HENDERSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS. 



159 



PAP 



south of Europe. Its several varieties are the 

 most showy and ornamental of the genus. The 

 flowers are often six inches in diameter, of bril- 

 liant scarlet, with a dark purple blotch at the 

 base of each petal. P. somiiiferum furnishes the 

 Opium of commerce. P. Oriental^ was intro- 

 duced from Armenia into England in 1714. 



Papaw Tree. See Asimina. 



Paper Mulberry. See Broussondia papyri/era. 



Paper Narcissus. (See Narcissus papyraceus.) \ 

 This, like the Roman Hyacinth, Lily of the 

 Valley, and other bulbs, is largely forced for cut 

 flowers in all the principal cities of the United 

 States. The manner of doing this is exactly like 

 that practiced, with the Roman Hyacinth, I 

 which see under Hyacinth. 



Paper Heed. See Papyrus. 



Paphinia. From Paphia, a surname of Venus. 

 Linn. Gynandria-Moiwmdria. Nat. Ord. Orchid- 



The only species known, P. cristata, was for- 

 merly included in the genus Maxillaria, but on 

 a revision of that genus was separated by Dr. 

 Lindley as above. It is a splendid plant, bear- 

 ing richly-colored flowers, and is rather difficult 

 to cultivate. The best manner of managing it 

 is to pot it in a mixture of rotten wood and 

 sphagnum moss, elevating it considerably above 

 the rim of the pot, allowing it to stand in the 

 warmest part of the hot-house, and being care- 

 ful to avoid over-watering at any time. It de- 

 lights in a high, moist temperature while grow- 

 ing, but should be kept nearly dry when at rest. 

 The young shoots which spring from the base 

 of the pseudo-bulbs are very impatient of stag- 

 nated moisture, and should therefore be kept 

 clear of the surrounding mould. 



Pappoose Boot. The popular name of Caulo- 

 phyllum. 



Papyrus. From the Syrian babeer, pronounced 

 papeer, whence the Egyptian word papyrus, 

 paper. Linn. Triandna-Monogynia. Nat. Ord. 

 Cyperacea*. 



A small species of aquatic plant*, mostly in- 

 habitants of tropical countries. P. aHtiquorum, the 

 Paper Reed, is the plant which yielded the sub- 

 stance used as paper by the ancient Egyptians. 

 The underground root -stalks spread horizon tally 

 under the mud where the plant grows, continu- 

 ing to throw up stems as they creep along. 

 These stems are from eight to ten feet high, a 

 portion of them being above the water. The paper 

 was made from thin slices, cut vertically from 

 the apex to the base of the stem, between its 

 surface and center. The slices were placed side 

 by side, according to the size required, and then, 

 after being watered and beaten with a wooden 

 instrument until smooth, were pressed and dried 

 in the sun. The stems were likewise vised for 

 ornamenting the Egyptian temples and crown- 

 ing the statues of their gods. This species has 

 been introduced into the green-house. Prop- 

 agated by seeds or by division. 



Papyrus Plant. See Papynis. 



Pardanthus. Blackberry Lily. From pardos, a 

 leopard, and anthos, a flower; referring to the 

 spotted flowers. Linn. Triftndri<i-Mono</ynia. 

 Nat. Ord. IrMw. 



A handsome genus of hardy herbaceous 

 plants, with orange-colored flowers, spotted with 

 purple. The plants have branching flower 

 stems, and contimie to produce their lily-like 

 flowers for several weeks. The seed-pods have 

 the appearance of a Blackberry, whence the com- 

 mon name. The seeds will not drop for a long 



PAR 



time after the branches have been cut. When 

 dried they are useful to mix with dried grasses, 

 in arranging dried bouquets. They are native of 

 China and Nepal. Propagated by seed or from 

 cuttings. P. Chinensis has escaped from the gar- 

 den into waste places on Long Island and south- 

 ward. 



Paritium. From pariti, the Malabar name of one 

 of the species. Linn. Monaddphia-Polyandria. 

 Nat. Ord. Malvacew. 



P. datum, the only species of this genus, is an 

 evergreen tree found only in Cuba and Jamaica, 

 where it is called Mountain Mahoe. It affords 

 the beautiful lace-like inner bark called Cuba 

 Bast, formerly only used for tying around bun- 

 dles of Havana cigars, but now extensively used 

 by nurserymen and gardeners for tying up trees 

 and plants, more particularly in budding. It is 

 not so valuable, however, for this purpose as the 

 more recently introduced tying material known 

 aa Raffia. See Raphia. 



Parkinsonia. Named in honor of John Parkinson, 

 author of " Theatrum Botanicum," published in 

 1629. Linn. Decandria-Monogynia. Nat. Ord. 

 FabacecR. 



An ornamental spiny shrub, common to Low- 

 er California and Mexico. It is grown in the 

 West Indies for a hedge plant, and called Jeru- 

 salem Thorn. 



Parnassia. Grass of Parnassus. Named after 

 Mount Parnassus, where they were fabulously 

 said to have first sprung. Linn. Pentandria-Te- 

 tragynia. Nat. Ord. Saxifragacea?. 



A genus of swampy, herbaceous perennials. 

 Several of the species are common throughout 

 the United States in marshy places. P. palus- 

 tris, Grass of Parnassus, is the most beautiful of 

 the species. It bears from the root several 

 bright green, smooth, roundish leaves, heart- 

 shaped at the base, among which rises to the 

 height of about a foot a simple angular stem, 

 terminating with a single large flower of a 

 creamy white color delicately veined with green. 

 This species is common on the shores of Lake 

 Superior and northward, having been natural- 

 ized from Europe. 



Parsley. Apium petroselinum. This well-known 

 seasoning herb is a hardy biennial, a native of 

 Sardinia, whence it was introduced into En- 

 gland in 1548. Its uses for culinary purposes, 

 such as sauces, soups, and in garnishing various 

 dishes, is becoming very general, and several 

 varieties of it are offered by seedsmen. Among 

 the ancient Greeks and Romans, Parsley always 

 formed a part of their festive garlands, on ac- 

 count of retaining its color so long; and Pliny 

 states that, in his time, there was not a salad or 

 sauce presented at the table without it. The 

 ancients supposed it absorbed the inebriating 

 fumes of wine, and by that means prevented 

 intoxication. Of the several varieties, the double 

 curled-leaved is preferred for use, as being more 

 ornamental than the common sort, of which it 

 is nothing more than a variety, obtained and 

 continued by careful selection. We have our- 

 selves gathered, for botanical specimens, plants 

 of Parsley from the ruined walls of Craigmuller 

 and Crichton Castles, near Edinburgh, evidently 

 the original species, as the leaves were perfectly 

 plain, having no trace of the curl that makes it 

 now BO attractive for garnishing, showing that 

 the warrior lords of these ancient battlements 

 had not troubled themselves to make any ad- 

 vance in the ornamental qualities of this vege- 

 table. Parsley is now grov/n in immense quan- 



