358 



HENDERSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS 



PUL 



Pulsati'lla. See Anemone Pulsatilla. 



Pulse. A common name for the seeds of many 

 cultivated Leguminosce, such as Peas, Beans, 

 etc. 



Pultenae'a. Named after W. Pulteney, M.D., a 

 botanical author. Nat. Ord. LeguminoscB. 



A genus of green-house, yellow-flowered, 

 evergreen shrubs from New Holland. Of the 

 fifty or sixty species that make up this genus, 

 but two or three have been introduced into the 

 green-house, and these are only to be found 

 in the more extensive collections. 



Pulverulent, Pulverulentus. Appearing as cov- 

 ered with a powdery substance. 

 Pulvinate. Cushion-shaped. 



Pulvinus. A cushion. The term is applied to 



an enlargement or swelling at the base of a 



leaf, or at the apex of a petiole. 

 Fumilus. Short, dense, or close-growing, as 



compared with other species of the same 



genus or family. 



Pumpkin. Cucurbita Pepo. A species of gourd, 

 but when, where, or how, our present varieties 

 originated is past finding out. Three hun- 

 dred years ago they were made into pies by 

 cutting a hole in the side, extracting the seeds 

 and filaments, stuffing the cavity with apples 

 and spices, and baking the whole. See Squash. 



Punctate. Dotted. 



Pungent. Terminating gradually in a sharp, 

 rigid point, as in the lobes of a Holly leaf. 



Pungent. Very hard and sharp pointed ; prickly 

 pointed. 



Fu'nica. Pomegranate. From punicus, of 

 " Carthage," near which city it is said to have 

 been first found ; or from puniceus, scarlet ; 

 referring to the color of the flowers. Owing 

 to the singular structure of its fruit this 

 genus, which contains only one species, P. 

 Granatum, was by some botanists formed into 

 a separate order, Oranatece. It was after- 

 wards placed in Myrtacece, but Bentham and 

 Hooker consider it allied to Lythracece. P. 

 granatum, the Pomegranate, is a very hand- 

 some deciduous shrub or low-growing tree, a 

 native of northern Africa and Western Asia. 

 It thrives remarkably well in the Southern 

 States, where it is extensively grown for 

 ornamental purposes. In the Middle and 

 Northern States it is grown in pots and tubs, 

 and used in summer for ornamenting the 

 border or lawn. There are several varieties, 

 the double-flowered scarlet being the most 

 desirable. P. nana, a dwarf double-flowered 

 variety, is a favorite green-house plant, suit- 

 able for lawn decoration during summer, 

 requiring the protection of a cool house or 

 cellar during the winter. This species is a 

 native of the East Indies, from whence it was 

 introduced into England in 1723. It has since 

 become naturalized in the West Indies and the 

 Southern States. The fruit of the Pome- 

 granate has been highly esteemed for its 

 quality and form from the earliest ages. It 

 was one of the most conspicuous ornaments 

 directed to be used in the construction of 

 Solomon's Temple, and is frequently men- 

 tioned in the Bible. All the varieties are of 

 easy culture, and are readily propagated 

 from cuttings of the young wood. 



Puniceus. Pure red. 



PUY 



Purification Flower. A common name for Ga~ 

 lanthus nivalis. 



Purple Cone Flower. See Echinacea. 



Purple Fringe. A common name for Rhus 

 Cotinus. 



Purple Wreath. Petrcw volubilis. 



Purpurascens. Having a purplish color. 



Fu'rshia. Named after Frederick Pursh, author 

 of "Flora America3 Septentrionalis " (1817). 

 Nat. Ord. Rosacece. 



P. tridentata, the only species is a much- 

 branched, hardy, evergreen shrub with scaly 

 buds, and nearly sessile yellow flowers. It is 

 a native of Oregon, and is increased by cut- 

 tings of the young shoots. Syns. Kunzia, and 

 Tigarea. 



Purslane. The popular name of the genus 



Portulaca. 



Common Garden. Portulaca oleracea. 

 Milk. Euphorbia maculata. 

 Rock. Calandrina umbellata. 

 Sea. Arenariapeploid.es, and Atriplex portula- 



coides. 



Sea, American. Seauvium Portulacastrum. 

 Siberian. Claytonia Sibirica. 

 Water. Peplis portula, Isnardia palustris, and 



Ludwigia palustris. 

 Winter. Claytonia perfoliata. 



Purslane Tree. Portulacaria afra. 



Puschki'nia. Named after Count M. Puschkin, 

 a Russian botanist. Nat. Ord. LiUacece. 



P. scilloides, the best known species, is 

 a beautiful little bulbous plant, with light 

 purple flowers, like a small-flowered Scilla, 

 as its specific name indicates. The leaves 

 grow from the bulb, and stand erect round 

 the stem, as though protecting the flower. 

 It is a native of Russia, and perfectly hardy, 

 and is propagated by offsets. Introduced 

 in 1819. 



Pusillus. Very small ; weak and slender. 



Pustular, Pustulate. Covered with glandular 

 excrescences, like blisters. 



Puto'ria. From putor, a strong smell ; in allu- 

 sion to the smell of the leaves. Nat. Ord. 

 Rubiacece. 



A small genus of dwarf branching shrubs, 

 natives of the Mediterranean region. P. Cala- 

 brica, the only species in cultivation, is a very 

 pretty plant with red flowers in terminal 

 clusters. It thrives best in a gravelly or 

 sandy soil, and is propagated by division. 



Putty-root. See Aplectrum. 



Pu'ya. Native name. This genus is the same 

 as Pourretia. Puya has been substituted for 

 Pourretia, as being the older name. Nat. Ord. 

 Bromeliace<B. 



A genus of green-house herbaceous peren- 

 nials and epiphytes, with spikes of white and 

 yellow flowers, like the Pitcairnia, which they 

 resemble. They are natives of Mexico and 

 South America. P. heterophylla, is a very pretty 

 and curious plant, bearing two distinct kinds 

 of leaves : one with tough, broad, horny kinds 

 of leaves, which overlie each other, forming a 

 kind of bulb, extended into narrow, serrated 

 processes about two inches long ; the others, 

 which are last formed, are thin, bright green, 

 and lanceolate, more than eighteen inches 

 long. A more recent introduction, P. grandi- 

 flora, is also a fine plant, and all are interesting. 

 P. Whytei, has flowers of a peculiar metallic 



