi. -heads white; involucre purplish, of about 

 eight scales ; pappus deep cinnamon. Late summer and autumn. 

 /. angulate or triangular-halbert-form, sinuate-toothed, or three 

 to live-cleft. Stem corymbose-paidcled at summit, h. 2ft. to 4ft. 

 North America, 1762. (B. M. 1079.) 



