DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE. 



273 



largely employed in the Eastern and Middle States as a. lawn grass, for which use it 

 is well adapted. There are several varieties, which differ chiefly in the breadth and 

 length of the leaves, particularly those at the base of the stem. It is not so well 

 adapted for the production of hay as it is for pasturage. (F. Lamson-Scribner.) 



Structural Fiber.— Useful for fine straw plait. In 1822 a silver medal and 20 

 guineas were awarded to Miss So- 

 phia Woodhouse, of Connecticut, 

 for a new material for straw plait, 

 this species having been employed. 

 It was then supposed to be equal 

 to the Italian straw for the finer 

 kinds of braids. 



Poah (Nepal). See Boehmeria. 



Pochote (Mex.). See Ceiba 

 pentandra and Eriodendron 

 anfractuosum. 



P6i(Ind.). SeeMaouiiapuya. 



Polechi (Malay). Hibiscus 

 sabdariffa. 



Pollinia (It.). Chrysopogon 

 gryllus. 



Po-lo-ma (China). 



nas sativa. 



See Ana- 



Polyalthia longifolia. In- 

 dian Fir. 



Exogen. Anonacece. 



A tree of the hotter parts of In- 

 dia; " commonly planted on ave- 

 nues along roads in Bengal and 

 south India." v 



Fiber.— Said to produce a good i- ia. 91.— Kentucky blue grass, Poapratensis. 



bast fiber, samples of which were 



sent to the Amsterdam Exhibition. P. coffeoides, found in the forests of Wynaad 

 and Ceylon, yields a cordage fiber in the western Ghats, according to Dr. Watt. 



Polygonatum multiflorum. Solomon's Seal. 



A moderate genus of Liliacece, distributed over the temperate parts of the northern 

 hemisphere. The familiar species are graceful woodland herbs. A curious example 

 of the utility of the above species as a textile is a parasol cover from Ireland pre- 

 served in the Kew Mus. 



Polyporus betulinus. The Eazor-strop Fungus. 



Found upon both living and dead birch trees. Pileus from 3 to 6 inches broad, 

 smooth, corky, elastic, hoof-shaped, at first pale, then becomes brownish gray; mar- 

 gin incurved; pileus covered with a thin epidermis, which easily peels off; pores 

 white or tinged with brown. The whole plant when dry is very light; the lower 

 surface is frequently rough, with numerous needle-like projections, making it resem- 

 ble a Hydnum when viewed horizontally. 



Pseudo-fiber. — While the substance prepared from this fungus more nearly 

 resembles leather than a textile fabric, it is similar in structure to Fomes fomentarius, 

 12247— No. 9 18 



