PER 



PER 



tlic stamina have four filiforni filaments, diverg- 

 ini; at the tip, inserted into the base of the tube, 

 and shorter than it; the two lower longer: 

 .anthers roundish, distant, included, bilid ; 

 Aviih the lobes divaricating : the rudiment of 

 a fifth filament between the upper ones in- 

 serted into the lube, the same lenoth with the 

 stamens, filiforni, straight, bearded above at the 

 tip: the pistilluni is an ovate germ: style fili- 

 form, the length of the tube, beni down at the 

 tip: stigma truncate: the pericarpium is an 

 ovate capsule, acute, compressed, two-celled, 

 two-valved : the seeds numerouSj subglobular : 

 the receptacle large. 



The species cultivated is P. Icevigala, Smooth 

 Pcntstemon. 



It has a perennial, creeping, fibrous, white 

 root : the steu) a foot and half high and more, 

 round, purple below, brachiale : the lower leaves 

 ovate-acuminate, <jnite entire, peiioled, some- 

 times purjile underneath, on petioles winged 

 to the base : the stem-leaves ovate-lanceolate, 

 opposite, embracina:, toothletcd, smooth on both 

 sides : the flow erinij branches in a manner dicho- 

 tomous, with the flowers two together : the corolla 

 pale purple, somewhat hirsute on the outside. 



Cidture. — This plant may be increased by 

 sowing the seeds either in the autumn or early 

 spring in the places where they are to remain, 

 or in beds, to be removed in the beginning of 

 the summer to the borders or clumps of the 

 pleasure-grounds. 



Thev atTord variety among other plants of si- 

 milar cTowth in these situations. 



PEPPER. See Piper. 



PEPPER, GUINEA. See Capsicum, 



PEPPER, JAMAICA. See Myrtus. 



PEPPERMINT. See Mentha. 



PERENNIAL PLANTS, are such as are of 

 long duration. Such plants as are perpetuated 

 •bv the roots, whether the leaves and stalks decay 

 annually in winter, or always remain, provided 

 the roots are of many years duration, are per- 

 ennial. All plants, therefore, with abiding 

 roots, both of the herbaceous, shrub, and tree 

 kinds, are perennials; though in the general ac- 

 xcptation of the word perennial, it is most com- 

 monly a|iplied to herbaceous vegetables with 

 durable roots, more especially those of the flow ery 

 ■kind, which among gardeners are conmionly 

 called siiTiply perennials, particularly the fibrous- 

 rooted tribe: but it is equally applicalile to fibrous, 

 tuberous, and bulbous-rooted plants, whose 

 roots are of several years' duration : likewise all 

 shrubs and trees of every denomination, as hav- 

 injr abiding roots, are perennial jjlants. 



And these sorts of plants consist both of dc- 

 fiduous and ever-green kinds ; those that cast 



tlieir leaves, &c. in winter being termed decidu- 

 ous perennials, and those which retain their 

 leaves, cver-greens. 



The herbaceous perennials, of the fibrous, 

 tuberous, and bulbous-rooted kinds, for the 

 greater |)art have annual stalks, rising in spring 

 and decaying in winter ; and a great many hjse 

 their leaves entirely also in that season, such as 

 the perennial sun-flower, asters, and numerous 

 other sorts ; and many retain their leaves all the 

 year, but not their stalks ; as is exemplified iti 

 the auricula, polyanthus, some campanulas, 

 pinks, carnations, and many other plants. 



Numbers of the herbaceous perennials multi- 

 ply exceedingly by ofl-sets of the root, bv which 

 they are readily prc>pa2;aied. See Off-set, &:c. 



All the tree and shrub perennials are durable 

 in root, stem, and branch ; but renew their 

 leaves annually. Even the ever-green kinds, 

 although they are in leaf the year round, 

 put forth new leaves every year, to w hich the 

 old ones gradually give place. See Deciduous- 

 and EvER-GREEN Trees, &c. 



PERIPLOCA, a genus comprising plants of 

 the woody climbing kind. 



It belongs to the class and order Pentandria 

 Digynia, and ranks in the natural order of 

 Co7itortcE. 



The characters are : that the calyx is a five- 

 cleft perianthium, verv small, segments ovate; 

 permanent: the corolla one-petalled, wheel- 

 shaped, five-parted : segments oblona;, linear, 

 truncated, emarginate: nectary very small, five- 

 cleft, surrounding the genitals, putting out five 

 threads, curved inwards, shorter than the corolla, 

 and alternate with it : the stamina have short 

 filaments, curved inwards, converging, villose : 

 anthers twin, acuminate, converging over the 

 stigma; with lateral cells : pollen bags five, at 

 the notches of the stigma, each common to two 

 anthers : the pistillum consists of two ovate 

 germs, approximating : styles united at top : 

 stigma capitate, convex, five-cornered, with the 

 corners notched : the pericarpium consists of two 

 large follicles,oblong,ventrieose, one-celled, one- 

 valvedj-p^lued together at the tip : the seeds very 

 many, imliricatcd, crowned with a down : the 

 receptacle longitudinal, filiibrm. 



The species cultivated are: 1. P. Grceca, 

 Common Virginian Silk or Periploca ; 2. P. 

 Secamone, Green Periploca; 3. P. Iiidica, In- 

 dian Periploca; 4. P. ^fiicana, African Pe- 

 riploca. 



'i"he first has the stems shrubby, twining round 

 any support more than forty feet in height, co- 

 vered with a dark bark, and sending out slen- 

 der branches which twine round each other: the 

 leaves are ovate-lanceolate, near four inches long, 



