152 



THE DICTIONARY OF GARDENING, 



PITCHER. A name commonly applied to the tubular 

 petioles of the Sarracenias, and also to the urn-like ex- 

 pansion in Nepenthes. Sir Joseph Hooker has shown 

 that, in the latter genus, the Pitcher is not the dilated 

 petiole, but a special organ, represented by a gland at 

 the top of the costa of the young leaf. 



PITCHER-PLANT. See Nepenthes and Sarra- 

 cenia. 



FITCH-TREE, BURGUNDY. See Ficea ex- 

 celsa. 



PITH. The central cellular part of a stem ; the same 

 as Medulla. 



PITHECOCTENIUM (from pithex, pithecos, a 

 monkey, and kteis, ktenos, a comb ; in allusion to the 

 common name). Monkey's Comb. ORD. Bignoniacece. A 

 genus comprising about a score species of stove, often 

 tomentose- pubescent or lepidoted, sometimes glabrous, 

 climbing shrubs, natives of tropical America, extending 

 from Brazil to Mexico. Flowers white or violet, rather 

 large, disposed in simple, or rarely sub-thyrsoid, branched 

 racemes ; calyx broadly tnbular-campanulate, truncate or 

 minutely five-toothed ; corolla tube cylindrical and enlarged 

 above the base, often incurved ; limb sub-bilabiate ; lobes 

 five, round, spreading. Leaves opposite, trifoliolate, or 

 with the terminal leaflet changing to a tendril, or defi- 

 ciently bifoliolate ; leaflets entire, petiolulate. Very few 

 species are now grown. For culture, see Bignonia. 



P. Carolina (Lady Caroline's), fl. snow-white, with the tube 

 tinged with yellow, sweet scented ; corolla arcuate, tomentose, 

 with curled segments ; panicle terminal, few-flowered. May. 

 I. conjugate; leaflets cordate, acuminate, slightly pubescent. 

 h. 10ft. Plant slender, glabrous. (B. K, 1844, 54, under name of 

 Biynonia Carolina.) 



PITHECOLOBIUM (from pithecos, an ape, and 

 lobos, the lobe of the ear ; in allusion to the native name, 

 Monkey's Earring). Curl Brush Bean. ORD. Leguminosce. 

 This genus comprises about 100 species of unarmed or 

 prickly-stipuled, stove trees or shrubs, extending over 

 tropical regions, mostly in Asia and America, a few being 

 natives of Africa and Australia. Flowers often 

 white, similar to those of Inga; calyx cam- 

 pannlate or tubular ; corolla tubular or funnel- 

 shaped ; peduncles solitary or sub-fasciculate, 

 axillary or racemose, or fasciculate at the tips 

 of the branches; heads globose, or rarely in 

 oblong or almost cylindrical spikes. Pods com- 

 pressed or flat, either spirally twisted or much 

 curved, bivalved or rarely indehiscent. Leaves 

 bipinnate ; leaflets sometimes small and many- 

 jugate, sometimes large and few-jugate, occa- 

 sionally tergeminate, bigeminate, or geminate 

 (pinnae one-jugate, three, two, or one-foliolate) ; 

 stipules sometimes small or inconspicuous, 

 sometimes persistent, hard or spinescent. Few 

 of the species have been introduced. For cul- 

 ture, see Inga. 



P. prnlnoanm (frosty), fl. white, with long, ex- 

 serted stamens, and growing in globular umbels 

 from the axils of the upper leaves. I., pinnae very 

 regularly in one or two pairs, with or without an 

 odd one ; petiole and each rachis varying from lin. to 



Fits continued. 



movable ; generally, all the sashes are movable in both 

 cases. Pits do not afford similar facilities for attend- 

 ing to the occupants as do houses, which the cultivator 

 can enter in all weathers ; yet they are indispensable 

 where large, or even small, quantities of young plants 



FIG. 191. SECTIO? 



a Ordinary Soil ; 6, Passage ; e, Heated Chamber below Stage ; 

 d, Bed ; e, e, Hot-water Pipes. 



have to be raised and grown on. For bedding plants, a 

 single hot-water pipe is usually sufficient, in a low, 

 narrow Pit, for expelling damp and keeping out frost, 

 except in very severe or unfavourable weather, when cover- 



6in. long ; leaflets usually three or four pairs on the 

 terminal pinnae, very irregular in number, size, and 

 shape. Queensland and New South Wales, 1869. A 

 beautiful tree, having the young branches, foliage, 

 and inflorescence, covered with a rusty pubes- 

 cence. 



PITS. These are valuable and well-known 

 garden structures, utilised in their simplest form for pro- 

 tecting plants from the injurious effects of rain and severe 

 frost. When heated, they are eligible for plant culture 

 generally, for Cucumber, Melon, and Pine-growing, and for 

 propagating. Pits are distinguished from frames by their 

 walls being built partly beneath the ground, which con- 

 sequently renders them fixtures, whereas frames are 



FIG. 192. SECTION OF SPAN-ROOFED PIT. 



a, a, Ordinary Soil ; 6, Passage ; c, c, Heated Chambers ; d, d, Plunging Beds ; 

 e, e, e, e, Hot-water Pipes. 



ings would be necessary. For Cucumber, Melon, or Pine 

 Pits, a more substantial and much higher structure, 

 and also a greater heating power, are necessary. Fig. 

 191 represents a useful little Pit for early forcing of 

 Melons or Cucumbers. A narrow, sunken passage, entered 

 from one end, affords sufficient space for attending to the 

 plants ; and if a shelter were fixed to the back wall for 



