which their legs are covered, is supposed to 
produce the wax. See Wax. 
POLLTA, in botany, a genus of the 
Hexandria Monogynia class and order. 
Natural order of Junci, Jussieu. Essential 
character : corolla inferior, six-petalled ; 
berry many-seeded. There is but one spe- 
cies, viz. P. japonica. 
POLLICHIA, in botany, a genus of the 
Monatidria Monogynia class and order. Na- 
tural order of Amaranthi, Jussieu. Essential 
character: calyx one-leafed, five-toothed; 
corolla five-petalled ; seed solitary ; recep- 
tacle producing succulent aggregate scales, 
sustaining the fruit. There is but one spe- 
cies, viz, P. campestris, whorled-leaved 
pollichia, a native of the Cape of Good 
Hope. 
POLLUX, in astronomy, a fixed star of 
the second magnitude in the constellation 
gemini, or the twins. The same name is 
also given to the hindermost twin, or pos- 
terior part of the same constellation. 
POLYAUELPHIA, in botany, a class 
of plants, the eighteenth in order, whose 
stamina are connected together at their 
bases into several serieses. The plants of 
this class, are subdivided into orders ac- 
cording to the number of their stamina; 
thus the polyadelphia pentandria, contain 
five stamina ; and the polyadelphia icosan- 
dria and polyandria, contain twenty or more 
stamina. There are but few genera included 
in this class. The chocoLte nut has five 
stamina, or rather five bundles of stamina ; 
each filament has five anthers. Monsonia 
has fifteen stamina in five bundles. The 
citron, lemon, and orange, belonging to the 
genus citrus have twenty stamina in several 
bundles. The St. John’s wort have many 
stamina collected into five bundles. 
POLYANDRIA, in botany, a class of 
plants, the thirteenth in order, with herma- 
phrodite flowers, and a large number of 
stamina in each ; these always exceed the 
number of twelve, and grow on the recep- 
tacle of the future seeds. By this circum- 
stance chiefly, the class is distinguished 
from the Icosandria, which see. The 
most striking character is the situation of 
the stamina, which are inserted into the ca- 
lyx or petals, or both. This is an unerring 
mark of distinction. This class is subdi- 
vided into seven orders from the number of 
the styles ; the poppy, water-lily, &c. have 
one style ; the peony, two ; lark-spur, 
three; tetracera, four; columbine, five; 
water-soldier, six ; virgin’s bower, tulip-tree, 
&C. have many. 
POLYCARDIA, in botany, a genus of 
the Pentandria Monogynia class and order. 
Natural order of Dumosas. Rhamni, Jus- 
sieu. Essential character : petals five- 
rounded; stigma lobed ; capsule five-celled, 
five-valved ; seeds arilled. There is only 
one species, viz. P. madagascarensis, a na- 
tive of Madagascar, where it was found by 
Commerson. 
POLYCARPON, in botany, a genus of 
the Ti'iandria Trigynia class and order. 
Natural order of Caryophyllei. Essential 
character : calyx five-leaved ; petals five, 
ovate, very small ; capsule one-celled, 
three valved ; seeds very many. There is 
only one species,, viz. P. tetraphyllum, 
four-leaved all-seed, a native of the South of 
Europe. 
POLYCNEMUM, in botany, a genus of 
the Triandria Monogynia class and order. 
Natural order of Holorace®. Atriplices, 
Jussieu. Essential character : calyx three- 
leaved ; petals five, calycine ; seed one, 
almost naked. There are five species. 
POLYGALA, in botany, milk-wort, a 
genus of the Diadelphia Octandria class 
and order. Natural order of Lomentacem. 
Pediculares, Jussieu. Essential character : 
calyx five-leaved, with two of the leaves 
shaped like wings and coloured ; legume 
obcordate, two-celled. There are forty- 
five species. 
POLYGAMIA, in botany, a class of 
plants, the twenty-third in order, the cha- 
racters of which are, that they have flowers 
of different structure ; some having male 
flowers, others female ones, and others her- 
maphrodite. 
A polygamous plant must have some of 
its flowers hermaphrodite. By this circum- 
stance its connection is cut off with the 
plants of the classes monoecia, and dioecia, 
in the former of , these the plants are andro- 
genous, that is, bear male and female 
flowers on the same root ; in the latter on 
different roots. 1. We have instances of 
hermaphrodite and male flowers on the 
same plant, in the white helebore, &c. ; also 
in several of the umbelliferous plants as the 
carrot, coriander, chervil, &c. 2. Instances 
of lieimaphrodite, and male flowers on dis- 
tinct plants, may be given in the palmetto, 
ginseng, Indian date plum. 3. Hermaphro- 
dite and female on the same plant, as in,the 
pellitory and orack. 4. Hermaphrodite and 
female on different plants as in most species 
of the ash-tree. 
POLYGAMY, a plurality of wives or 
