SELECT PLANTS. 
209 
Polianthes Tuberosa, Linne. 
Mexico. The Tuberose, seemingly introduced only into South 
Asia, valuable for perfume-distillation. 
Polyporus giganteus, Pries. 
Dr. Goeppert records this and also the following species as allowed 
to be sold for food in Silesia : — P.frondosus (Fr.), P. ovims (Fr,), 
P. tuberaster (Fr.), P. citrinus (Pers.) 
Pouzolzia tuberosa, Wight. 
India. The turnip-shaped root of this herb is edible. The plant 
may prove hardy here. 
Prunus serotina, Ehrhart. 
The Black Cherry-tree of North America. Fruit slightly bitter, 
but with a pleasant vinous flavour; wood valuable for cabinet and 
sash-makers (A. Gray). In Virginia the tree attains a height of 
100 feet, with a stem 4 feet in diameter ; it prefers rich porous 
soil in the upper parts of valleys. Wood pale-red, dense, fine- 
grained; when polished, as beautiful as mahogany- wood (Robb 
and Simmonds). It will live on the poorest soil, and even within 
the salt spray of the coast. Wood close-grained, compact, not 
liable to warp, easily worked and ebonized. Readily raised from 
seeds and transplanted; not succumbing under rough usage 
(Sargent). 
Psoralea esculenta, Purscli. 
North America. This herb is mentioned here, as the tuberous 
roots, known as prairie-turnips, may by cultural processes be 
capable of greatly improving, and of thus becoming a valuable 
esculent. 
Ptychosperma Arfakiana, Beccari. 
New G-uinea, reaching elevations of 5000 feet in comparatively 
temperate regions. Height up to 30 feet. 
Ptychosperma Musschenbroekiana, Beccari. 
Temate, up to 3000 feet. Height of this palm 90 feet. Almost 
sure to be hardy here in sheltered localities. 
Quercus cuspidata, Tbunberg.* 
Japan. The acorns, when boiled or roasted, are edible and 
regularly sold in Japan for food (Rein). 
Quercus dentata, Thunberg.* 
Japan. This is one of the species on which the Oak- Silkworm 
(the Yama Mayon) lives. 
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