in Extra-Tropical Countries. 307 



Ptychosperma Arfakiana, Beccari. 



New Guinea, reaching elevations of 5,000 feet in comparatively 

 temperate regions. Height as much as 30 feet. 



Ptychosperma Cunningiiami, Hermann Wendland. 



East- Australia, as far south as Illawarra; thus one of the most 

 southern of all palms. This also is a very high species, destined to 

 take a prominent position in decorative plantations even far beyond 

 the tropics. Several congeners occur in Fiji and other islands of the 

 Pacific Ocean, and others again might be obtained from India, but 

 they are probably not so hardy as those just mentioned. Though 

 strictly speaking of no direct industrial value, these palms are impor- 

 tant for horticultural trade, and are objects eminently fitted for experi- 

 ments in acclimation. 



Ptychosperma disticha, Miquel. (Areca disticha, Griffith.) 

 Assam, up to 4,000 feet. 



Ptychosperma elegans, Blume. (P. Seaforthia, Miquel; Seaforthia elegans, 

 R. Brown.) ! ' -'.'"; 



Literal forests of tropical Australia. Also a magnificent Feather- 

 palm. Its leaflets are erose. It may prove hardy in mild extra- 

 tropic regions. 



Ptychosperma Musschenbroekiana, Beccari. 



Ternate, Insular India, up to 3,000 feet. Height of this palm 

 reaching 90 feet. Almost sure to be hardy in sheltered localities of 

 the warmer temperate zone. 



Pueraria Thunbergiana, Bentham. 



Japan. There starch is prepared from the tubers of this climber. 

 The fibre of the bark is woven locally into cloth (Dyer). 



Pueraria tuberosa, De Candolle. 



Southern Asia, up to 4,000 feet. A tall woody twiner. Its large 

 tubers are edible, and might improve by culture. 



Pugionium cornutum, Gaertner. 



From the Caspian Sea to China. This herb is grown by the Mon- 

 gols as a vegetable (Hance). 



Punica G-ranatum, Linne". 



The Pomegranate. North- Africa and South- Western Asia, in the 

 Himalayas up to 6,000 feet. Well-known for its showy habit, rich- 

 colored flowers, peculiar fruit and medicinal astringency, but much 

 overlooked regarding its value as a hedge-plant. The bark contains 

 32 per cent, tannin (Muspratt), and is also used for dyeing the yellow 

 Morocco- leather (Oliver). The peel of the fruit serves likewise for dye. 

 For therapeutic purposes particularly the root-bark is administered. 

 Concerning pelletierin and other alkaloids from the root-bark, ample 

 information is given in Husemaun's and Hilger's Pflanzenstofle (1884).. 



