148 California Trees and Flowers. 
P. CLEVELANDI Gray. One to three feet high, with dark green 
foliage and bearing a spike of lovely bright solferino-colored flowers, 
each an inch long. 
P. PALMERI Gray. <A tall growing species, with a long panicle 
of large white flowers delicately veined with purple. 
P. SPECTABILIS Thurber. Corolla an inch long, broad, bluish- 
purple. Plant two or three feet high, glabrous. Flowers in a loose 
elongated panicle. A very showy species. This genus contains 
nearly a hundred species, nearly all worthy of cultivation, and 
many native to California. 
PHACELIA. 
P. CAMPANULARIA Gray. One of the finest species in the genus 
yet known in cultivation. Has received a first-class certificate in 
England, where it was introduced a few years ago. 
P. CONGESTA. A useful plant in bee-gardens, like the rest of the 
genus, and one of the best known species in cultivation. 
P. TANACETIFOLIA Benth. The Tansy-leaf Phacelia has long 
been in favor in cultivation for its beautiful foliage. An erect hardy 
annual, one to three feet high, bearing cymosely clustered spikes of 
light bluish flowers. 
P. TANACETIFOLIA ALBA. A fine cultivated variety, with white 
flowers. 
P. ORCUTTIANA Gray. One to three feet high, branching, bear- 
ing a profusion of small white flowers with brilliant yellow centers. 
P. PaRRyI Torr. One of the loveliest and most desirable of the 
many pretty annuals of Southern California for cultivation, second 
only in value to P. campanularia. The plant delights in warm 
sunny exposures, and produces large brilliant royal purple flowers 
with an open rotate corolla. Everyone admires this modest flower, 
whose bright face looks out at one with something akin to a human 
expression. 
P. WHITLAVIA Gray. Large bell-shaped blue flowers. 
PICEA. 
P. SITCHENSIS Carr. Probably the tallest spruce known, grow- 
ing 150 to 200 feet high, and of pyramidal form. An excelient timber 
tree. 
PLATYSTEMON. 
P. CALIFORNICUS Benth. A low annual, a span high, with deli- 
cate sulphur-yellow flowers, called Cream-cups by the children. 
Belongs to the Poppy family. 
PROSOPIS. 
P. JULIFLORA DC. The Mesquit tree of the desert regions, some- 
times planted for hedges. The bean-like pods of this tree are useful 
for forage, and form an important article of food among some Indian 
tribes. Very sweet and nutritious. 
