5 WEE T-SMELLING PLA NTS 



97 



fragrance, on this account it is called by the Malays • Mistress of 

 the Night,' as its scented favours increase tenfold after sunset. It 

 has been greatly improved by cultivation, and now some sweetly 

 pretty forms are grown in enormous quantities for supplying cut 

 flowers during winter and spring. 



' The sweet Tuberose 

 The daintiest flower for scent that blows.'— Shelley. 



Polyanthus. See Primula. 



Polygonatum officinalis. — A variety of Solomon's Seal, bearing fragrant 

 flowers. Its native habitat is Scotland, but it has almost gone out 

 of cultivation. 



Polyosma. — A family of evergreen trees from the Eastern Archipelago, 

 bearing sweet-scented flowers, generally white in colour, followed 

 by a berry. 



Populus balsamifera. — A Xortli American Poplar tree, remarkable for 



the pleasant balsamic odour of its buds and leaves. P. suavfrJens 



is a Prussian variety, also fragrant. 

 Porana paniculata [Indian SUcer Creeper). — This plant has a beautiful 



eff'ect when covered with dainty Convolvulus-like flowers that are 



sweetly scented. 



Portlandia grandiflora. — A West Indian shrub, with handsome foliage 

 and scented white flowers, resembling the Lily, and diffusing a 

 similar delicious fragrance during the night. 



Posoqueria grandiflora. — A shrubby tree from British Guiana, bearing- 

 large white, bell-shaped, fragrant flowers, that are exceedingly 

 attractive ; allied to Randia and Gardenia. 



Pothos odoratissima. — An Eastern climbing shrub, delicately Vanilla- 

 scented. 



Primrose. See Primula. 



Primula. — A lovely genus of early flowering herbaceous plants, em- 

 bracing the Auricula, Cowslip, Polyanthus, Oxlip, and Prim- 

 rose. 



P. auricula. — This beautiful hardy species, a favourite offspring of 

 vernal Flora, and natiA'e of the mountains of Southern Europe, was 

 introduced to Britain quite three centuries ago, and cultivated 

 originally under the name of Bears" Ears and Mountain Cowslip — at 

 the beginning of the present centur}' quite a rage existed to obtain 

 the best sorts, and now they aijound in almost endless variety, 

 improving year by year under the agency of the Xational Auricula 

 Society, whose exliibitions are held annually in London. Z\Iany of 

 the most sunple coloured, as well as the new and beautiful forms, 

 are exquisitely scented. 



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