POLYANTHUS OF ECONOMIC PLANTS. 331 



Plum, Grey. {See Gingerbread Plnm.) 



Plum, Indian. — Flacourtia cataphracta and F. Bamontchi, 

 shrubs or small trees, more or less s]3iny, with small alternate 

 leaves, belonging to the Indian Plum family (riacourtiace?e), 

 natives of India and Madagascar. The fruit of the latter is 

 about the size of a plum, of a sharp but sweetish taste. F. 

 sepiaria is a stiff, spiny bush, used for making hedges in India. 

 It has a pleasant, refreshing, sub-acid fruit. 



Pohutukawa, a native name for Meirosideros tomentosa, a 

 native of ISTew Zealand, a remarkable tree of the Myrtle family 

 (MyrtacCce), growing on the bare rocks of the shore, especially 

 on the Northern Island. It sometimes grows 4 to 5 feet in 

 diameter, but is then often crooked and missliapen. Its wood 

 is hard, like rosewood, and takes a fine polish, but is difficult to 

 work, as it breaks the edges of tools. 



Poison Bulb {Hmmantlms toxicaria), a bulbous plant of the 

 Narcissus family (Amaryllidaceie), native of the Cape of Good 

 Hope. It is poisonous, and it is said that the Kaffirs use it to 

 poison their arrows. 



Poison Oak. {See Sumach.) 



Poke {Phytolacca decandra), a strong-growing, herbaceous 

 plant of the Bloodberry family (Phytolaccaceae), 3 or 4 feet 

 high, having bunches of dark-purple berries, the juice of which 

 resembles red ink. It is a native of the Southern United 

 States, where the plant is used medicinally ; the young shoots 

 on being boiled lose their acridity, and are then eaten as a 

 vegetable. It is also called Pigeon-berry, and once had great 

 repute as a cure for cancer. 



Pollard. {See Bran.) 



Polish Mushroom, a name given on the Continent to Boletus 

 edtdis, an eatable fungus growing in woods. 



Polyanthus, a familiar name for Brimida elatior, a perennial 

 herb of the Primrose family (Primulacea3), native of this 

 country, but rare ; also known by the name of Oxlip. It de- 

 rives its name from the Greek words poly (many) and anthus 

 (flowers), its flower-stalk bearing many erect flowers in the 



