polypo'dium. 



223 



PORTLANDIA. 



three inches long, and struck in 

 sand under a bell-glass. All cut- 

 tings of the shrubby Polygalas are very 

 apt to damp off ; and therefore the 

 glasses should be frequently taken off 

 and wiped. There are other kinds of 

 Polygala, natives of Europe, which 

 are herbaceous perennials ; and others 

 which are natives of North America, 

 some of which are annuals and some 

 perennials. All the herbaceous Poly- 

 galas are hardy dwarf plants, very 

 suitable for rockwork ; and they may 

 be grown in any common soil, though 

 they prefer peat or very sandy loam. 

 Some of the kinds of Polygala are 

 now included in the genus Muraltia, 

 the type of which is P. Heisteria ; 

 and others in the genus Mundia, the 

 type of which is P. spinbsa. 



Polygona v tum Smilacece. — So- 

 lomon's Seal. Hardy perennial plants, 

 which require no other care than 

 planting in any common garden soil. 

 They will thrive either in exposed 

 situations, or under the shade of 

 trees, but the flowers are generally 

 largest when the plants are grown in 

 the shade. 



Polygonum. — Polygonew. — This 

 is a very extensive genus, and em- 

 braces a great many very different 

 plants ; some of which are British 

 weeds, and others stove-plants from 

 the East Indies or New South Wales 

 Some of the commonest kinds in Bri- 

 tish gardens are, the Buckwheat 

 {Polygonum fagopyrum), the gar- 

 den Persicaria, (P. Persicaria) and 

 the water-pepper, (P. Hydropiper), 

 the beautiful pink flowers of which 

 are so ornamental in the ponds in 

 Kensington Gardens, and other places. 

 Plants so various in their nature, re- 

 quire of course different kinds of soil 

 and situation ; but they will all grow 

 in sandy loam, and are generally of 

 the easiest culture. 



Polypot>ium. — Cryptogamia 

 Filices. — An extensive genus of very 



beautiful ferns, some of which are 

 natives of Britain, and others are 

 exotic. All ferns should be grown 

 in shady, damp places ; and the hardy 

 ones thrive most in a shrubbery 

 under the drip of trees, where few 

 other plants will grow. The exotic 

 kinds should be grown in a stove 

 glazed with green glass ; and the at- 

 mosphere should be kept damp by 

 water being frequently poured on the 

 floor and flues. 



Pomade'rris. — RhamnacecB. — 

 Australian shrubs with cymes of yel- 

 low flowers and generally woolly 

 leaves, nearly allied to Ceanothus. 

 They are very nearly hardy, and may 

 be grown in the open air with a little 

 protection during winter. They 

 should be grown in sandy peat, or in 

 a mixture of peat and loam ; and they 

 are propagated by cuttings. 



Pomegranate. — See Punica. 



Pontederia. — Pontederacece. — 

 Stove aquatics that should be planted 

 in rich loamy soil, and the cistern 

 filled up with water. They are in- 

 creased by dividing the roots. 



Ponthieva. — Orchidacece. —Stove 

 Orchidese, more curious than beauti- 

 ful, which are usually grown iu pots. 

 — See Orchideous Epiphytes. 



Poppy. — See Papaver. 



PoKA , HA.--Co?ivolvulace(e.— Stove 

 climbing plants, with white flowers. 

 Some of the species are now included 

 in the genus Dinetus. 



Porcupine Cactus, — See Echino- 

 cactus. 



Portlandia. — RubiacecB. — Stove 

 shrubs, natives of Jamaica, with very 

 showy flowers. They should be grown 

 in sandy peat or very sandy loam. In 

 Jamaica these plants grow on calca- 

 reous rocks, where they form low 

 trees, with large and beautiful tube- 

 shaped flowers, which are delightfully 

 fragrant. There are but two species 

 known, one of which has white and 

 the other scarlet flowers, and they are 



