PENNSYLVANIA 



PENTAS 



1267 



Tyson, Brandy wine, Ott, Jones and Kingsessing; also 

 the Kieffer, now a leading commercial variety. 



In floriculture a portion of Chester county has become 

 noted as the "carnation belt" because of the numerous 

 establishments there making specialties of producing 

 the cut-flowers and breeding improved varieties. 



The Bartram Garden was the first attempt in the 

 United States to gather plants and trees for the pur- 

 pose of study. See p. 758. It was established in 1728 

 by John Bartram along the Schuylkill river. It is now 

 in that part of Philadelphia known as Kingsessing. 



1712. Pennsylvania, to illustrate some of the horticultural regions. 



Through the untiring and zealous efforts of that broad- 

 minded horticulturist, Thomas Meehan, the city of Phila- 

 delphia in 1891 purchased 12 acres of land from the 

 Eastwick estate, which contained the original garden, 

 and thus the preservation of this old horticultural mon- 

 ument seems to be assured. It is now only one of many 

 small parks possessed and cared for by the city of Phil- 

 adelphia. The principal parks of the state are Fairmount 

 Park in Philadelphia, in which definite work was begun 

 aoout 1860; the buildings of the Centennial Exposition 

 were placed on these grounds in 1876. It has an area 

 of 2,200 acres and is well maintained. Allegheny parks 

 occupy the ground formerly known as the Commons in 

 Allegheny City. Of more recent establishment are 

 Schenly and Highland Parks, in Pittsburg. The ceme- 

 teries of the larger cities are in the hands of competent 

 superintendents, and the park ideas of landscape and 

 ornamentation are becoming tne prominent features of 

 these sacred grounds. GEO c BuTZ 



PENNYROYAL of Europe, Mentha Pulegium; of 

 America, Hedeoma puleqioides. Bastard P., or Blue 

 Curls, is Trichostema dichotomum. All are members 

 of the Mint family. 



The garden Pennyroyal, Mentha Pulegium, is a Euro- 

 pean perennial, used for seasoning, it is one of the 

 "sweet herbs." It is easily grown, profiting by a win- 

 ter protection of leaves or litter. Prop, by seeds or di- 

 vision. Beds should be renewed frequently. 



PENTACHJETA (Greek, referring to five bristles at 

 the base of the pappus). Compdsitce. Six species of 

 low, slender, Calif ornian annuals with thread-like, al- 

 ternate Ivs. and small or medium-sized heads, the rays 

 when present usually yellow, sometimes white: the 

 disk-fls. sometimes turning purple. P. aurea, Nutt., 

 growing: 3-12 in. high and with 7-40 deep golden rays, 

 was offered by Orcutt in 1891 and was pictured in Gt. 

 1153, but has no horticultural standing. 



PENTAPETES (Greek, having 5 leaves; an ancient 

 name of some cinquefoil, transferred by Linnaeus to 

 this plant, which has 5 leafy growths (staminodes) ac- 

 companying the stamens). Sterculidcece . A pretty red- 

 fld. tender annual, widely distributed in tropical Asia 



and beautifully figured in Blanco's "Flora of the Phil- 

 ippines," but rare in European gardens and unknown in 

 America. It is a branched plant growing 2-5 ft. high, 

 with fls. which open at noon and close at the following 

 dawn. The fls. are nearly 1% in. across, 5-petaled, 

 axillary, short-peduncled. Recommended to lovers of 

 rare, tender annuals. 



A genus of one species. Bractlets 3, caducous: sepals 

 5, lanceolate, connate at the base; petals 5; stamens 20, 

 connate at the base, 15 fertile in 5 groups of 3 each, 

 alternating with 5 staminodes which are nearly as 

 long as the petals: ovary 5- 

 celled ; cells many-ovuled ; 

 capsule loculicidally 5- 

 valved : seeds 8-12, in 2 

 series in each cell. 



phoenicea, Linn. Lvs. 3-5 

 in. long, 1-nerved, crenate- 

 serrate; petiole 1 in. long; 

 stipules awl-shaped. B. R. 

 7:575. 



PtNTAS (Greek, five,- re- 

 ferring to the floral parts; 

 which, however, is not 

 strictly true of the genus 

 nor a rarity in the family). 

 JKubidcece. Nine species of 

 tender herbs and subshrubs, 

 resembling Bouvardias of 

 the same family, but not 

 their closest ally. They are 

 all natives of tropical Africa, 

 except one which comes from 

 Madagascar. The favorite 

 species is P. carnea, whose 

 color varieties range through 

 lilac and flesh color to crim- 

 son-pink and rosy purple. 

 A good cluster is 3 in. across and contains 20 or more 

 fls., each of which is % in. across. The fls. are about % 

 in. long, funnel-shaped, and generally have 5 spreading 

 lobes, sometimes 4 or 6. It is usually grown like Bou- 

 vardia in warm conservatories for winter bloom, but it 

 is sometimes used for bedding in warmer countries, as 

 it gives three months of rather showy bloom when 

 treated like Lantana. In general, the species seem to 

 be less worthy than Bouvardias. 



Generic characters : Herbs or subshrubs, erect or 

 prostrate, hispid or tomentose: Ivs. opposite, stalked, 

 ovate or ovate -lanceolate ; stipules multifid or multi- 

 setose: inflorescence usually corymbose : calyx-lobes 

 4-6, inequal; corolla pilose, the long tube dilated and 

 villous in the throat; lobes valvate; stamens 4-6, in- 

 serted below the throat; filaments short or long; an- 

 thers fixed at the back, included or exserted: disk tu- 

 mid or annular, often produced into a cone after anthe- 

 sis: ovary 2-loculed: ovules numerous: style-branches 

 papillose: capsule membranous or leathery, 2-loculed, 

 loculicidal; seeds minute. Six species are given in the 

 Flora of Tropical Africa 3:45 (1877). 

 A. Fls. not white. 



carnea, Benth. Erect or decumbent, 1-2 ft. high, 

 shrubby at base, merely puberulous, not at all rusty- 

 hairy: Ivs. 1-6 in. long, 4% lines to 2 in. broad, ovate, 

 elliptic or lance-oblong: cymes peduncled or not. B.M. 

 4086. B.R. 30:32. R.B. 21:217. Gn. 21, p. 329. J.H. 

 III. 30:209. R.H. 1870:130 (var. kermesina). Var. 

 Quartiniana (P. Quartini&na, Oliv.) is a rosy-fld. var. 

 said to be much better than the type. Gt. 45, p. 464. 



AA. Fls. white. 



lanceolata, Hort. This novelty of 1900 is figured in 

 Dreer's catalogue, which says, "A pretty half-shrubby 

 greenhouse plant, not unlike a Bouvardia in general ap- 

 pearance, but flowering more profusely and continuously. 

 It may be planted in the open border during the sum- 

 mer, but it is valuable chiefly as a winter-flowering 

 pot-plant, for which purpose it is especially well suited, 

 being in flower all the time. The pure white flowers 

 are produced in flat heads of 15 to 30 flowers each, 

 similar to a Bouvardia, but much larger, and last in 

 perfection a long time." \v t ^ 



