901 



CTje Crcatfurg at 2Sfltanp, 



[plat 



it is distinguished by the absence of the 

 two flesliv processes of the lower lip of the 

 stigma, characteristic of that genus. The 

 numerous species are nearly all natives of 

 the temperate and cold regions of the 

 northern hemisphere, in Europe, Asia, and 

 America, very few extending to the warm- 

 er regions— the exceptions being one or 

 two in Java, and as many in Ceylon. Two— 

 viz. P. bifolia and P. chlorantha—axe British, 

 and are frequently referred to Habenaria in 

 local floras. [A. S.] 



PLATANUS. A genus bearing some re- 

 semblance to theurtical andamental fami- 

 lies, but so different that it has been sepa- 

 rated from them as distinct, under the 

 name of Platanacece, placed by Lindley in 

 the urtical alliance. It consists of five or 

 six species, nearly resembling each other, 

 natives of Europe, Asia, North Africa, 

 and the temperate parts of Korth America. 

 Most of them are lofty trees, with dense 

 foliage and massive trunks, the bark of 

 which annually scales off, leaving the sur- 

 face smooth. The leaves are alternate, with 

 sheathing stipules, the lamina being pent- 

 angular or palmate. The flowers are mo- 

 noecious, in globular heads somewhat re- 

 sembling catkins : the males usually con- 

 sist of a mass of apparently irregular se- 

 pals and stamens, but when fully developed 

 the flower is found to consist of four sepals 

 and four stamens alternate with them; 

 frequently, however, only three or two are 

 present. The.heads of female flowers also 

 have commonly the same appearance of ir- 

 regularity, from which the ovary has been 

 regarded as consisting of a single carpel ; 

 but when they are perfect each flower 

 proves to consist of four sepals, four bar- 

 ren stamens alternate with them like 

 minute petals, and from four to eight dis- 

 tinct carpels— the latter character being 

 more obvious in P. occidentalis. Each of 

 the carpels contains one or two pendulous 

 ovules, and becomes a single-seeded fruit. 

 The embryo, which has an inferior radicle, 

 is enclosed in a small quantity of albumen. 

 For a further description of the flowers, 

 and for figures, see Ann. Nat. Hist, Third 

 Series, i. p. 10 et seq. 



Different opinions have been formed as 

 to the position of this genus in the natural 

 system ; the ovary, however, together with 

 the general appearance of the trees, brings 

 it near Aceracew, ' Sycamore,' which is a 

 species of Acer, being one of the names 

 by which P. occidentalis is known in Ame- 

 rica. 



P. orientalis, the Oriental Plane-tree, so 

 common in the parks and plantations of 

 this country, is when fully grown from 

 seventy to ninety feet high, forming when 

 standing separately a majestic object. It 

 is distinguished from P. occidentalis by the 

 leaves being more deeply divided and in- 

 dented, and by the absence of membranous 

 bracts around the female flower. The 

 wood is used in the Levant and in Asia, 

 in carpentry, joinery, and cabinet-making, 

 and is said to make beautiful furniture on 

 account of the smoothness of its grain, 



and its susceptibility of receiving a high 

 polish. P. acerifolia, the tree commonly 

 grown as P. occidentalis, is as large and 

 magnificent as the Oriental Plane, the 

 trunk having been known to become up- 

 wards of thirteen feet in diameter. The 

 wood in seasoning becomes of a dull red 

 colour ; it is used in carpentry, but is not 

 much esteemed. 



P. racemosa, the Californian Plane— re- 

 markable for its deeply five-lobed leaves, 

 the under-surface of which, even when 

 they become old, is copiously clad with 

 woolly hairs— has a wood far preferable to 

 that of P. occidentalis, as it is much harder 

 and more durable, being also less liable to 

 warp. [B.C.] 



PLATEAU. (Fr.) Nuphar hiteum. 

 PL ATEXI A. A genus of Palmacece closely 

 allied to Cocos and' Syagrus, lately estab- | 

 j lished upon a palm found upon the banks of 

 | the River Magdalenain New Grenada, and 

 1 principally characterised by its flower- 

 spikes being furnished with only one I 

 | spathe, which splits lengthways along the i 

 back, by the female flowers not having I 

 barren stamens, and by the bony stone of ! 

 the fruit being smooth or marked with j 

 three small channels. P. Chiragua, the < 

 palm in question, grows from fifty to , 

 seventy feet high, and has pinnate leaves | 

 measuring twelve feet in length, with very 

 numerous narrow sharp-pointed smooth 

 segments as much as two feet in length. 

 Its flower-spikes are simply branched, and 

 ! bear female flowers, with one or two males 

 adjoining them on the lower and males 

 alone on the upper part ; the females produ- 

 cing fleshy orange fruits about the size of 

 pigeons' eggs.and con taining a singlehorny 

 seed with a cavity in the centre. [A. S.] 



I PLATONTA insignis. A beautiful Bra- 

 zilian tree forming a genus of Clusiacem 

 closely allied to Moronobea, and differing 

 chiefly in the five bundles of stamens con- 

 ; sisting of much more numerous filaments, 

 not spirally twisted round the ovary. The 

 tree is very large with a hard wood ; the 

 leaves coriaceous, elegantly marked with 

 ! numerous parallel veins; the flowers large, 

 ! of a light red colour, solitary at the ends 

 i of the small branches. The fruit, called 

 Pacoury-uva in Brazil, is said to be very 

 sweet and delicious, whilst the seeds have 

 the flavour of almonds. 



PLATTCAPNOS. Agenusof Fumariacece, 

 native of the Mediterranean region, differ- 

 ing from Fumaria by the erect not climb- 

 ing stem, and by the fruit being oval, com- 

 pressed, two-valved, the epicarp separable 

 from the membranous endocarp. [J.T. S.] 



PLATTCARPUM. A genus of doubtful 

 affinity provisionally classed with Bigno- 

 i niacece, but inclining strongly towards 

 j Ruoiaceaz and Loganiacew. Unlike most 

 Bignoniacece, the five-cleft calyx is semi- 

 ! inferior; the funnel-shaped corolla encloses 

 i five fertile stamens ; the capsule is woody, 

 flat, and at the top and base cordate, whilst 

 two winged seeds are enclosed in each of 



