SWEET-SMELLING PLANTS 



91 



of flowers. A Pseonia garden furnished with a choice collection of 

 specimens would indeed be a brilliant feature in the richest land- 

 scape, and those who cannot have such a garden might surely have 

 a bed of them. 



The following kinds possess scented attractions : — P.fragrans, rose 

 and yellow ; P. Thorhecki, superb rosy red, from Japan ; P. ruhra 

 odorata ; P. Charles Birder, rose-scented ; P. Arethitsa, rose 

 purple ; P. incarnata plena, double blood red ; P. maxima plena, 

 coral pink, rose-scented \ P. purpurea ; P. roseolus ; P. Isabella 

 Karlitzky ; P. Madame Ghamany ; P. Madame Fournier ; P. pro- 

 lifera superha, rose-scented ; P. alhijlora ; P. Madame Duroffle. 



Pancratium. — A delightful class of bulbous plants from the shores of 

 the Mediterranean, allied to the Amaryllis, bearing umbels of deli- 

 cate white fragrant flowers of large size and elegant form, at their 

 best towards evening. P. fragrans and P. Madeanum are pro- 

 bably the strongest scented varieties. 



Pandanus odoratissimus. — A tropical Indian tree, with spiked leaves 

 and fragrant flowers. Dr. Roxburgh says : — ^ It is the tender 

 white leaves of the flowers, chiefly those of the male, that yield 

 that most delightful fragrance for which they are so universally and 

 deservedly esteemed. For of all the perfumes in the world it must 

 be the richest and most powerful.' These flowers are used by Hindu 

 ladies for toilet purposes. 



Panicum variegatum. — A variegated form of a sub-tropical Grass. 

 When in full bloom the flowers smell strongly, giving off an odour 

 like that of certain Orchids. This cannot be described as par- 

 ticularly sweet, but at the same time not particularly disagreeable ; 

 in fact, some people cannot discern it at all, although tolerably 

 strong. It is just possible that the odour arises from the pollen 

 itself. 



Papyrus odoratus. — A perennial aquatic from the West Indies. 



'Pa.ss\&ora.{Passion Floicer). — Alarge family of climbing shrubs, although 

 a few are bushy ; mostly natives of the tropics in both the Old and 

 New Worlds. A great number of species are cultivated in this 

 country for the beauty of their foliage, blossom, and fruit, and the 

 flowers of some kinds have an exquisite fragrance, notably P. alata, 

 P. edulis, Cherry-like perfume ; P. holosericea, honey-scented ; 

 P. lancifolia ; and amongst new introductions, the white variety, 

 P. Constance Elliott, is daintily perfumed. 



Parkinsonia aculeata [Jerusalera Thorn). — A spiny shrub from 

 Central America, bearing sweetly-smelling flowers. 



Patchouli. See Pogostemon. 



Paullinia Asiatica. — An Eastern tropical shrub, known in the Nilgiri 



