and somewhat crescent-shaped, with only- 

 two or three seeds. P. perennis, common 

 in the Northern States of North America, 

 is very near P. lunatus, but with a narrower 

 pod : it does not appear to be cultivated. 

 P. Max, of which P. Mungo is a variety, is 

 a native of tropical Asia, and is much culti- 

 vated in India and some parts of Africa ; 

 like P. vulgaris, it is dwarf and erect or 

 twining, but is very hairy with large sti- 

 pules ; and the narrow nearly cylindrical 

 hanging pod is very hairy ; the seeds are 

 small, and the flowers insignificant. P. 

 semicrectus, a common maritime species in 

 tropical countries, especially America, be- 

 longs to a section remarkable for the large 

 size of the wings or lateral petals of the 

 corolla. P. truxillensis is a showy species 

 with large variegated flowers often trans- 

 mitted as wild or cultivated from India j 

 as well as from many parts of South Ame- 

 rica. P. Oaracalla, believed to be a native i 

 of Brazil, is often grown under the name 

 of Caracol in the gardens of South Ame- 

 rica, Southern Europe, and sometimes 

 in India, for its large showy and sweet- 

 scented flowers. In all, the petals are twist- 

 ed at the top with the carina into a cork- 

 screw. Some other kidney-beans cultivated 

 in hot countries, and formerly referred to 

 Phaseolus or Doliclws, now form the genus 

 Vigna. 



The Common Kidney Bean, P. vulgaris, 

 not unfrequently called the French Bean, 

 is stated to have been introduced in 1597— 

 although by some writers it is believed to 

 have been first imported from the Nether- 

 lands about the year 1509, when the taste 

 for gardening began to revive in England. 

 The whole plant is slightly pubescent, with 

 leaves composed of three oval pointed leaf- 

 lets, having angular footstalks, knotted 

 at the base, and small stipules. The flowers j 

 are axillary, clustered, white, rose, or lilac. 

 The legume or pod is from three to six inch- j 

 es or more in length, compressed and pen- 

 dulous, terminating in a small sharp point. 



The earliest notice we have of Kidney 

 Beans is that given by Pliny,who calls them I 

 Phaseoli, and says the pod is to be eaten i 

 with the seed. Several kinds appear to have 

 been known to Gerarde in 1590; and since \ 

 that time cultivation has produced nume- 

 rous varieties, which, although similar to 

 one another in appearance, are very dif- 

 ferent in habit. Some are termed runners, 

 from having stems which twine round 

 stakes six or eight feet high for support; 

 others are dwarf and bushy, while many 

 hold a middle place between the two. Of 

 some of these again the young green pods 

 are eaten— of others the seeds ; while in a 

 third division both pod and seed may be 

 used until nearly arrived at maturity. In 

 this country it is the green pods in a young 

 state which are most valued, and when 

 properly dressed they are highly esteemed 

 as a wholesome and excellent vegetable. 

 On the Continent the ripe seeds, under the 

 name of Haricots, are much used by cooks 

 in the composition of a dish so called, as 

 well as for a variety of soups and stews ; 

 and in Roman Catholic countries they are 



well known to form the greater part of the 

 food of the people during Lent. "When 

 very young the green pods are frequently 

 preserved as a pickle by themselves, and 

 also form an ingredient in 'mixed' pickles. 



The Scarlet Runner Bean, P. multijlorus, 

 is usually considered to be a half-hardy 

 annual, and is treated as such, although in 

 reality it is a tender perennial having 

 tuberous roots which may be taken up and 

 preserved during winter for planting in 

 spring. It is a native of South America, 

 and is stated to have been introduced in 

 1633. Although specifically distinct from 

 P. vulgaris, yet in foliage and general ap- 

 pearance it differs but little from some of 

 the varieties of that species. The whole 

 plant is slightly pubescent, of a twining 

 habit, and if supported will climb to the 

 height of eight or ten feet. The flowers 

 are produced in solitary racemes, about the 

 length of the leaves, and arranged in pairs 

 with bracts somewhat shorter than the 

 calyx. They are very handsome, the upper 

 part, or standard, being scarlet, while the 

 wings and keel are of a pale red or i - ose- 

 colour. The pods are pendulous, not quite 

 so long as those of the Common Kidney 

 Bean, but broader, compressed and more 

 succulent, with a rougher surface. 



As a culinary vegetable, the Scarlet Run- 

 ner is much esteemed, and occupies a place 

 in almost every garden— more particularly 

 in that of the cottager, where during the 

 summer and autumn it is not only one of 

 its greatest ornaments, but is also one of 

 the most productive and useful vegetables 

 the cottager can possibly cultivate. The 

 young green pods are dressed in the same 

 way as those of the Kidney Bean. It is 

 worthy of notice that the roots are narcotic 

 and poisonous. ["W. B. B.] 



PHAUM. An Indian and Mauritian name 

 for Angrcecum fragrans. 



PHEASANT'S-EYE. Adonis cestivalis, 

 and A. autumnalis. 



PHEASANT- WOOD. The same as Par- 

 tridge-wood. 



PHEBALITTM. A name said to be de- 

 rived from the Greek word phibalee, a 

 myrtle, in allusion to the appearance of 

 some of the species. The genus is included 

 among Rutaceie, and consists of small trees 

 or shrubs, natives of extratropical New 

 Holland. The stems and leaves are clothed 

 with star-shaped hairs, or silvery or red- 

 dish scales. The flower-stalks are axillary 

 or terminal, arranged in an umbellate or 

 corymbose manner; flowers small, with 

 an entire or more or less five-cleft calyx ; 

 petals five lance-shaped, longer than the 

 sepals ; stamens ten, lonsrer than the petals, 

 five shorter than the remaining five ; ovary 

 five-lobed on a short stalk, with five com- 

 partments each containing two ovules, one 

 ascending, the other pendent; styles five, 

 confluent, with a five-furrowed stigma. 

 Fruit of five twovalved one-seeded" fol- 

 licles. [M. T. M.J 



PHEGOPTERIS. The name now some- 



