AN ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF HORTICULTURE. 



159 



Platy crater continued. 



terete branches. It requires culture similar to Fhila- 



delphns (which see). 



P. argute (sharp). /. greenish-white, scattered, much larger than 

 those of Hydrangea, disposed on long pedicels, in terminal, few- 

 flowered corymbs ; calyx limb dilated, petaloid, three or four- 

 lobed; petals four, valvate. I. opposite, shortly petiolate, de- 

 ciduous, lanceolate, long-attenuated, acuminate, deeply toothed, 

 veined. Japan, 1866. (R, G. 516 ; S. Z. F. J. 27.) 



PLATYLEPIS (from platys, broad, and lepis, a 

 scale ; alluding to the shape of the sepals). SYNS. Di- 

 plogastra, Notiophrys. OBD. Orchidece. A. genus com- 

 prising three (or five ?) species of stove, terrestrial 

 orchids, natives of tropical and Southern sub-tropical 

 Africa and the Mascarene Islands. Flowers narrow, in 

 dense, sessile, glandular-pubescent spikes; sepals sub- 

 equal, narrow ; petals narrow, sub-coherent with the dorsal 

 sepal; lip sessile at the base of the column, erect, con- 

 cave-channelled. Leaves ovate or ovate-lanceolate, mem- 

 branous, contracted into the petioles. Stems ascending, 

 leafy. Rhizome creeping. The species are not known in 

 cultivation. 



PLATYLOBIUM (from platys, broad, and lobos, a 

 pod; in reference to the broad legumes). Flat Pea. 

 OBD. Leguminosce. A small genus (three species) of 

 Australian, greenhouse shrubs, with slender branches. 

 Flowers yellow, solitary, in opposite axils; two upper 

 calyx lobes very large, free or shortly united; lower 

 ones small and narrow ; petals clawed ; standard orbicular 

 or reniform ; wings oblong-obovate, much shorter ; bracts 

 brown and scarious. Pods sessile or stipitate, very flat. 

 Leaves opposite, simple, entire, or with pungent angles. 

 For culture, see Hovea. 



P. formosum (beautiful).* fl., standard nearly twice as long as 

 the very hairy calyx ; pedicels often fully Jin. long, always ex- 

 serted from the bracts at their base. July. I. from broadly 

 cordate to ovate, or rarely ovate-lanceolate, acute, lin. to 2in. 

 long, strongly reticulated, with a rigid point A. 4ft. 1790. 

 A handsome shrub. (B. M. 469 ; P. M. B. xiii. 195.) 

 P. & parviflorum (small-flowered). A form with smaller 

 flowers, shorter pedicels, and narrower leaves, than the type. 

 /L 4ft. 1792. SYNS. P. ovatum, P. parviflorum (B. M. 1520; 

 L. B. C. 1241 ; P. M. B. xi. 219). 



P. Murrayanum (Murray's). A synonym of P. triangulare. 

 P. obtusangulum (obtuse-angled), fl., standard shortly exceed- 

 ing the very hairy calyx, which is about Jin. long ; pedicels short, 

 and completely concealed by the imbricate bracts at their base. 

 May. I. from broadly triangular to ovate-cordate, hastate, or 

 cordate-lanceolate, mostly |in. to lin. long, with a pungent point, 

 the lateral angles either acute and pungent or rounded and 

 obtuse, h. 1ft. 1832. (B. M. 3258.) SYN. P. triangulare (B. M. 

 1508). 



P. ovatum (ovate). A synonym of P. formosum paroiflorum. 

 P. parviflorum (small-flowered). A synonym of P. formosum 



parvitlorum. 



P. triangulare (triangular).* fl., standard renifonn. deeply emar- 

 ginate, about twice as long as the calyx, which is adpressedly 

 hairy, and nearly iin. long. May. I. broadly triangular or 

 cordate-hastate, the angles terminating in short, pungent points, 

 or the lower leaves rarely broadly cordate, with the lateral angles 

 rounded, mainly Jin. to lin. long. A. 1ft. 1832. A straggling 

 or procumbent shrub. SYN. P. Murrayanum (B. M. 3259). 

 P. triangulare (triangular), of Sims. A synonym of P, obttu- 

 anffulum. 



PLATYLOMA. Included under Pellrea (which see). 



FLATYIiOFHTJS (from platys, broad, and lophos, 

 a crest ; the capsule is so much compressed at the apex 

 as to appear winged). SYN. Trimerisma. OBD. Saxi- 

 frages. A monotypic genus. The species is an elegant, 

 greenhouse, glabrous, evergreen tree, thriving best in 

 a compost of loam and peat. Propagated, during April 

 or May, by cuttings of ripe shoots, inserted in sand, 

 under a glass. 



P. trifoliate (three-leaved). White Alder, fl. white, disposed 

 in axillary, long-stalked, many-flowered panicles. June. I. petio- 

 late, ternate : leaflets sessile, lanceolate, acuminated, sharply 

 serrated, coriaceous, reticulated with many veins, h. 40ft. to 

 50ft. Cape of Good Hope, 1820. SY.V. Weinmannia, trifoliata. 



FLATYMETRA. A synonym of Tupistra (which 



PLATYPETALTJM (from platys, broad, and 

 petalum, a petal). OBD. Crudferce. A. small genus of 

 hardy, herbaceous perennials, with purplish flowers, now 

 included, by Bentham and Hooker, under Braya. The 

 species have no horticultural value. 



PLATYPTEBJS. Included under Verbesina 

 (which see). 



FLATYS. A term which, used in Greek compounds, 

 signifies broad ; e.g., Platyphyllus, broad-leaved. 



PLATYSTEMON (from platys, broad, and siemon, 

 a stamen; alluding to the expanded filaments). OBD. 

 Papaveracecs. A monotypic genus. The species is a 

 pretty, hardy annual, requiring culture similar to that 

 recommended for Papaver. 



P. californlcus (Californian). Californian Poppy. JL yellow ; 

 sepals three ; petals six ; peduncles elongated. July and August. 

 1. narrow, entire ; lower ones alternate ; floral ones often nearly 

 opposite or ternately whorled. h. 1ft. California, 1853. (B. ii. 65 ; 

 B. M. 3579; B. R. 1679; S. B. F. G. ser. ii. 394.) The variety 

 leiocarpus has smooth carpels. (B. M. 3750, under name of 

 P. leiocarpum.) 



FLATYSTIGrMA (from platys, broad, and stigma ; 

 alluding to the broad stigmas). OKD. Papaveracece. 

 A genus comprising three species of slender, half-hardy, 

 annual herbs, natives of North-west America. Flowers 

 yellow, often small, on elongated peduncles ; sepals three ; 

 petals six; stamens many; filaments slightly dilated at 

 apex. Leaves narrow, entire, approximate and alternate 

 at the base of the stem, or almost opposite the flowers. 

 For culture of the only species calling for description, 

 see Fapaver. 



P. lineare (linear), fl,. drooping before expansion, then erect ; 

 three outer petals full yellow, pale at the sides, obovate, the three 

 inner ones narrower, white, yellow at the claw ; scapes several 

 from the same root, 9in. high. May. I. radical, linear, acute, 

 glaucous, 2in. to 3in. long. 1833. (B. M. 3575 ; B. R. 1954.) 



PLATYSTYLIS (of Sweet). Now included under 

 Lathyrus (which see). 



FLATYSTYLIS (of Blume). Now included under 

 Liparis (which see). 



PLATYTHECA (from platys, broad, and theke, a 

 cell; alluding to the broad anther lobes). OBD. Tre- 

 mandrea. A. monotypic genus, the species being an 

 erect, Heath - like, greenhouse shrub or under - shrub. 

 For culture, see Tetratheca. 

 P. ealloides (Galium-like). Jl. borne on slender pedicels ; sepals 



narrow-lanceolate, acute ; petals blue, with a dark spot at the 



base. June. 1. usually about eight in a whorl, narrow-linear, 



acute and pungent, or obtuse with recurved points, about iin. 



long with the margins often revolute. h. 1ft. South-west 



Auftralia, 1845. (P. M. B. xiii. 171, under name of Tctratheca 



verticillata.) 



PLATYZAMIA. A synonym of Dioon (which see). 



FLATYZOMA (from platys, broad, and eoma, a 

 band; in allusion to the broad ring of the sporangia). 

 OBD. Filices. A monotypic genus. The species 

 P. microphyllum is an Australian stove fern, closely 

 allied to Gleichenia. It has not yet been introduced. 



PLEASURE GROUNDS. See Garden. 

 PLECOSOB/US. Included under Cheilanthes. 

 FIiECTOCEPHAIiTJS. Included under Centaurea. 



FLECTOCOMIA (from plektos, plaited, and kome, 

 leaves ; probably from the leaves being used in plaiting). 

 OBD. Palmce. A genus comprising about half-a-dozen 

 species of stove, climbing palms, allied to Calamus, 

 armed with recurved prickles; they are natives of the 

 mountains of India and the Malayan Archipelago. 

 Flower-spikes axillary, divided into numerous, very long, 

 tail-like branches, clothed with two opposite rows of 

 overlapping spathes, each of which incloses a short 

 spike of flowers. Fruit covered with overlapping scales, 

 which are rough and fringed at the edges, giving the 

 fruit a prickly appearance, one-seeded. Leaves large, 

 pinnate, furnished with long, whip-bike tails, beset on 



