24 



THE DICTIONARY OF GARDENING, 



Parinarium continued . 



pubescence beneath. Guinea, 1822. A large tree. This species 

 is the "Grey" or "Rough-skinned Plum" of Sierra Leone. 

 P. macrophyllum (large-leaved). Gingerbread Plum. /. white, 

 in terminal racemes. February. Jr. oblong, twice the size of 

 that of the preceding species, which it much resembles in 

 flavour and appearance. I. large, ovate, sessile, and cordate, 

 green above and downy beneath. Stems thickly beset with 

 brown hairs. Guinea, 1822. Shrub or small tree. 

 P ART-PINNATE. Even-pinnate ; abruptly pinnate. 

 PARIS (from par, equal; alluding to the regularity 

 of the parts). ORD. Liliaceae. Of this genus, about half- 

 a-dozen species have been proposed ; but not more than 

 three or four are sufficiently distinct for that rank. They 

 are hardy perennial herbs, with creeping rhizomes, natives 

 of Europe and temperate and mountainous Asia. Flowers 

 green, erect, solitary, pedicellate ; perianth persistent, 

 with distinct segments in series of four to six. Leaves 

 four or many, whorled at the apex of the stem, sessile 

 or petiolate, lanceolate or ovate, slenderly three-nerved 

 and reticnlate-venulose. Stem simple. P. polyphylla 

 and P. quadrifolia are the only species which call for 

 description here. The leaves and stems of the latter 

 were formerly employed in medicine, and the juice of 

 the berry has been used to cure inflammation of the 

 eyes. They thrive in light sandy loam, in a shaded situa- 

 tion. Propagated by divisons, or by seeds. 

 P. polypbylla (many-leaved), ft., pedicellate ; sepals greenish, 

 four to six, leafy, ovate-lanceolate ; petals yellow, four to six, 

 filiform ; stamens four to ten. May. Jr. brilliant scarlet. I. four 

 to nine in a whorl, petiolate, linear or oblong-lanceolate, acu- 

 minate, rounded or acute at base. h. Sin. to 2}ft. Himalayas, 

 1826. (I. H. PI. 24.) 



P. quadrifolia (four-leaved). Herb-Paris; True Love. Jl., 

 perianth yellowish-green, the four outer segments about lin. 

 long, the four inner ones rather more yellow ; peduncle rising to 

 lin. or 2in. above the leaves. Spring or early summer, fr. 

 bluish-black. I. four, broadly ovate or obovate, 2in. to 4in. long. 

 Stem 9in. to 12in. high. Europe (Britain), Russian Asia, &c. 

 " Sometimes, but rarely, there is a fifth leaf, with the addition of 

 a fifth to each of the parts of the flower " (Bentham). (Sy. En. B. 

 1509.) 



PARITIUM. Included under Hibiscus (which see). 

 FARE. An extensive inclosure of land, specially 

 set apart for public or private recreation and enjoy- 

 ment. In and around cities and large towns, public 

 Parks, or similar open spaces, are essential for promoting 

 health as well as for affording recreation. A private Park 

 usually surrounds the owner's residence, and, in conse- 

 quence, should be rendered as attractive as possible. Its 

 beauty depends very materially on the natural landscape 

 and disposition of land, although much may be accom- 

 plished, by way of improving Park scenery, by persons 

 competent to conduct alterations. An irregular belt of 

 trees, such as succeed best in the soil and locality, is 

 always most satisfactory as a boundary, and all the mate- 

 rial for forming the principal groups and masses in the 

 Park should be similarly selected with a due regard to 

 the description of soil. For instance, Chestnut, Elm, 

 Oak, and Lime-trees are best suited with loam or clay 

 soils ; while Beech, Birch, and Sycamore may be cited as 

 trees which succeed in poor soils and in exposed situa- 

 tions. Bold groups of trees, circular or oval in general 

 outline, and composed of one species or variety, are to 

 be recommended, and single specimens of a marked 

 and distinct character may be judiciously introduced in 

 well-chosen spots ; not, however, with a too frequent repe- 

 tition. In any system of arrangement, formality must 

 be avoided ; and the idea of producing a natural pic- 

 turesque effect, where it is wanting, should be the aim 

 kept in view. In planning and laying out Parks, and in 

 improving Park scenery, much experience and judgment 

 are necessary with each case individually. No two are 

 exactly alike. The subject is one of an indefinite extent, 

 and is far too vast for dealing with in such a limited 

 space as that which is here available. 



PARXERIA FTEROIDES. See Ceratopteris 

 thalictroides. 



downy, 1ft. or more long ; pinnae forty to sixty, Sin. to 4in. 

 long; leaflets linear-ligulate, 1" ' ' 

 biglandular. Malay Peninsula. 



FARKIA (named in honour of Mungo Park, 1771- 

 1805, the celebrated African traveller). STN. Parypho- 

 sphcera. ORD. Leguminosce. This genus comprises about 

 eight species of showy, unarmed, stove trees, two or three 

 of which inhabit tropical Asia and Africa, and four or 

 five tropical America. Flowers very numerous, in large 

 heads; upper ones yellowish, tawny, or red; lower ones 

 sterile, white or red; peduncles sometimes solitary, axil- 

 lary, very long, pendulous, sometimes several at the 

 apices of the branches. Leaves bipinnate; leaflets small, 

 numerous, and in pairs. The species best known in 

 gardens are P. africana and P. biglandulosa. For cul- 

 ture, see Inga. 



P. africana. African Locust, or Nitta-tree. fl. crimson, in bi- 

 globular heads. February. I. with usually twenty pairs of pinnae, 

 each pinna bearing about thirty pairs of obtuse, pubescent 

 leaflets, with a gland at the base of the petiole, and with a 

 small, umbilicate gland between two or three of the upper 

 pairs of leaflets, h. 30ft. to 40ft. Africa, 1822. An agreeable 

 beverage is prepared from the sweet, farinaceous pulp surround- 

 ing the seeds, and sweetmeats are also made of it. 

 P. biglandulosa (biglandular). fl., upper ones brownish-yellow 

 or red, lower sterile ones whitish ; calyx Jin. long, the tube 

 glabrous, _the teeth pilose. Immature pod downy. I., rachis 

 linnae forty to sixty, Sin. to 4in. 

 150 to 200 to a pinna; petioles 



FARKINSONIA (named after John Parkinson, 1567- 

 1629, an apothecary of London, author of " Paradisis 

 Terrestris," and " Theatrum Botanicum"). ORD. Legumi- 

 noscB. A genus comprising only three species of stove 

 or greenhouse trees, of which one is Mexican, the second 

 South African, and the third broadly dispersed over the 

 warmer parts of Western America and the Antilles. 

 Flowers disposed in short, loose, axillary racemes; calyx 

 segments five, narrow, imbricate or sub-valvate ; petals 

 five, spreading. Pods linear, tornlose. Leaves at first 

 sight apparently simply pinnate and fasciculate, but 

 really bipinnate ; common petiole very short, spine-like ; 

 pinnae two to four, very long ; leaflets numerous, small ; 

 stipules often short, spinescent. P. aculeata, the only 

 species in cultivation, is an ornamental, stove, evergreen 

 plant, of great beauty, but very difficult to preserve. It 

 is generally raised from imported seeds. The young 

 plants should be potted in a well- drained, porous loam, 

 and kept in a light, airy place. 



P. aculeata (prickly). Jerusalem Thorn. fl. yellow, sweet-scented, 

 disposed in loose, pendulous racemes. 1. bipinnate ; leaflets usually 

 deciduous or abortive ; petioles linear, very long, winged, h. 8ft. 

 to 10ft. Tropical America, 1739 ; cultivated in all tropical coun- 

 tries. Plant furnished with generally solitary, straight prickles 

 or spines. Stove. 



FARMENTIERA (named after A. Parmontier, 

 1737-1813, a French writer on edible plants). ORD. 

 BignoniacecB. A genus comprising about three species 

 of glabrous, stove trees, inhabiting Mexico and Central 

 America. Flowers greenish, large, at the nodes, solitary 

 or few, pedicellate ; corolla tube short above the base, 

 incurved at the throat, ample, campanulate ; limb sub- 

 bilabiate. Fruit edible, elongate -fusiform or oblong. 

 Leaves alternate or almost opposite, solitary or fascicu- 

 late at the nodes, trifoliolate, or in some cases simple ; 

 common petiole often winged. P. cereifera, the only 

 species introduced, requires culture similar to Bignonia 

 (which see). 



P. cereifera (wax-bearing). Candle-tree, fl. white, large ; lobes 

 of corolla emarginate. Jr. from 2ft. to 3ft. long, waxy-yellow, 

 hanging down, and much resembling large candles ; hence the 

 common name. I. all trifoliolate; leaflets ovate-elliptic or 

 obovate-oblong, acuminated at each end, serrated or entire; 

 common petiole winged. Panama, 1866. 

 FARNASSIA (named from Mount Parnassus ; called 

 Grass of Parnassus by Dioscorides). Grass of Parnassus. 

 ORD. SaxifragecB. A genus comprising about twelve 

 species of elegant, hardy, glabrous, erect, perennial 

 herbs, often marsh-loving, inhabiting the temperate and 

 frigid regions of the Northern hemisphere and the moun- 

 tains of the whole of India. Flowers white or pale 

 yellow, rather large; calyx tube short or very short, 



