110 



THE DICTIONARY OF GARDENING, 



Phylica continued. 



P. ericoides (Heath-like), fl. pure white, disposed in hemi- 

 spherical heads. April to September. I. linear-lanceolate, rather 

 blunt, spreading, smooth, downy beneath. Branches somewhat 

 umbellate, h. 3ft. 1731. (B. M. 224.) 



P. plumosa (feathery), fl. whitish ; bracts villous or feathery, . 

 forming a beautiful plume at the tips of the branches. Autumn. 

 I. linear-lanceolate or lanceolate, awl-shaped, smooth above, hairy 

 beneath, with revolute margins, h. 1ft. to 2ft 



P. p. squarrosa (squarrose).* fl. white, disposed in roundish 

 heads ; calyx segments erect, acute. August to November. 

 L linear-lanceolate, spreading, villous and hoary on the under 

 surface ; lower ones rather smooth ; floral ones longer than the 

 rest, spreading, h. 2ft 1800. (L. B. C. 36.) SYN. P. pubescent 

 (L. B. C. 695). 



P. plumosa (feathery), of Loddiges. A synonym of P. capitata. 



P. pubescens (downy), of Aiton. A synonym of P. capitata. 



P. pubescens (downy), of Loddiges. A synonym of P. plumosa 

 squarrosa. 



P. rubra (red), fl. red, disposed in terminal heads. December. 

 1. lanceolate, acute ; under surface downy. A. 3ft 1827. SYN. 

 Soulangia rubra. (B. E. 1498.) 



P. sploata (spike-flowered), fl., perianth white, small, thick, and 

 fleshy ; spike about 2in. long. August. I. scattered, rather re- 

 mote, all but the upper ones patent, or even reflexed, linear, some- 

 what acute, semi-cylindrical, the margins revolute ; upper ones 

 passing into bracts. A small, slender shrub. 



P. stipularis (stipular). fl. white, disposed in terminal, sessile 

 heads ; bracts short, naked, usually bifid. May to September. 

 Z. alternate, lanceolate-linear, slightly acute, smooth above, 

 hoary-velvety beneath, with revolute edges.' A. 3ft. 1786. SYN. 

 Trichocephalu* stipularis. 



PHYLLAGATHIS (from phyllon, a leaf, and 

 agatheoa, divine; referring to the beauty of the foliage). 

 OBD. MelastomacecB. A genus comprising only a couple 

 of species of handsome, very thick, herbaceous, small 

 stove shrubs, with short stems, restricted to the Malayan 

 Peninsula and Islands. Flowers pink, in short, peduncu- 

 late, densely crowded heads ; calyx tube oblong or tnr- 

 binate-campanulate ; lobes three or four, ovate, acute, 

 as are also the four, rarely three, petals; bracts ample, 

 involucrate. Leaves opposite, or solitary and terminal, 

 large, petiolate, orbioulate, cordate at base, obtuse, entire 

 or denticulate, seven to nine-nerved, shining above, dis- 

 coloured beneath ; -petioles often hairy within. P. rotundi- 

 folia requires a very moist and warm atmosphere. It 

 thrives best in a compost of peat and sand, to which 

 may be added a little leaf mould. Propagated by leaf- 

 cuttings, which should be kept in a close frame in the 

 stove until well established. 



P. gymnantha (naked-flowered), fl. pink, disposed in a com- 

 pact head ; petals obliquely bilobed ; peduncles springing from 

 the upper axils, tinged with red below. I. ovate, seven-nerved, 

 cordate at base, bright glossy green, ciliated on the margins. 

 Stem short, erect. Borneo, 1884. 



P. rotundifolia (round-leaved). fl. pink, densely crowded in 

 axillary, pedunculate heads, each of which is involucrated by 

 bracts. July. I. opposite, large, roundish, 6in. to 9in. long, 4in. 

 to 6in. wide ; the upper surface plaited and shining, of a rich, 

 deep, metallic green, slightly tinged with red ; the under side 

 dark red, with very prominent ribs. Stem square, stout, h. 1ft. 

 to 2ft Sumatra. The beauty ' 

 leaves. (B. M. 5282.) 



PHYIiItAMPHORA. 



(which see). 



PHYLLANTHUS (from phyllon, a leaf, and anthos, 

 a flower ; because the flowers, in some species, are pro- 

 duced on the edges of the leaf -like branches). Including 

 Bradleia, Cicca, Eirganelia, Xylophylla, and many others 

 formerly regarded as distinct genera. ORD. EupJior- 

 biacecB. A vast genus (about 450 species have been 

 enumerated) of mostly stove herbs, shrubs, or trees, of 

 various habit, broadly dispersed over the tropics, but 

 rare in temperate regions. Flowers small, monoecious, 

 very rarely dioecious, apetalous, axillary or rarely in 

 the nodes of leafy branchlets; sepals six, five, or rarely 

 four, distinct or rarely shortly connate at base, imbri- 

 cate, more or less distinctly biseriate. Leaves entire, 

 alternate or rarely opposite, generally distichous, and so 

 arranged in opposite rows along the smaller branches as 

 to givo them tho appearance of pinnate leaves. This 



of this species is confined to the 

 A synonym of Nepenthes 



Fh.yllanth.us continued. 



genus contains but few species of any horticultural 

 value, those undermentioned being exceptional. A com- 

 post of sandy loam and fibry peat, to which is added a 

 small quantity of broken bricks, charcoal, and dried 

 cow-dung, is most suitable for their culture. Propagated 

 by cuttings of the hard shoots, inserted in a sandy soil, 

 in heat. The species described below require stove treat- 

 ment, except where otherwise stated. 



FIG. 128. BRANCH OF PHYLLANTHUS ANGUSTTFOLIOS. 



P. angustifolins (narrow-leaved), fl. fasciculate, as long as the 

 pedicels ; calyx red. July. Stem 2ft high. Branches deciduous, 

 compressed ; branchlets distichous, lanceolate-linear or lanceo- 

 late, serrulated from above the base, striate-veined. Jamaica, 

 1789. Shrub. See Fig. 128. (B. M. 2652, under name of Xylo- 

 phylla montana; L. B. C. 1091, under name of Xylophylla 

 elongata.) 



P. atropurpurens (dark purple). I. rich dark purple, bluntly 

 ovate. Stems terete. South Sea Islands, 1876. Shrub. In 

 habit and aspect, this species is the counterpart of P. nivosus ; it 

 is deciduous during the resting season, and puts forth its new 

 leaves, which, at first, are of a dark green colour, but the purple 

 hue is soon developed under the influence of light, in which 

 rich colour the plant becomes robed. It forms a slender- 

 growing subject. 



P. Chantrleri (Chantrier's).* /..males in clusters of two or three, 

 sometimes solitary, brick-red, fringed with pale yellow hairs; 

 females larger than the males, solitary towards the tips of the 

 branches. Summer. Branches forming a right angle with the 

 stem, and having the aspect of pinnate leaves, glossy green. 

 Cochin China, 1882. An elegant shrub, of symmetrical habit. 

 See Fig. 129. (B. H. 1883, p. 557.) 



P. faloatus (sickle-shaped), fl. glomerate; calyx red. July. 

 Stem 6ft high. Branches deciduous, cylindrical ; branchlets 

 falcate or linear-falcate, serrated above, striate-veined, 4in. to 

 5in. long. West Indies, 1699. Shrub. (B. K. 373, under name of 

 Xylophylla Jalcata.) 



P. nivosus (snowy). I. ovate, alternate, frequently entirely 

 covered with a mottling of white, but, in some cases, partially 

 veined with green. Stem terete. South Sea Islands, 1873. A 

 very desirable shrub, of a free-branching habit ; when well 

 developed, it has the appearance of a sheet of snow. (F. M. 

 n. s. 120 ; I. H. 332.) 



P. pallidifolius (pale-leaved).* fl.. yellow, red at the base; 

 peduncles bright red, those of the males on the lower axils, 

 solitary or few together, those of the females towards the ends of 

 the branches, stouter, solitary. Summer. I. broadly oblong, 

 blunt at both ends, apiculate, glabrous, glaucous beneath ; 



