1358 



PIQUERIA 



white-edged leaves (var. varieg4ta, Hort., Fig. 1834). 

 which are much used for bedding out. The Piqueriu 

 endures both sun and shade, and thrives with even in- 

 different treatment. For flowers, it is much prized in 

 winter, when delicate white sprays are not abundant. 

 It demands the general treatment given zonal gera- 

 niums Prop by cuttmgs with great ease, and begin- 

 ning to bloom when only 2 or 3 in. high. It often blooms 

 m the cutting bed It also grows readily from seeds, 



■>-sr,- 



which are handled by seedsmen. Frequent pinching 

 will keep the plants within bounds and contribute to 

 floriferousness. Plants allowed to grow as they will 

 soon become straggly and wiry. For winter bloom the 

 plants may be handled in pots or grown in beds. A 

 stock of compact pot-plants kept in a cool corner is very 

 useful for filling v:u-anc-ies in the house. 



Piqu,,:-' ',;„,,■.;,, i- (iiiio. in :\Ifxicn. It is per- 

 ennial. I'. M ■■■ ".|^ T'' ' . .'iiiiaiiis.'ilidutinspecies 

 ofhfvl-- ' I ' ; ; . :il Am. rii-a. The heads 



naked : 



ukune 4-5-angled. 

 L. H. B. 



Usually the best way to manage to produce good flow- 

 ering plants of Stevia in midwinter is to save a few 

 old plants after the flowers are cut at New Years. Cut 

 off the old stems 5 or 6 inches above the pots and stand 

 the plants in any cool house. The plant needs the cool- 

 est house at all times; 40° at night during the winter 

 will grow it better than a higher temperature, but. for 

 all that, it does not endure the slightest frost. About 

 March 1, these old plants will have sent out any num- 

 ber of small growths from the base of the stems. 

 These root very readily in a cool |iro)i!ii:;ttinL' liinisr. 

 They should then be grown aloni;. lir-i i!i _' umI iii. i 

 ward in 3-inch pots, until the Hi- i ■ 



should be planted out in the opiu ! i. I I n ■ i i. 

 be very rich ground, for they arr \ ri \ iani|i,iiii -i"\vi i - 

 Give every plant 2 feet of space. They seldom iicid 

 any artificial watering during summer, but they should 

 have frequent pinching to produce bushy plants. The 

 more shoots, the more flowers will be secured. Before 

 there is any danger of frost in the fall, the plants 

 should be lifted and put into G-. 7-, or 8-inch pots. They 

 lift well, and if stood in the shade and kept syringed 

 for a few days they will show no bad results of the lift- 

 ing. A position at the north side of a shed or wall is 

 much better for them for the next month than under 

 glass, but always have them in a position where they 

 can be protected in case of a frost. By the end of Oc- 

 tober, if frost is escaped, put them in the lightest and 

 coolest house available. If kept cool these very desir- 

 able sprays of flowers will be in perfection at Christ- 

 mas, and that is the time they are most valuable. Al- 



PISTIA 



though classed as a common, cheap flower, there is a 

 grace about Stevias that makes them indispensable for 

 many of our flower arrangements, and we consider them 

 a ve'ry needful florist's plant. ^,y^^ gcoTT. 



PIKONNEAVA. Sec .Erhma,. 



PISClDIA (Latin, fish and kill). Le<jumi„bsw. A 

 genus of 1 or 2 species, including the Fish-poison tree 

 of the American tropics, or Jamaica Dogwood. The 

 leaves, bark and twigs of this tree when thrown into 

 the water intoxicate or stun the fish so that they can 

 be caught readily. (For the plant used in China for 

 this purpose, see Cocculus.) The bark has also been 

 used in medicine for its hypnotic effect. Botanically 

 this genus is close to Lonchocarpus, differing mainly 

 in the pod, which is long, thickish and longitudinally 

 4-winged. Generic characters : calyx-teeth 5, short, 

 broad: wings adhering to the falcate keel; vexillar sta- 

 men free at the very base, but grown together at the 

 middle with the others into a closed tube: ovary ses- 

 sile, many-ovuled. 



Erythrlna, Linn. Fish-poison Tree. Jamaica Dog- 

 wood. Lfts. 7-11, opposite, oblong or elliptical, pointed 

 or blunt: fls. purplish white, % in. across: pod 2-4 in. 

 long, 4 lines broad; seeds (3-8, black. Trop. Amer., es- 

 pecially common in Jamaica. 



PISTACHIO. See Pistacia. 



FISTACIA (derived indirectly from ancient Persian 

 pista). Anacardidcece. jP. t'era produces the Pistachio- 

 nuts of commerce, which are much used in confection- 

 ery and flavoring. The so-called nut is really the seed 

 or kernel of a dry drupe. The seed is green, and has a 

 highly peculiar flavor. P. Terebinthua exudes from its 

 stem the fragrant Cyprian or Scio-turpentine used in 

 medicine as early as the time of Hippocrates. Pistacia 

 is a genus of al«iut 10 s|iicies of trees, found from the 

 Mediterraii.an i.'^ii.ii t.i Afghanistan, with 1 species in 

 the Canarifv ami 1 in .Mrxicu. Lvs. alternate, evergreen 

 or deciduous. ..,1,1 |ij]iiiatc: fls. small, in axillary pani- 

 cles or racemes, ditecious and without petals; males 

 with 5-eut calyx and 5 stamens; females 3-4-cut and 

 with 3-cut style: ovary 1-celled. Engler, DC. Monogr. 

 Phaner. 4:284-293 (1883). 



vdra, Linn. Pistachio-nut. Small tree attaining 20 

 ft.: lfts. 3 or .5: fr. large, oblong, acute. Mediterranean 

 region and Orient. Cult, in S. California, Calif. May 

 be grafted on P. Terebhithus. 



r. T>-i\'hinthus. Liini. \ small turpentine-producing tree: 



iiiav r,.,l fr. ^nlall, roinnlivh. Southern Europe. Mediterva- 

 nrau r.Kina. la lla- Kin..|iiaii form the terminal Itt. is about 

 as 1. my as tlir- ..thcrs. l.iit in the oriental form it is minute or 

 liicking. Mentioned in the lists of Amer. Pomological Society 

 as a cultivated fruit, as is also P. vera. 



PlSTIA (probably from Greek, pistos, watery; refer- 

 ring to it*: arpiati"' natnrfl. Ardceif. Water Lettuce 

 or Troi'ii'.>i |m . i. ^M I h is a small, tender, perennial 

 floating hi "i- aquaria. It forms a loose 



rosette "I I l"ng. slender, feathery roots. 



Till- plaiii -■ II. I .III runners on whlch may sometimes 

 ii -'■• II M.iiii:; plinits in all stages of development. A 

 l.LiMi 111. asures about 6 in. across. The lvs. are 



I I iu 1 ■■ .11- less wedge-shaped, 2-5 in. long, pea- 



^1. .11. \. Ively to the touch, and covered beneath with a 

 sort of mealy down. The Pistia rosette has been com- 

 pared to a half-grown lettuce plant before the head has 

 formed. Like many other aquatics, the Water Lettuce 

 has an immense range. It is found in fresh waters 

 throughout the tropics, and in .\nierica is said to be 

 native as far north as North Carolina. 



Water Lettuce is commonly ^n.wTi ..ntdoors in sum- 

 mer in collections of tpii.l.r a.|uati.s. ami also in 



aquaria. The sumin 

 be 70°-80° P. Alth.ii 

 in several feet f)f \ 

 placed in shallow \v: 

 soil. Larger-sized j 

 thin layer of rich ! 

 bottom of the vessel. 

 Running water is noi 



■r tpm|ii-r.-iliin' of the water should 

 -li it cr.iw- will when floating free 

 ai.i. ii s, . nis to do better when 

 . r will ]■.■ Ilir roots may reach the 

 hints may li.' secured by using a 



Soft water is said to be essential, 

 necessary. The plants should be 



