PIS 



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Pisces, n. plu. , pts'-ez (L. piscis, a 

 fish), the class of vertebrates 

 comprising the Fishes : piscifonn, 

 a., pis'-iform (L. forma, shape), 

 having the shape of a fish. 



Piscidia, n., pis-id'-i-a (L. piscis, 

 a fish ; ccedo, I kill), a genus of 

 plants, Ord. Leguminosse, Sub- 

 ord. Papilionacese, so named as 

 used for stupefying fish : Piscid- 

 ia erythrina, %r f -i-thrln'-cL (Gr. 

 eruthrds, red), the Jamaica Dog- 

 wood, used as a poison to catch 

 fish. 



pisiform, a., piz'i-fdrm (L. pisum, 

 a pea ; forma, shape), pea-shaped ; 

 having the form or structure of a 

 pea ; applied to the smallest bone 

 of the carpus. 



Pistacia, n., pis-tdsh'$>a (Gr. 

 pistdkia, the Pistachio nuts), a 

 genus of plants, Ord. Anacardi- 

 acese : Pistacia vera, ver'-a (L. 

 verus, real, genuine), the Pistacia 

 or Pistachio nut - tree, extens- 

 ively cultivated in Syria and 

 the East, and in the South of 

 Europe ; the green-coloured, oily 

 kernels are used as food : P. 

 terebinthus, t8r'$ -Until' Us (L. 

 tertibinihus, the turpentine tree), 

 a tree, a native of the S. of 

 Europe, of N. of Africa, and of 

 the East, which yields a resinous 

 substance called Chian or Cyprian 

 turpentine, and has diuretic and 

 excitant properties : P. lentiscus, 

 lent-islc'-us ( L. lentiscus, the mastich 

 tree), furnishes the concrete res- 

 inous exudation called Mastich 

 or Mastic, which see. 



pistil, n., ptetfil (L. pistillum, a 

 pestle ; F. pistil], in lot., the 

 seed -bearing organ, occupying 

 the centre of a flower, consisting 

 of an upper part or stigma, 

 a central part or style, and a 

 lower part or ovarium, containing 

 the young seeds, called ovules: 

 pistillary, a., pist f -il-lar>i, con- 

 nected with or pert, to a pistil : 

 pistillate, a., pistf-il-lat, having 

 a pistil applied to a female 



flower or plant : pistillidium, n., 



pist'-il'lld'-i-um (Gr. eidos, resem- 

 blance), an organ in the higher 

 Cryptogams having female sexual 

 functions : pistilliferous, a. ,pist f >il* 

 if-^r-us (L. fero, I bear), having 

 a pistil without stamens, as a 

 female flower ; same as 'pistillate ': 

 pistillody, n., pist-Wdd-i (Gr. 

 eidos, resemblance), the change 

 of any organ of a flower into 

 carpels. 



Pisum, n., piz'tim (L. pisum, the 

 pea), a genus of plants, Ord. 

 Leguminosse, Sub-ord. Papilion- 

 acese : Pisum sativurn, sat-iv'-tim 

 (L. sativus, that is eaten), a 

 hardy annual producing the com- 

 mon pea. 



pitch, n., pttsh (Ger. peek, Gr. 

 pitta, pitch), the officinal variety, 

 termed Burgundy Pitch, is the 

 resinous exudation from the spruce- 

 fir, used as a plaster. 



pitcher, n. , pitsh'er (F. picket, It. 

 pitero, an earthen pot), in a 

 plant, a leaf which has the 

 petiole or leaf - stalk expanded 

 into a vase-like form, the blade 

 being attached as a lid : Pitcher- 

 plants, the genus Nepenthes. 



Pittosporacese, n. ])lu.,ptt'td-spdr- 

 d f -s~e>e (G. pitta, pitch ; spora, 

 seed), the Pittosporum family, 

 an Order of plants, so named 

 because the seeds are covered 

 with a resinous pulp : Pittospor- 

 um, n., pit-os'pd'r'Um, a genus 

 of very handsome shrubs, having 

 glossy foliage and pretty flowers. 



pituitary, a., plt-u'-it-ar-l (L. 

 pituita, slime, phlegm), that 

 secretes or conveys phlegm or 

 mucus: pituite, n., pit'-ii-it, 

 phlegm or mucus : pituitary 

 gland, a gland situated on the 

 lower side of the brain, supposed 

 by the ancients to secrete the 

 mucus of the nostrils : pituitary 

 membrane, the fine membrane 

 lining the nostrils. 



pityriasis, n., pit'-i-ri^as-is (Gr. 

 pituron, scurf or bran), a skin 



