384 



HENDERSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS. 



PEB 



Perfect. Complete in all its parts; where 

 every part of a flower is developed, and 

 none abortive. 



Perfoliate. When the two basal lobes of an 

 amplexicaul leaf are united together, the 

 leaf completely surrounding the stem, so 

 that the stem seems to pass through the 

 leaf, as in Eupaioriumperfoliatum, (Bone- 

 set) 



Perianth. The calyx and corolla combined; 

 that is to say, when they look so much 

 alike that they cannot be readily distin- 

 guished, as in a Hyacinth. 



Pericarp. The shell or rind of all fruits 

 taken as a whole. When it separates in- 

 to layers, each layer may have a different 

 name, but the whole is still the peri- 

 carp. 



Perigynous. Growing upon some part 

 which surrounds the ovary, usually the 

 calyx, though sometimes the corolla is 

 also included within the meaning. 



Persistent. Not falling off, but remaining 

 green until the part which bears it is 

 wholly matured, as the leaves of ever- 

 greens, etc. 



Personate. A term applied to a monopeta- 

 lous corolla, the limb of which is une- 

 qually divided, as in the Antirrhinum. 



Petals. The divisions of the corolla or 

 flower when they are not united to each 

 other by their edges. 



Petiole, (adj. Petiolate. ) The stalk of a leaf. 



Phcenogamous. Having manifest flowers. 



Piceus. Black with a brownish tinge. 



Pictus. Painted. 



Pileate, PHeiform. Having the form of a 

 cap or lid, like the cap of a Mushroom. 



Pinnate. When simple leaflets are arranged 

 on each side of a common petiole; a 

 compound leaf. 



Pinnatifid. A leaf deeply cut into segments 

 nearly to the midrib. 



PLA 



Pinnules, Pinnulce. The secondary divi- 

 sions of a pinnate leaf. 



Pistil The female part of a flower, con- 

 sisting of ovary, style, stigma, and ovules. 



Pitcher. A hollo wed-out leaf, so called, as 

 in Nepenthes, Sarracenia, etc. 



Pith. The same as medulla, which see. 



Pitted. Having numerous small, shallow 

 depressions or excavations. 



Placenta. The place or part on which 

 ovules originate. 



Plane. Where the surface is flat or level. 



Planting. This is an operation performed 

 by the fingers, dibber, trowel, or by the 

 spade. The condition of soil for plant- 

 ing should be similar to that for Sowing, 

 (which see.) And here, too, as in sow- 

 ing, the same necessity for moderately 

 firming the soil to the roots is as impor- 

 tant as in firming the soil over seeds, and, 

 as advised in seed sowing, no better 

 method can be used in firming the soil 

 after planting than by the feet. In the 

 driest weather in July hundreds of acres 

 of Celery, Cabbage, etc., are planted by 

 our market gardeners on newly plowed 

 ground, without using a particle of water, 

 by the system of firming the plants with 

 the foot after planting. The planter sets 

 the plants with the dibber, and on finish- 

 ing the row, returns on it, pressing the soil 

 to each plant firmly with the side of his 

 foot. This prevents the dry air penetrat- 

 ing the loose soil, and plants so set will 

 strike out new roots in thirty or forty 

 hours, after which they are safe. The same 

 rule should be adopted in setting out all 

 plants, shrubs, trees, or anything else, 

 particularly if the weather is hot and dry. 

 Countless millions of plants are lost every 

 season by want of the simple operation 

 of firming the roots after planting. In 

 planting out plants that have been grow- 



