PTE 



OR, BOTANICAL DICTIONARY. 



PTE 



423 



10. Pteris Nervosa. Pinnas lanceolate, parallel-nerved, 

 entire, the lowest binate Native of Japan. 



11. Pteris Longifolia. Pinnas linear, repand, cordate at 



the base Native of Jamaica and Dominica, in cool moist 



places near rivulets. 



12. Pteris Denticulata. Lower pinnas semipinnate, lan- 

 ceolate ; the barren ones toothlet-ciliate ; the fertile ones 

 quite entire Native of Hispaniola. 



13. Pteris Vittata. Pinnas linear, straight, rounded at the 

 base. Native of China, Cochin-china, and Jamaica. 



14. Pteris Stipularis Pinnas linear, sessile; stipules lan- 

 ceolate Native of South America. 



15. Pteris Trichomanoides. Pinnas subovate, blunt, re- 

 pand, hirsute underneath Native of the rocks in Dominica 



and Jamaica, where it is said to be common in the moun- 

 tains of Liguanee. 



16. Pteris Cretioa. Prnnas opposite, lanceolate, serrulate, 

 narrowed at the base; the lowest subtripartite. Native of 

 th islands of Candia and Elba. 



*** With subbipinnate or branched Fronds 



17. Pteris Pedata. Fronds five-angled, trifoliate ; pinnas 

 pinnatifid, the lateral ones two-parted. This little plant 

 seldom rises above four or six inches from the ground; it is 

 beautifully dissected, and of a very singular form, but varies 

 much in its division and appearance Native of Jamaica, 

 Domiuica, and the Society Isles. 



18. Pteris Sinuate. Fronds bipinnatifid ; pinnules and 

 sinuses rounded Native of Japan. 



19. Pteris Aquilina; Female Fern, or Brakes. Fronds 

 superdecompound; leaflets pinnate; pinnas lanceolate; lower 

 pinnatifid, upper less. The roots are creeping, and when 

 cut obliquely, present a kinrl of representation of the imperial 

 eagle; hence Linneus called it Aquilina. The fronds are 

 annual, springing from a perennial, scaly root, and rise 

 from two to five feet, according to the soil : they are rigid 

 and harsh, of a light green, and spread in a handsome man- 

 ner. They are called Brakens in the north of England 

 Native of most parts of Europe, on heaths and in woods. 

 An alkali, which is tolerably pure, may be obtained from the 

 ashes of this plant. The root dried, reduced to a fine pow- 

 der, and given in dosps of half an ounce, is a secret remedy 

 for the tape-worm, and is supposed to be equally efficacious 

 in the destruction of all other worms. The common people, 

 in many parts of England, mix these ashes with water, and 

 form them into balls; these balls are afterwards made hot in 

 the fire, and used to make lye for scouring of line-n. This 

 plant certainly forms a very durable thatch, and affords an 

 excellent litter for hoiso-s and oows. Where fuel is scarce, it 

 is used to heat ovens, and burn limestone, for it will afford a 

 very intense heat. In the most inhospitable northern climates, 

 bread is actually made from the roots; and even in Japan, the 

 young fronds, before their leaves are displayed, are exposed 

 in the shop windows during the month of May, at which time 

 they are eaten by the natives. The woody root is there also, 

 bruised, soaked in water, boiled, and then, though quite black, 

 eaten by the poorer sort. This plant may sometimes be era- 

 dicated by repeated mowings in summei ; but where it is trou- 

 blesome, burning it is most effectual. 



20. Pteris Caudata. Fronds supsidecompound ; pinnas 

 linear; the lowest pinnate, toothed at the base; the terminat- 

 ing ones very long. Native of Jamaica and Dominica; in the 

 former of which, according to Browne, it is very common 

 upon open spots in the mountains, where it thrives best in a 

 stiff clay. 



21. Pteris Mutilata. Fronds decompound; leaflets pin- 

 nnte, the lowest semipinnatifid ; the terminating ones, and 



VOL. n. 101. 



those of the base, very long. Native of the same islands, 

 and growing like the preceding, only never rising so high: it 

 delights in an open gravelly soil, and is very common on the 

 lower hills of Jamaica. 



22. Pteris Atropurpurea. Fronds decompound, pinnate ; 

 pinnas lanceolate ; the terminating ones longer. Native of 

 Virginia. 



23. Pteris Nigra. Frond tripinnate ; leaflets ovate ; the 

 terminating one subtrilobate. Native of China, near Canton. 



24. Pteris Arguta. Frond subbipinnate ; lower leaflets 

 twice two-parted; pinnas lanceolate, serrate. This is pro- 

 bably a variety of the next species, the difference is so small. 

 Native of Madeira and Arabia. 



25. Pteris Biaurita. Fronds pinnate ; pinnas pinnatifid ; 

 the lowest two-parted. According to Browne, it rises gene- 

 rally to the height of two feet and a half, or more, and is 

 easily distinguished by the regular division of its lower ribs. 

 Native of the West Indies and of Cochin-china. 



2fi. Pteris Quadriaurita. Fronds pinnate ; pinnas pinna- 

 tifid, toothed at the top ; the four lower pairs bifid. It is 

 very distinct from the preceding in size, in the senatures 

 and number of the bifid pinnas. Native of Ceylon. 



27. Pteris Semipinnata. Fronds subbipinnate; the lateral 

 leaflets and lowest lobe semipinnatifid Native of China and 

 Japan. 



28. Pteris Serrulata. Fronds semipinnate, linear, serrulate 

 Native of Jamaica. 



29. Pteris Heterophylla. Fronds bipinnate; pinnas ovate, 

 oblong, serrate, blunt ; the fertile ones quite entire. This is 

 a small, but very elegant species, rising to the height of six- 

 teen or eighteen inches Native of Jamaica, in moist shady 



place*, 



30. Pteris Lunulata. Frond pinnate ; pinnules alternate, 

 petioled, crescent-shaped, striated -This beautiful Fern ap- 

 pears to have been sent from Bengal. 



3 1 . Pteris Esculenta ; Eatable-rooted Brake. Fronds super- 

 decompound, grooved; leaflets pinnate; pinnas linear, decur- 

 rent; the uppermost shorter. Native of the Society Isles, and 

 of Van Diemen's Land; where the natives eat the roots when 

 better food is scarce : these are creeping, thick, knotty and 

 bristly, and full of a starch-like pith. The fronds are two feet 

 hiiih, much resembling our common brake. 



32. Pteris Comans. Fronds pinnate ; leaflets pinnatifid ; 

 pinnas elongated, lanceolate, at the top attenuated, serrate 

 Native of New Zealand. 



33. Pteris Rotundifolia. Fronds pinnate, hispid ; pinnas 

 subopposite, roundish, obsoletely crenate Native of New 

 Zealand. 



34. Pteris Humilis. Fronds subbipinnate; leaflets oblong, 

 gashed, subpinnate; the outmost obsoletely crenate, conflu- 

 ent Native of New Zealand. 



Pterocarpus ; a genus of the class Diadelphia, order De- 

 candria. GENERIC CHARACTER. Calix : perianth one- 

 leafed, tubular, bell-shaped, five-toothed; teeth acute. Co- 

 rolla: papilionaceous ; standard with an oblong claw, round- 

 ish, cordate, spreading, convex; wings lanceolate, shorter 

 than the standard; keel short. Stamina: filamenta ten, 

 united; antheroe roundish. Pistil: germen pedicelled, ob : 

 long, compressed ; style awl-shaped, stigma simple. Peri- 

 carp : legume roundish, sickle-shaped, leafy, compressed, 

 varicose, with voiny sides, woody within, not opening; the 

 cells longitudinal. Seed: solitary, kidney-shaped, thicker at 

 the base, appendicled at the top. ESSENTIAL CHARACTER. 

 Calix: five-toothed. Capsule: sickle-shaped, leafy, varicose. 

 Seeds: few, solitary. The species are, 



1. Pterocarpus Draco. Leaves pinnate, ovate, pointed; 

 5P 



