45^ A TEXT-BOOK OF BOTANY. 



Polygamus-a-um. Having some perfect flowers and others with stamens 

 only, or pistils only, on the same plant ; polygamous. From Gr. iro/.vs, 

 much, -f- j-afjiu f to marry. 

 Polygonatum. Solomon's seal. Ancient Greek name of a plant. From 



iroMc, much, many, + y6w, yovaror, knee; having many joints. 

 Polygonum. Knotweed. The ancient classical name. From Gr. 



much, many, + y6vv f knee*; having many knots or joints. 

 Polypodium. Polypody. The ancient Greek name. From TTOAVC, much, 



many, -f- novg, foot ; alluding to the branching rootstock. 

 Polyporus. Agaric. From Gr. iroM>, many, + v6pog t a pore ; referring 



to the porous texture of the plant. 

 Populus. Poplar. Aspen. The classical Latin name. 



Potentilla. Cinquefoil. Five-finger. Name is a diminutive form of Lat. 

 potens, powerful; from the reputed medicinal powers of one of the 

 species. 



Pratensis-e. Growing in meadow-land. Lat. pratum, meadow. 

 Precatorius-a-um. Imploring, beseeching. From Lat. precor, to pray ; in 



allusion to the use of the seeds as beads in rosaries. 

 Primula. Primrose. Cowslip. The name is a diminutive of Lat. primus, 



first ; from the flowering of the primrose in early spring. 

 Procumbens. Lying on the ground. From Lat. procumbo, to incline for- 

 ward. 

 Prunifolius-a-um. Having leaves resembling those of the plum tree. 



From Lat. prunus, plum tree, -|- folium, leaf. 

 Prunum. Plum. Classical Latin name for the fruit. 

 Prunus. Plum, cherry. Classical Latin name for the plum tree. 

 Pruriens. Itching. From Lat. prurio, to itch ; in reference to the hairs, 



which occasion an intolerable itching. 



Psyllium. Flea-seed. Ancient Greek name for fleawort. 

 Psoralea. From Gr. ^wpa/leof, scurfy ; in reference to the glandular dots 



on the calyx and pods. 



Ptelea. Hop-tree. Ancient Greek name for the elm. 

 Pteris. Brake or Bracken. Ancient Greek name for a kind of fern. From 



irrepov, a wing ; alluding to the pinnate or feathery fronds. 

 Pterocarpus. From Gr. irrepov, a wing, -f- K.apir6$, fruit ; in allusion to the 



winged legumes. 

 Puber-a-um. Downy. 



Pubescens. Downy, hairy, woolly. From Lat. pubesco, to become downy. 

 Pulegioides. Like fleabane. From Lat. pulegium (Gr. i/wA/uov), fleabane, 



+ -o-ei6w, resembling; in allusion to the appearance and odor. 

 Pulicaria. Fleawort. The ancient Latin name. 

 Pulmonaria. Lungwort. From Lat. pulmonarius, beneficial to the lungs. 



From its supposed curative properties. 



Pulsatilla. Pasque flower. From Lat. pulso, to strike, agitate ; of uncertain 

 application. 



