PACHYSANDRA PACHYSTIMA 119 



P. PROCUMBENS, Michaux, ALLEGHENY SPURGE. 

 (BoU Mag., t. 1964.) 



A semi-herbaceous plant forming low masses, with stems 6 to 12 ins. high, 

 springing unbranched from a root-stock ; downy, bearing the leaves in a 

 cluster at the top. Leaves broadly ovate, obovate, or somewhat rhomboidal ; 

 2 to 3^- ins. long, often almost as wide ; the upper part usually very coarsely 

 toothed, the lower part entire and tapering to a stalk \ to i^ ins. long. The 

 lower leaves are the largest and longest stalked ; all are furnished with 

 minute, scattered hairs. The unisexual flowers are borne at the base of the 

 stem (between the flowers and the leaves the stem is bare), crowded on 

 several erect, cylindrical spikes 2 to 4 ins. high ; female flowers few, and 

 confined to the base. The most conspicuous part of the spike is the stamens, 

 with their pale, flattened stalk \ in. long ; the sepals are greenish or purplish. 



Native of the south-eastern United States from Virginia and Kentucky 

 southwards ; introduced in 1800. It is best grown on some shelf in the 

 rock garden in a half-shaded spot. The inflorescence is formed in autumn, 

 and expands in spring. Flowers unpleasantly scented. 



P. TERMINALIS, Siebold. 



An evergreen, semi-woody plant, 6 to 8 ins. high ; stems smooth, the lower 

 portion procumbent and matted. ' Leaves diamond-shaped, i to 2^ ins. long, 

 5 to ij ins. wide ; coarsely and" bluntly toothed on the upper half, entire and 

 tapering below, smooth, prominently three-veined at the base ; stalk J to f in. 

 long. The leaves persist two or three years, and each year's crop is produced 

 in a whorl-like cluster at the end of its growth, being separated from the 

 previous one by several inches of naked stem. Flowers green tinged with 

 purple, produced in spring at the end of the previous year's shoot in a spike 

 about i in. long. 



Native of Japan. Not so striking a plant as the American P. procumbens, 

 from which it is readily distinguished by its terminal spikes and smaller leaves, 

 but hardier. It ultimately forms a dense low mass several feet across. 



Var. VARIEGATA. Leaves bordered and striped with white. 



PACHYSTIMA. CELASTRACE^E. 



Two North American, low, glabrous shrubs, with small evergreen, 

 opposite, leathery leaves and tiny inconspicuous flowers. They have 

 four petals, four stamens, and a two-celled ovary; the fruit is small, 

 oblong, white. These two shrubs thrive best in a soil that is partly peat, 

 partly sandy loam, and are, perhaps, best adapted for a nook in the rock 

 garden, where, however, their interest will be chiefly botanical. They 

 need only be recommended to people who love rare, out-of-the-way plants, 

 irrespective of their beauty. At the same time the Pachystimas make 

 neat, rather dainty tufts. Both are easily increased by cuttings. The 

 name implies "thick stigma." 



P. CANBYI, A. Gray. 



A low evergreen shrub up to i ft. in height, with linear or narrow-oblong 

 leaves, to i in. long, ^ in. or less wide, shallowly toothed towards the apex, 



