POP 



OR, BOTANICAL DICTIONARY. 



POP 



387 



1 



unequal ; lower lip reflex, three-parted ; segments equal. 

 Stamina: filamenta six, inserted into the corolla, three of 

 them awl-shaped, longer, inserted into the mouth of the 

 tube, the three others into the base of it ; antheree erect, 

 oblong. Pistil: germen oblong, superior; style simple, de- 

 clined ; stigma thickish. Pericarp : capsule fleshy, conical, 

 with the tip wide and bent in, three-celled, triangular, three- 

 grooved. Seeds: roundish, very many. ESSENTIAL CHA- 

 RACTER. Corolla : one-petalled, six-cleft, two-lipped. Sta- 

 mina : three inserted into the top, three into the tube of the 

 corolla. Capsule : three-celled. The species are, 



1 . Pontederia Ovata ; Ovate-leaved Pontederia. Leaves 

 ovate ; flowers in heads. Swartz says, that this plant belongs 

 to the class Monandria, and is very nearly allied to Thalia, 

 if it be not a species of that genus. Native of shady moist 

 places in Malabar and Cochin-china. 



2. Pontederia Rotundifolia; Round-leaved Pontederia. 

 Leaves orbicular, cordate. Native of Surinam. 



3. Pontederia Azurea; Blue-flowered Pontederia. Leaves 

 roundish, elliptic, thickened at the base and petioles ; flowers 

 in spikes. This is a stemlegs aquatic plant; root jointed, 

 with long capillary whitish fibres at the joints. Native of 

 Jamaica, in most of the lagoons and rivers. 



4. Pontederia Vaginalis. Leaves cordate ; raceme droop- 

 ing. Native of the East Indies. 



5. Pontederia Limosa; Blue and Yellow Pontederia. 

 Leaves cordate-ovate ; scapes lateral, one-flowered; flowers 

 triandrous. Native of Jamaica and Hispaniola, ou the banks 

 of rivers. 



6. Pontederia Cordata ; Heart-leaved Pontederia. Leaves 

 cordate ; flowers in spikes. The stem rises a foot or two 

 above the water; leaves smooth, on long, spungy, sheathing 

 stalks ; flowers numerous, of a brilliant full sky-blue. Native 

 of marshy places in Virginia, and most parts of North Ame- 

 rica. As this plant grows naturally in moist boggy places, 

 it is very difficult to be preserved in England ; nor does the 

 plant arise from seeds, which have been sown in various 

 situations and differently treated, but never appeared. Three 

 or four plants that were sent to Mr. Miller from New England, 

 were by him planted in pots, covered with moss, and con- 

 stantly supplied with water. With this management two of 

 them flowered, but, as they were not put under shelter, the 

 following winter destroyed them ; so that they probably might 

 be preserved under a hot-bed frame in winter, and safely 

 exposed to the open air in mild weather. 



7. Pontederia Hastata; Hastate-leaved Pontederia. Leaves 

 hastate; flowers umbelled. Found near Madras, and in 

 Cochin-china. This species is more difficult to preserve in 

 England than the preceding, being a native of hot countries, 

 and always grows in watery places. 



Poplar Tree. See Populus. 



Poppy. See Papaver. 



Poppy, Horned. See Chclidoniuin. 



Poppy, Prickly. See Aryemone. 



Poppy, Spatling. See Cucubalus. 



Populus ; a genus of the class Dioecia, order Polyandria. 

 GENERIC CHARACTER. Male. Calix: ament oblong, 

 loosely imbricate, cylindrical, composed of one-flowered, 

 oblong, flat scales, torn at the edge. Corolla: petals none. 

 Nectary: one-leafed, turbinate, below tubular, ending at top 

 obliquely in an ovate border. Stamina: filamenta eight, 

 extremely short; anthene four-cornered, large. Female, on 

 a separate plant. Calix and Corolla: as in the male. Pistil: 

 germen ovate, acuminate; style scarcely manifest; stigma 

 four-cleft. Prricarp: capsule ovate, two-celled, two-va'ved; 

 valves reflex. Seeds: numerous, ovate, flying with a capil- 

 VOL. 11. 98. 



lary pappus. ESSENTIAL CHARACTER. Male. Calix: of 

 the ament a flat scale, torn at the edge. Nectary : turbinate, 

 oblique, entire. Female. Stigma : four-cleft. Capsule: two- 

 celled, two-valved. Seeds : many, pappose. The spe- 

 cies are, 



1. Populus Alba; White Poplar. Leaves sublobed, tooth- 

 ed, tomentose, and snow-white underneath ; lobes acute, 

 patulous ; female catkins ovate ; stigmas four. This tree 

 grows very tall, with a straight trunk, covered with a smooth 

 whitish bark. The Common White Poplar, and Great White 

 Poplar, or Abele, are varieties of this species. The Abele, 

 as Mortimer justly remarks, is a sort of White Poplar, only 

 much finer, bears a larger leaf, and makes a much stronger 

 shoot, being a much quicker grower. He adds, that the best 

 sort comes from Holland and Flanders, from which it is 

 sometimes called Dutch Beech. The Dutch look upon a 

 plantation of these trees as an ample portion for a daughter ; 

 which may be well allowed, if the calculation of Sir Richard 

 Weston hold good. He began to plant them some years ago 

 about Richmond ; and calculated that thirty pounds being 

 laid out on these plants, would render at the least ten thou- 

 sand pounds in eighteen years, every tree affording thirty 

 plants, each of which would yield thirty plants more, after 

 each seven years improving twelve-pence in growth, till they 

 arrive at their acme. Evelyn remarks, that the wood of the 

 White Poplar is sought for amongst sculptors ; and that both 

 it and the Black Poplar are sawn into boards, which last a 

 long time in dry places. Anciently, shields were made of 

 this wood ; which has since served for wheelbarrows, and 

 the sides of waggons and carts, being considered as a useful 

 substitute for Ash. The Abele Tree is of a quick growth, 

 and bears cropping. The wood is soft, white, and stringy, 

 and makes good wainscoting, being little subject to swell 

 or shrink ; it is used in floors, laths, packing-cases, and 

 turners' ware. In floors it will last many years, and for its 

 exceeding whiteness is often preferred to the Oak ; but being 

 soft, it is liable to take the impression of nails, which is the 

 principal objection. For turnery ware it excels all other 

 woods in its whiteness, so that trays, bowls, and many 

 domestic utensils, are made of it. The bellows-makers prefer 

 it, as also do the shoemakers, not only for the heels but the 

 soles of shoes. The poles are very proper to support Vines, 

 Hops, &c. and the lopping will supply good fuel, which is 

 often very scarce. This species is a native of Europe, in 

 woods and hedges, and near rivers and brooks; flowering in 

 March, and the leaves are fully expanded in May or June. 

 It is found from Sweden to Italy, and also in Siberia and 

 Barbary. This, and all the trees of this genus, maybe pro- 

 pagated either by layers or cuttings, which will readily take 

 root: also from suckers, which the White Poplars send up 

 in great plenty from their roots ; but they are less valuable 

 when increased by suckers, being liable to send up too many 

 suckers themselves. The best time for transplanting the 

 suckers rs in October, when their leaves begin to decay. 

 These may be placed in a nursery for two or three years, to 

 get strength before they are planted out where they are 

 designed to remain ; but if you intend to propagate them 

 from large truncheons, it is better to defer the doing of that 

 until February, when you may plant them from two to six 

 feet long, thrusting them about a foot and a half into the 

 ground. These will readily take root; and if the soil be 

 moist in which they are planted, they will arrive to a consi- 

 derable bulk in a few years. Spring is the best season for 

 planting the cuttings; though they will grow if planted in 

 any of the winter months. They should all be vigorous 

 shoots of the last year, or at least not older than two years, 

 5 F 



