AN ENCYCLOPEDIA OF HORTICULTURE. 



117 



Pliysoste^ia continued. 



only three species of hardy, tall, erect, glabrons, or very 

 slender and puberulous herbs, confined to North America. 

 Flowers flesh-colour or purple, sessile ; calyx tubular- 

 campanulate. sub-equally five-toothed, becoming inflated 

 at fructescence ; corolla tube long, exserted ; upper lip 

 erect, entire or emarginate, the lower one spreading and 

 trifid ; whorls two - flowered, secund, densely or inter- 

 ruptedly spicate ; spikes solitary, or often many, at the 

 tips of the branches, sub-paniculate. For culture, see 

 Dracocephalum. 



P. imbricate (imbricated). A synonym of P. viryiniana tpeciosa. 

 P. intermedia (intermediate). JL, corolla five to six lines long, 

 much dilated upwards ; spikes filiform, commonly rather re- 

 motely flowered. Summer. L linear-lanceolate, repand-denticu- 

 late. Stem slender, remotely leaved, 1ft to 3ft higk 

 P. parriflora (small-flowered), fl., corolla rather narrow, Jin. 

 long ; spikes short, lin. to tin. long. Summer. L lanceolate 

 or ovate-lanceolate, denticulate. Stem rather slender, leafy, 

 1ft to 2ft. high. 1825. 



P. Virginians (Virginian).* fl. flesh-coloured or purple, about 

 lin. long, nearly sessile, approximate or distant ; racemes ter- 

 minal, simple, or paniculately branched. July to September. 

 L thickish, sessile, usually lanceolate, sometimes oblong-ovate 

 or obovate, usually acute, irregularly and acutely serrated, nar- 

 rowed at base, green on both surfaces. Stems erect, herbaceous. 

 A. lift, to 4ft 1685. A variable species. SY.NS. Dracocephalum 

 narifffatum, D. virffiniantim (B. M. 467). 



P. v. denticulate (slightly-toothed). JL in a more slender or 

 loosely-flowered spike. L crennlate-denticulate or obscurely 

 serrated. A more slender and commonly low form. STN. Draco- 

 ctphalum dtnticulatum (B. M. 214). 



P. V. obovate (obovate). I. oblong or obovate, often obtuse. 

 P. V. speciosa (showy).* /. in dense, paniculate spikes. L lan- 

 ceolate, very acutely serrated. Sr.vs. P. imbricata (B. M. 3386), 

 Dracocephalum gpedofum, of Sweet (S. B. F. G. 93). 



FHYSOSTELMA (from physa, a bladder, and stelma, 

 a girdle; alluding to the shape of the corona scales). 

 STN. Cystidianthus. OBD. Asclepiadece. A genus com- 

 prising a couple of species of stove, climbing, glabrous 

 shrubs, natives of the Malayan Archipelago, usually, but 

 erroneously, referred to Hoya. Flowers rather large, in 

 nmbelliform cymes ; calyx five - parted ; corolla very 

 broadly campanulate, snb-cyathifonn ; corona scales five, 

 fleshy, radiate-patent. Leaves opposite, coriaceous, sub- 

 fleshy, shining, veined. P. Wallichii is the only species 

 in cultivation. For culture, see Hoya. 



P. campanulatnm (bell-shape-flowered). A synonvm of 

 P. WaUiMi. 



P. Walllr.hH (Dr. Wallich's).* JL green, yellow ; corolla campanu- 

 late, glabrous. May. i. coriaceous, almost veinless, obiong, 

 acuminate, glabrous ; when dry, reticulately veined. 1846. SYXS. 

 P. campanulatum, Hoya campanuiata (B. M. 4545, and B. B, 

 1847, 54). 



PHYSOSTIGMA (from physa, a bladder, and 

 stigma ; the bearded style is terminated by a large, 

 oblique hood covering the stigma). Ordeal Bean of Old 

 Calabar. OED. Leguminosce. A monotypic genus. The 

 species, P. renenosum, is a tall, climbing herb, shrubby 

 at base, native of tropical Africa. Ib eeds "are ex- 

 tremely poisonous, and are employed b> the natives of 

 Old Calabar as an ordeal ; persons suspected of witch- 

 craft, or other crime, being compelled to eat them until 

 they vomit or die the former being regarded as a proof 

 of innocence, and the hitter of guilt " (Lindley and 

 Moore). This Bean is also remarkable for possessing a 

 property causing contraction of the pupil of the eye. 



P. venenosum (deadly), .rf. purplish, resembling those of 

 a Bean, axillary, pendulous, rather large, in a fascicled raceme ; 

 style bearded, terminated by a large, oblique hood, covering the 

 blunt stigma. Pods dark brown, about 6m. long ; seeds oblong 

 or somewhat hemispherical, about lin. long. 1. pinnately tri- 

 foliolate, stipellate ; leaflets ample. (B. M. PL 80.) 



PHYSUB.US (from physa, a bladder, and euro, a 

 tail; in allusion to the shape of the spur). STNS. 

 Erythrodes. MicrochHus. OBD. Orchideos. A genus com- 

 prising about a score species of stove, terrestrial, leafy 

 orchids, with root fibres usually fasciculate, in a creeping 

 rhizome, inhabiting the warmer regions of Asia and 



. nobilis (noble).* I. broadly ovate, dark green, marked wi 

 silvery veins. Brazil, 1865. A large and beautifully mark 

 species. Very similar to P. pietus, but differing in its fring 

 lip. STN. Ancectochilui nobilif. 



itinved. 



America. Flowers small or mediocre, disposed in loose 

 or dense, often elongated, almost sessile spikes ; sepals 

 and petals nearly equal, the lateral sepals placed beneath 

 the Up, and the dorsal agglutinated to the petals ; lip 

 parallel with the column, concave, constricted below the 

 apex, and extended downwards into a freely-swollen 

 spur ; column free or adnate to the bottom of the Up, 

 straight and attenuated into an ultimately bifid rostellum. 

 having the anther at the back, containing two sectile 

 pollen-masses attached to an oblong or subulate gland. 

 Leaves stalked, loosely-sheathed, often beautifully marked 

 with veins. The species here described are those in- 

 troduced to cultivation. For culture, see Ancectochilus 

 (to which the present genus is closely allied). 



P. argentens (silvery).' L 2jin. long and IJin. broad, light 

 green, with well-defined, silvery markings. Stems 4in. in height 

 Brazil. An elegant, free-growing species, which does well in 

 a warm house without a bell glass ; a shady situation, and a 

 plentiful supply of water to the roots, are important elements 

 in its culture. STN. Anaeetoehiltu argenteut. 



P. decorus (comely). A. very indifferently small ; sepals white, 

 with green lines ; lip small, with a yellowish-green spur. 

 L cuneate-oblong, acute, dark green, with whitish, longitudinal 

 stripes. Probably Sumatra, 1873. 



P. macnlatns (spotted). L 2;in. long, dark green, with two 

 rows of white, oblong spots lying parallel with the midrib. 

 A. 6in. Guayaquil, 1862. (B. M. 5305.) 



tb 



marked 

 fringed 



P. Ortgiesii (Ortgies*). L dark green, with a whitish midrib ; 

 spots of the same colour distributed over the entire surface. 

 Columbia, 1873. Distinct, and very pretty. (F. <fc P. 1872, 243.) 



P. pietUS (spotted).* I. Sin. long, liin. broad, edged with dark 

 green, and having a handsome, sUver-frosted band down the 

 centre, from which radiate a network of white veins. A. 6in. 

 Brazil. A distinct and most desirable, free-growing species. 

 (Ref. B. 73.) STNS. Anaeetoehiltu argenteus pictug, A. pietus, 

 Micnchiltts pictut. 



P. qnerceticolns (Oakwood-dwelling). n. borne in loose spikes ; 

 lip three-toothed at apex. I. 2in. to 3in. long, ovate, acute, light 

 green, blotched with silvery-grey on each side of the midrib, 

 imparting an appearance to the intervening spaces of being 

 silvered over. A. Sin. to 4in. or more. New Orleans. A dis- 

 tinct, free-growing species. 



PHYTARK.HIZA. Included under TiUandsia 

 (which see). 



PHYTELEPHAS (from phyton, a plant, and elepnas, 

 ivory; referring to the seed, which, under the name of 

 Ivory Nut, is largely imported and used by turners in 

 forming small, ivory-like toys, buttons, &c.). STN. Ele- 

 phantu-sia. OBD. Palmce. A genus comprising three 

 or more species of low, unarmed palms, with a robust 

 and erect or prostrate and rooting candex ; they are 

 natives of Peru and New Grenada. Plant direcious ; 

 male flowers with petals 2in. to Sin. long; spadices borne 

 on scaly peduncles, males pendulous, females erect ; 

 spathes two, complete, elongated, thick, coriaceous or 

 woody. Fruit consisting of a collection of four to six 

 drupes, forming large clusters, the drupes covered out- 

 side with hard, woody protuberances. Leaves terminal, 

 elongated, pinnatisect; segments numerous, the upper 

 ones opposite, the lower ones alternate or fascicled, 

 linear-lanceolate, acuminate ; margins recurved at base. 

 A compost of two parts rich loam, and one each of peat 

 and river sand, is most suitable. The plants enjoy a 

 liberal supply of water, and perfect drainage is essential. 



P. macrocarpa Oarge-fruited).* Ivory Nut Palm ; Negro's 

 Head. fr. a drupe containing from six to nine seeds the \ ege- 

 table Ivory of commerce. 7. 15ft. to 20ft long, erect, beauti- 

 fully arched, pinnate, rich dark green ; pinnae very long. Caudex 

 or trunk creeping, rooting. A. about 6ft. New Grenada, 1846. 

 (B. M. 4913, 4914.) 



P. microcarpa (small-fruited). I. 20ft to 24ft. long, lanceolate, 

 with about 100 pinnae, the inferior being alternate and the 

 upper opposite, linear, the largest Sin. long, 2in. wide, three- 

 nerved. Peru, Ac, Plant stemless. 



PHYTELEPHUSIE.E. Included under Palmae. 



