.290 Select Plants for Industrial Culture 



cuttings. Growth in height at Port Phillip 30-40 feet in 20 years. 

 An evergreen plane was mentioned already by Plinius as occurring in 

 Candia (Sir J. Hooker) and has lately been rediscovered. 



Platanus racemosa, Nuttall. 



The Californian Plane-Tree. A good promenade- tree, which ac- 

 cording to Professor Bolander grows more rapidly and more compact 

 than P. occidentalis. Wood harder and therefore more durable, also 

 less liable to warp. According to Dr. Gibbons the tree attains a 

 height of about 100 feet and a stem-diameter of 8 feet; the wood is 

 brittle; in use however by turners. 



Plectocomia Himalaiana, Griffith. 



Sikkim, up to 7,000 feet, extending to 27 north latitude. This 

 Rattan-Palm requires moist forest-land. Its canes are not durable; 

 but the plant is an object worthy of scenic horticulture, and would 

 prove the hardiest among its congeners. P. elongata (Blume) ascends, 

 according to Drude, to 4,500 feet. 



Plectocomia macrostachya, Kurz. 



Tenasserim, at about 3,000 feet elevation, therefore most likely 

 hardy in temperate lowlands. 



Plectronia ventosa, Linn. 



South- Africa. A hedge-bush, like P. ciliata (Sonder) and P. 

 spinosa (Klotzsch). 



Poa Abyssinica, Jacquin. 



The Teff of Abyssinia. An annual grass. The grain there ex- 

 tensively used for bread of an agreeable acidulous taste. 



Poa airoides, Koeler. (Catabrosa aquatica, Beauvois.) 



The Water Whorl-grass. Europe, North- Africa, Northern and 

 Middle Asia, North-America. A creeping grass, suitable for pastures 

 subject to inundation. 



Poa alpina, Linn<*. 



Alpine and Arctic Europe, Asia and North- America. Deserves to 

 be transferred to other higher mountains as a nutritious perennial 

 pasture-grass. P. Sudetica (Haenke) and P. hybrida (Gaudin) are 

 mentioned also as excellent alpine grasses. 



Poa aquatica, Linne. (Glycerla aquatica f Smith.) 



Europe, Northern and Middle Asia, North-America. This con- 

 spicuous Water-grass attains a height of about 6 feet. It is peren- 

 nial, and deserves naturalization in our swamps. It produces a large 

 bulk of foliage, and may be disseminated for fodder-purposes. On 

 the testimony of Dr. Curl this is one of the best feeding grasses in 

 New Zealand. 



