5-10 



THE GARDENER'S ASSISTANT. 



Fig. 658 



P. occidentalism dwarf er in habit, with shorter scapes, are 

 useful, free species. Loam. 



Pentapterygium. — Vaccinium - like shrubs with 

 tubular flowers. They are usually found growing in the 

 forks of trees or on fallen stems. A peculiarity they 

 possess is the thick woody base from which the numerous 

 branches spring. They grow well planted out among 

 stones or roots in well-drained sandy peat, or they may 

 be grown in pans. 



P. rugosum. A loose -habited bush with ovate - lanceolate 

 leaves and pendulous flowers an inch long borne freely from 

 the old wood; flowers almost white, lined with red. 



P. serpens (fig. 659) has long arching branches clothed with 

 small Box-like leaves. From the under side of the previous 

 year's wood and along its whole length, pendulous scarlet flowers 

 an inch long are produced in spring. 



Phaenocoma prolifera is a small hard-wooded S. 

 African plant very like some species of Heiichrysum. It 

 has grayish scale-like leaves and terminal heads of crimson 

 flowers. Peat. Cuttings. 



Philadelphia mexicanus is not hardy, and is worth a 

 place in the greenhouse. It has large, solitary, nodding 

 white flowers. Loam. 



Philesia buxifolia is a dense bush with Box-like 

 leaves and red flowers, smaller than, but in shape like, 

 Lapageria. Chili. Peat. 



Phormium (New Zealand Flax). — Herbaceous plants 

 with long, tough, Iris-like leaves and inflorescences some- 

 times 10 feet high; flowers yellow or purplish. They 

 like rich loam and make fine plants when grown in large 

 pots or borders. 



P. Cook kin ton. Arching leaves 5 or 6 feet long. 



Fig. 659. -Pentapterygium serpens. 



P. Tloolceri. Leaves 4 to 5 feet long and flower-stalks 6 feet 

 high, flowers purple. 



/' tenax. Rigid leaves often 8 feet long, very tough. There 

 are purple and variegated varieties. 



Pimelia. — Free-growing compact plants bearing in 

 spring neat, round, terminal heads of pink or white 

 Daphne-like flowers. They are natives of Australia and 



