294 Select Plants for Industrial Culture 



The berries of both are edible, though the root and leaves are poison- 

 ous. A third species, P. pleianthum, has been described by Dr. 

 Hance from Formosa. 



Pogostemon Patchouli, Pelletier. 



Mountains of India. A perennial herb, famed for its powerful 

 scent, arising from a volatile oil. P. parviflorus and P. Heyneanus 

 (Bentham) belong to this species. One cwt. of the herb yields about 

 28 ounces oil (Piesse); but the essence is chiefly obtained by enfleurage. 



Polianthes tuberosa, Linne". 



Mexico. The Tuberose. Valuable for perfume. Available late 

 in the season; thus one of the plants most required to maintain gar- 

 den-fragrance in serene climes throughout the year. The gathering 

 of flowers of " Tubereuses " at Grasse, Cannes and adjacent villages 

 alone comes annually to about 20,000 Ibs. (Piesse). 



Polygala crotalaroides, Hamilton. 



Temperate Himalaya and Khasia. Praised as an ophidian alexi- 

 pharmic. To several other species both of the eastern and western 

 hemisphere similar properties are ascribed, but we are almost entirely 

 without any reliable medical testimony on these and many other sup- 

 posed vegetable antidotes against snake-poison. Doubtless this small 

 perennial herb possesses therapeutic virtues like many of its congeners. 



Poly-gala Senega, Linne". 



The Senega Snake-Root. Eastern North-America. A perennial 

 herb. The root is of medicinal value. 



Polygaster Sampadarius, Fries. 



South-Eastern Asia. One of the most palatable of all truffles. 



Polygonum tinctorium, Loureiro. 



China and Japan. An annual herb, deserving attention and local 

 trials, as yielding a kind of indigo; one of the most important dye- 

 plants of Japan. It can be cultivated in cold climes, being hardy 

 still at Christiania. Its growth would be vigorous. Various Polyg- 

 onums contain tannin, P. amphibium (Linne) as much as 11^ per 

 cent. (Masters). 



Polyporus giganteus, Fries. 



Europe. Dr. Goeppert records this and also the following species 

 as allowed to be sold for food in Silesia : P. frondosus, Fr., P. ovinus, 

 Fr., P. tuberaster, Fr., P. citrinus, Pers. Dr. Atkinson mentions as 

 edible among the fungs of Cashmere P. squamosus (Fries). ' Bergner 

 and Frog illustrate P. confluens (Fries) among the esculent fungs of 

 Switzerland; near relatives of all these occur in Australia also. 



Pophyra vulgaris, Agardh. 



Temperate and cold oceans. This largely cosmopolitan seaweed 

 is mentioned here, because in Japan it undergoes regular cultivation. 



