95 
Placen'ta, Placenta'rium— T he park of 
the inside of the ovary to which the 
ovules are uttachod ; sometimes a mere 
point or line on tlie^'imer surface, often 
more or less thickened or raised. 
Placentation is therefore the indication 
of tlie part of the ovary to ■which the 
ovules are attached. Placentas are 
axilc (see fruit of ify/W'r/n/m), when 
the ovules are attached to the axis or 
centre — that is, in pliivilncular ovaries, 
when they are attached to the inner 
angle of each cell ; in unilocular simple 
ovaries, whicli Iiave almost always an 
excentrical style or stigma, when the 
ovules are attached to the side of the 
ovary nearest to the style ; in unilocular 
compnniicl ovaries, when the ovules arc 
attached to a central protuberance, 
column, or axis rising up from the base 
of the cavity. If this column does not 
reach the top of the cavity, the placenta 
is said to be fne and cenirnl, (See 
fruit <■>£ DiKnfhns^ &c) Parktal (See 
fruit of Violet.) \Vhen the ovules are 
attached to the inner surface of the 
cavity of a f)ne*cellecl coinpotind ovary. 
Pririctaf placentas are usually slightly 
thickened or raised lines, sometinifes 
bri)a.d surfaces nearly covering the 
inner .surface of the cavity, sometimes ; 
projecting far into the cavity, and con- 
stituting partial di^isepinieiits, nr even , 
meeting in the ceutru, ]»ut without ; 
cohering there. In the latter case the ! 
distinction between the one-celled and ' 
the several-ceUed o\'ajry kronietimes | 
almost disaijjjcars. ' 
Pla'gios — O blique, as in Pl<t'jaintkui<, 
Plaxe, Pla'xus — P lat ; wliere a surface is 
perfectly level. 
PLAiilUS'CULCS — ^Wliere a surface is nearly 
but not quite level. 
Plant — I n a botanical sense, includes 
every being which has vei/etaUe life, 
from the largest trees to the minute 
Algiie of the ponds. 
PL.\T'Ta, in compounds, signifips “broad.” 
Platycar'pls— B road fruit. Platy- ' 
piiyl'lus — B road leaf. Platvstigma — 
Broad stigma, Plat'ys - Large or 
broad; hi composition, Platy; iu 
Latin, Latus and Late, as the Stag’s- 
horn fcni, Platucerhiui. 
PlECOLliPid'Cs (from to bind, to fold ; ; 
lipiSj a scale) — When the bracts form- i 
ing the iuvuiucro of Com positm adhere 
together. 
Ple'ion — S uverui ; in eomjiosiuon, Ple'io; 
in Latiu, Phi'ri. 
PLE'iOPHTr.Lr;s — Where no buds, and con- 
sequently no brsTiches are developed 
in the axils of leaves, and the stem 
supports thc.se only. 
Ple'nus — F ull. Synonym for “Double,” 
where the titjunens and pistils become 
petaloid. Also where a stem is solid, 
in contradistinctior} to “hollow” or 
“ fi.stular.” 
Pleurooar'pi — IMohscs with the fructifica- 
tion proceeding laterally from the axils 
of the leaves. 
Plel'ren'chyma— W oody tissue. 
Pleurosper'jius — R ibbed seed. Pleuro- 
CAli'PCS — Ribbed fruit, as the fruit of 
Fiem pJf urocavpa^ a Fig of Northern 
Queensland. 
Plexb-oblah'tus — W lien coftyledous vise 
above ground in germination, but do 
not assume the appearance of leaves. 
Plicate', Puca'tits — F olded together in 
longitudinal plaits, regularly disposed. 
Plioa^tu LA VE— Minutely plaited. (See 
Af.of: pJimtilis.) 
PlopocarTium— A fruit composed nf fol- 
licle.s ranged round an axis. Synonym 
for “ Folliculus.” For example see the 
Larkspur. 
PLUu'BKtt.s — Lead-coloured ; dull grey, with 
metallic lu.stve. 
Ploia'tls— S ynonym for “Pinnatus.” 
PlU310>-:e', Pi.l'.uo'»us — W hen hair is in- 
vested with branches, arranged like the 
beard on a featlier. 
Plu'siule, Plu'jjiola — T he jxwtion itf the 
enibryn which develitps in a contrary 
direction to the radicle. It is tlie 
first bud, cr gemrinate, of the young 
jplant. 
Ple lU signifies “sivernl” in compounds. 
Thus: PLL'RiLO'cn.AH — Several celled. 
PtriUPAR-n'ILS- Where an organ is 
deei'ly divided into soveral nearly 
dUtiiict poitions. 
PxEr'M.VTO-CHVim'EKRUb- -A term applied 
to s[iirrd veeseD ; and PxF.riiATo'WRrs 
has been rcstrictfid to the external 
nieiiibraTioua tube of such vessels. 
PocuLifoit'ML’S --Cup-.sUaped. 
Pod— S yuonyiri fur ‘^Legume.” 
Pode'xia — T he stalk ; like elongations of 
the thalJus of some lichens, 
PODocAR'rvs, POD'OCARP— Where theovary 
is seated on a ;-r>'r.obasis, gynojjhore. 
pQiroov'NirM — Synonym for “ Gyno- 
phonis.’’ 
I’oDDCi'/iUjALrs — Where a he.ad of flowers 
is elevated on a long peduncle. 
Po'go.v 'Dchfd ; in Lalhi, UarLc/. (Seethe 
heath-like small shrub Ltneopofjon 
junipa'iniis, so c<'mm<ni on forc.st land, 
tfje flowers of which aro bearded 
inside.) 
PoLi'xrs — Perfectly smr.otli and glossy nr 
polifhoti, as the te.><ta of niauy seeds. 
Pol'len — U tricuUr grains, foruitd within 
the anther, eklvcr fjoe and resenibling 
dust, or variously agglutiuated into 
waxy 3na.-«*es, The “granules’’ are 
very minute particles wiUiin the ijolien 
grains; and the “pollefitube” is a 
tnenibranous extensic-n of a coat of the 
grain, dcvoloped when tin's is subjected 
to the iiifluenc»of the stigui.t. Pollex- 
MASs— An agglutinated mass nf pollen, 
peculiar to the state in wliich it occurs 
in some orders ; in Orchidose and 
Kciepiaiicic. Pol lixa'ris, Poli.ixo'- 
sr.s — As if dusted with pollen. Polli'- 
Nicrs — Goiiipused of or bearing some 
relation to pollen. 
Pol'lex, Pollica'ris— a thumb’s breadth, 
about an inch long. 
