Part 61

=B. Humboldtii corymbiflora= (Humboldt's corymb-flowered).* _fl._ white, large, fragrant, disposed in terminal racemes; tubes long. Autumn and winter. _l._ ovate, oblong-acuminate, dark green. 1874. One of the finest kinds in cultivation. (G. C. 1873, 717.)

=B. Jacquini= (Jacquin's). A synonym of _B. triphylla_.

=B. jasminiflora= (Jasmine-flowered).* _fl._ white, fragrant, in compound cymes; very floriferous. Winter. _l._ opposite, elliptic-acuminate. South America, 1869. A very charming and largely grown species. (G. C. 1872, 215.)

=B. leiantha= (smooth-flowered).* _fl._ scarlet; corymbs sub-trichotomous. July to November. _l._ ternate, ovate-acuminate, slightly hairy above, downy-villous beneath. _h._ 2ft. Mexico, 1850. See Fig. 271. (B. H. 2, 6.)

=B. longiflora= (long-flowered).* _fl._ white, terminal, solitary, sessile, with the tube 2in. or 3in. long. _l._ opposite, oblong, acute, cuneated at the base, glabrous. Branches compressedly tetragonal, glabrous. _h._ 2ft. to 3ft. Mexico, 1827. (B. M. 4223.)

=B. multiflora= (many-flowered). A synonym of _B. Cavanillesii_.

=B. triphylla= (three-leaved).* _fl._ scarlet, nearly 1in. long; corymbs somewhat trichotomous. July. _l._ smoothish above, hairy beneath, three in a whorl, oblong. Branchlets trigonal, hairy. _h._ 2ft. to 3ft. Mexico, 1794. There are numerous varieties of this species. SYN. _B. Jacquini_. (B. M. 1854.)

=B. versicolor= (various-coloured). _fl._, corolla with a scarlet tube, which is 3/4in. long, but having the limb yellowish inside; corymbs three-flowered, trichotomous, drooping. July to September. _l._ opposite, lanceolate, ciliated. Branches terete, glabrous, velvety while young. _h._ 2ft. to 3ft. South America, 1814. (B. R. 245.)

The garden hybrids are very handsome. A selection is given below:

ALFRED NEUNER, flowers double, white, or slightly tinged with rose (see Fig. 272); BRILLIANT, flowers bright crimson, numerous, freely branching habit, and strong constitution; DAZZLER,* habit very bushy and compact, extremely floriferous, flowers rich scarlet, in dense clusters; HOGARTH, brilliant scarlet, very fine; LONGIFLORA FLAMMEA,* flowers long-tubed, blush-rose; MAIDEN'S BLUSH,* very free and floriferous, blush-rose; PRESIDENT GARFIELD, rich double, red-pink, very fine; QUEEN OF ROSES, rosy-pink, the tubes tinted with crimson, habit dwarf and very free; VREELANDI (=DAVIDSONI), flowers pure white, produced in great abundance; one of the most useful of them all, and grown very extensively.

=BOWENIA= (commemorative of Sir G. Bowen, Governor of Queensland). ORD. _Cycadaceæ_. A remarkable and handsome greenhouse fern-like plant, closely allied to _Zamia_, from which it is distinguished by having the leaflets decurrent to the petiole, instead of articulated, as in that genus. For culture, _see_ =Cycas=.

=B. spectabilis= (showy).* _fl._, male cones small, ovoid, 1/2in. to 3/4in. long; female oblong-globose, 3-3/4in. long. _l._ bipinnatisect, on tall, slender petioles; leaflets falcate-lanceolate, decurrent; stem short, thick, cylindrical. Queensland, Australia, 1863. (B. M. 5398 and 6008.)

=B. s. serrulata= (finely-toothed).* This differs from the type in having the margins distinctly toothed or serrated. Rockingham Bay, 1863.

=BOWIEA= (named after J. Bowie, a botanical collector for the Royal Gardens, Kew). ORD. _Liliaceæ_. A very interesting greenhouse or half-hardy twining bulbous perennial, thriving in a sunny border, under the wall of a greenhouse, where it will require protection during winter. It does well in any light well drained soil, and may be propagated by seeds or offsets.

=B. volubilis= (twining). _fl._ few, remote, pedicellate; perianth six-partite, persistent; segments equal, green, lanceolate, 1/4in. long, at length reflexed. October. True leaves are frequently not developed for years; but the green, fleshy, mostly abortive inflorescence performs their functions. South Africa, 1866. See Fig. 273.

=BOX.= _See_ =Buxus=.

=BOX ELDER.= _See_ =Negundo=.

=BOX THORN.= _See_ =Lycium=.

=BRABEIUM= (from _brabeion_, a sceptre; in reference to the racemosed flowers). African Almond. ORD. _Proteaceæ_. An ornamental greenhouse evergreen tree. For culture, &c., _see_ =Banksia=.

=B. stellatifolium= (star-leaved). _fl._ white, sweet-scented, disposed in elegant, axillary, spiked racemes. August. _l._ whorled, simple, serrate. _h._ 15ft. Cape of Good Hope, 1731.

=BRACHYCHITON= (from _brachys_, short, and _chiton_, a coat of mail; plants covered with imbricated hairs and scales). ORD. _Sterculiaceæ_. A genus of tropical or sub-tropical Australian trees or shrubs, allied to _Sterculia_, from which it differs in very minor points. They are of easy culture in a loamy soil. Propagated by young cuttings, planted in sandy soil, in gentle heat.

=B. acerifolium= (Acer-leaved). _fl._ bright red. _l._ long-stalked, deeply five to seven-lobed. _h._ from 60ft. to 120ft.

=B. Bidwillii= (Bidwill's).* _fl._ bright red, arranged in axillary bunches. _l._ stalked, heart-shaped, entire, or three-lobed, and covered with a soft pubescence. 1851. (B. M. 5133.)

=B. diversifolium= (various-leaved). _l._ coriaceous, obtuse, lanceolate, entire, or three-lobed, glabrous; lobes acuminate. _h._ 20ft. to 60ft. 1824.

=BRACHYCOME= (from _brachys_, short, and _kome_, hair). Swan River Daisy. ORD. _Compositæ_. A genus of beautiful little half-hardy perennials or annuals, closely resembling _Bellis_ in structure. Involucral bracts membranous at the margin; receptacle pitted, naked. Fruit compressed, surmounted by a very short bristly pappus. _B. iberidifolia_ is one of the prettiest of summer annuals, and in the open border it flowers profusely, if in a dry, sunny spot. Towards the autumn, it may be removed to the greenhouse, where it will still continue flowering for several weeks. Seeds may be sown in a gentle hotbed, early in the spring, and, when large enough, planted out in borders or beds, 6in. apart; or they may be sown thinly out of doors, late in April, and thinned out, when they will flower a month later than those sown in the hotbed.

=B. iberidifolia= (Iberis-leaved).* _fl.-heads_ blue or white, with a dark centre, about 1in. in diameter. Summer and autumn. _l._ pinnate; segments linear. Plant erect, glabrous. _h._ 1ft. Swan River, 1843. See Fig. 274.

=BRACHYLÆNA= (from _brachys_, short, and _læna_, a cloak or covering; referring to the shortness of the involucre). ORD. _Compositæ_. A genus of South African evergreen greenhouse shrubs, nearly allied to _Baccharis_. They thrive in a compost of peat and loam. Propagated by cuttings, made of half-ripened shoots, placed in a well-drained pot of sandy soil, under a bell glass.

=B. dentata= (toothed). _fl.-heads_ yellow. _l._ lanceolate, acute, entire, rusty beneath when young, when adult quite glabrous.

=B. nerifolia= (Nerium-leaved).* _fl.-heads_ yellow, in branching racemes or panicles. August to November. _l._ lanceolate, serrated with one or two teeth forward. _h._ 2ft. Cape of Good Hope, 1752.

=BRACHYOTUM= (from _brachys_, short, and _otos_, the ear; in reference to the short appendages at the base of the anthers). ORD. _Melastomaceæ_. A handsome greenhouse evergreen shrub, with a bushy habit. Allied, and requiring similar culture, to _Pleroma_ (which _see_).

=B. confertum= (crowded).* _fl._ purple, terminal, nodding, with cream-coloured bracts. November. _l._ oblong or ovate, small, three-nerved, with adpressed hairs. Andes, Peru, 1873. (B. M. 6018.)

=BRACHYSEMA= (from _brachys_, short, and _sema_, a standard; the standard of the flower is very short). ORD. _Leguminosæ_. Elegant procumbent or climbing greenhouse, evergreen shrubs. Racemes axillary and terminal, few-flowered. Leaves alternate, oval or ovate, entire, mucronate, silky on the under surface. They thrive in a compost of peat, leaf soil, and loam, in equal proportions, made porous, if necessary, by the addition of sand. Increased by cuttings, made of half-ripened shoots in summer, placed in sandy soil, under a bell glass, in a gentle bottom heat; or by layers. Seeds may be sown in March, in heat. Brachysemas require thorough drainage, whether grown in pots or planted out. _B. latifolium_ does best under the latter treatment, when it forms a magnificent climber for pillars or the roof.

=B. lanceolatum= (lanceolate-leaved). _fl._ rich scarlet, with the margin of the vexillum white, red at the disk, with a large yellow spot in the centre, each about 1in. long, disposed in axillary, sub-compound racemes. _l._ opposite, rarely alternate, ovate or ovate-lanceolate, entire, silky white beneath. _h._ 3ft. Swan River, 1848. (B. M. 4652.)

=B. latifolium= (broad-leaved).* _fl._ crimson-scarlet, large; vexillum oblong-ovate. April. _l._ ovate, flat, silky beneath. New Holland, 1803. A handsome climber. (B. R. 118.)

=B. melanopetalum= (black-petaled). Synonymous with _B. undulatum_.

=B. undulatum= (undulated).* _fl._ deep violet-maroon, solitary or twin; vexillum oblong, cordate, convolute, and bluntish above. March. _l._ oblong-ovate, mucronate, undulated. New South Wales, 1820. A tall subscandent plant. SYN. _B. melanopetalum_. (B. R. 642.)

=BRACHYSPATHA= (from _brachys_, short, and _spatha_, a spathe; the spathe is much shorter than the spadix). ORD. _Aroideæ_. Stove tuberous perennial, allied to, and requiring the same cultivation as, _Amorphophallus_ (which _see_).

=B. variabilis= (variable).* _fl._ exhaling an abominable fœtor, which is, however, of very short duration; spathe much shorter than the spadix, greenish-purple, sharply acuminate, and many-nerved; spadix whitish, with female flower at the base, and above contiguous to them are the males without any intermediate neutral flowers; anthers orange red; the naked apex of the spadix is very long, wrinkled, and pitted on the surface. _l._ solitary, 18in. across; the spotted petiole divides at the top into three main divisions, each of which is again forked and deeply pinnately cut; the segments alternate, sessile, or decurrent, very unequal in size, ovate or oval-lanceolate, acuminate, glabrous, shining. _h._ 3ft. India, 1876. (G. C. 1876, 129.)

=BRACHYSTELMA= (from _brachys_, short, and _stelma_, a crown; in reference to the short coronal processes of the flowers). ORD. _Asclepiadaceæ_. Extremely curious little suffruticose, tuberous, twining, greenhouse perennials. Corolla campanulate, having angular sinuses; corona simple, five-cleft, lobes opposite the anthers, simple on the back. Leaves opposite, membranous. They thrive best in fibry loam. Propagated by cuttings, which will root in sandy soil, in heat; also by divisions of the root.

=B. Arnotti= (Arnott's). _fl._ brown, green. _l._ in opposite pairs, nearly sessile, crisped, ovate, dull green above, densely grey, pubescent beneath. _h._ 4in. South Africa, 1868. (Ref. B. i., 9.)

=B. Barberæ= (Mrs. Barber's). _fl._ dingy purple, speckled with yellow. August. _l._ large, linear-oblong, acute. _h._ 6in. South Africa, 1866. (B. M. 5607.)

=B. ovata= (ovate-leaved). _fl._ yellowish-green. _l._ ovate, shortly-stalked, pubescent. _h._ 1ft. South Africa, 1872. (Ref. B. 226.)

=B. spathulatum= (spathulate-leaved). _fl._ green. June. _l._ spathulate, oblong, hairy. _h._ 1ft. Cape of Good Hope, 1826. (B. R. 1113.)

=B. tuborosum= (tuberous). _fl._ purple. June. _l._ linear-lanceolate, ciliate. _h._ 1-1/2ft. Cape of Good Hope, 1821. (B. M. 2343.)

=BRACKEN=, or =BRAKE FERN=. See =Pteris aquilina=.

=BRACTEATE.= Having bracts.

=BRACTEOLATE.= Having secondary bracts between the true bracts and the flowers.

=BRACTS.= Modified leaves placed near the calyx on the peduncle or pedicel.

=BRAHEA= (named after Tycho Brahe, the celebrated astronomer). ORD. _Palmeæ_. A small genus of dwarf palms, with fan-shaped leaves, and hermaphrodite, greenish flowers. They require rich light loam and fibrous peat, in equal parts, to which may be added a good portion of washed sand; thorough drainage and liberal supplies of water are also absolutely necessary. Propagated by seeds. During summer, they may be removed to the greenhouse, and can be employed with much success for sub-tropical gardening.

=B. dulcis= (sweet).* _l._ nearly circular, bright shining green; petioles clothed with woolly tomentum, armed at the edges with small close-set spines, and enveloped at the base in a network of brown fibre. Stem stout. Mexico, 1865. A rare and slow developing species.

=B. filamentosa= (filamentose). A synonym of _Washingtonia filifera_.

=BRAINEA= (commemorative of C. J. Braine, Esq., of Hong Kong, China). ORD. _Filices_. Sori continuous along transverse veins, near the midrib, and also produced along the veins in the direction of the edge of the frond.

=B. insignis= (remarkable), which is the only species, has a _trunk_ 3in. to 4in. thick; scales linear, nearly 1in. long. _sti._ firm, 3in. to 4in. long, scaly only at the base. _fronds_ 2ft to 3ft. long, 8in. to 12in. broad, simply pinnate; pinnæ close, numerous, linear, finely serrated. Hong Kong, 1856. A very handsome and interesting greenhouse tree fern, requiring a soil of loam and peat, in equal parts, with the addition of some sharp sand, and thorough drainage.

=BRAMBLE.= _See_ =Rubus=.

=BRASSAVOLA= (named in honour of A. M. Brassavola, a Venetian botanist). ORD. _Orchideæ_. A genus of epiphytal orchids, requiring the heat of an intermediate house. Flowers large, usually with narrow acuminate greenish petals and sepals, and a white lip, which is sometimes broad; column having a pair of great falcate ears on each side of the front, and eight pollen masses. Leaves solitary, succulent. They are of easy culture on blocks of wood, with a little moss, suspended from the roof. Water should be plentifully given during the growing season; at other times, a very small quantity will suffice. About seventeen or eighteen species have been introduced, of which the following only are worth growing:

=B. acaulis= (stemless). _fl._ large; sepals and petals long, narrow, greenish and creamy-white; lip large, heart-shaped, and pure white; base of tube spotted with dull rose. September. _l._ very narrow, rush-like. _h._ 4in. Central America, 1852. (P. F. G. ii., 152.)

=B. Digbyana= (Digby's).* _fl._ solitary, 4in. across, produced from the top of the bulb; sepals and petals creamy-white; lip same colour, streaked with purple down the centre, and beautifully fringed. Winter. _h._ 9in. Honduras, 1844. A compact-growing evergreen. (B. M. 4474.)

=B. Gibbsiana= (Gibbs's).* _fl._ white, spotted with chocolate, large, three on each spike. _l._ rather broad and very thick. This rare, erect-growing species must be potted in peat and sphagnum.

=B. glauca= (glaucous).* _fl._ solitary, produced from a sheath at the top of the bulb; sepals and petals yellow; lip orange, with a white throat. Early spring. _l._ of a milky-green. _h._ 1ft. Vera Cruz, 1837. A very handsome fragrant species, somewhat difficult to flower, but this obstacle may be overcome by liberally growing during the proper season, and giving it a severe dry rest. (B. M. 4033.)

=B. lineata= (lined).* _fl._ large, very fragrant; sepals and petals creamy-white; lip large, pure white. _l._ long, terete, channelled above, tapering to a point, very deep green. South America, 1850. (B. M. 4734.)

=B. venosa= (veined).* _fl._ small and compact; sepals and petals cream-coloured; lip white, strongly veined. A pretty free flowering species. Honduras, 1839. (B. R. 26, 39.)

=BRASSIA= (named after Mr. William Brass, who was sent by Sir Joseph Banks to Cape Coast and the neighbouring districts as a botanical collector, at the end of the last century). ORD. _Orchideæ_. A genus of tropical American orchids, very nearly allied to _Oncidium_, with which, indeed, Reichenbach unites it. From this genus, however, _Brassia_ may be distinguished by its simple inflorescence, elongated tail-like sepals, and short column, which is quite destitute of the side lobes or ears that form a marked feature in the species of _Oncidium_. There are about seventeen species, of which many are not sufficiently attractive to deserve the cultivator's attention. They will succeed either in pots or in baskets, the drainage of which must be perfect. They require to be potted in good fibrous peat, broken in pieces not less in size than a walnut, placed in the warm end of a Cattleya or Brazilian house, and supplied liberally with water during summer. In winter, they must still be kept in a tolerably warm place, and given sufficient water to keep the pseudo-bulbs from shrivelling. It is useless to dry off until shrivelling takes place, for experience assures us that when a plant shrivels it is generally safe to assume that it has been tried beyond its powers of endurance, and that its constitution has given way. Propagated by dividing the plants, when growth has commenced.

=B. antherotes= (brilliant).* _fl._ 7in. in diameter from tip to tip of the sepals; sepals and petals yellow, brownish-black at the base, narrow, 1/8in. broad, tapering; petals 1-1/2in. long; lip triangular, yellow, barred with brown; spike strong, about 2ft. in length. Tropical America, 1879.

=B. caudata= (tailed).* _fl._, sepals and petals yellow, barred with brown, from 4in. to 6in. long; lip broad and yellow, spotted with greenish-brown. When the plant is large and healthy, it produces numerous drooping spikes, 18in. long, and many-flowered. _h._ 1ft. West Indies, 1823 (B. R. 832.)

=B. Gireoudiana= (Gireoud's). _fl._, sepals and petals bright yellow, spotted and blotched with deep red, produced in many-flowered scapes of singular and beautiful flowers during spring and early summer. This species much resembles _B. Lanceana_, but has larger flowers. Costa Rica. (R. X. O. 1, 32.)

=B. Lanceana= (Lance's).* _fl._, sepals and petals lanceolate and tapering, bright yellow, blotched with brown, or sometimes with deep red; lip wholly yellow, slightly spotted at the base, and much waved, deliciously fragrant; scapes radical, many-flowered. In the typical species, the lip is rather more than half as long as the sepals. _l._ rich dark green. _h._ 9in. Surinam, 1843. See Fig. 275. (B. R. 1754.)

=B. L. macrostachya= (large-spiked).* _fl._, sepals and petals bright rich yellow, sparingly spotted with brown, as in the type; sepals lengthened out into tail-like appendages, which are sometimes nearly 5in. in length; lip wholly of a clear pale yellow. Demerara.

=B. L. pumila= (dwarf). _fl._, sepals pale yellow, without spots or markings; petals of the same colour, tinged with purple near the base; lip about half the length of the sepals, slightly contracted in the middle, yellow, with a brownish-yellow base. Caracas.

=B. Lawrenceana= (Lawrence's).* _fl._ large, sweet-scented; sepals and petals bright yellow, spotted with cinnamon and green; lip yellow, tinged with green. June to August. _h._ 1ft. Brazil, 1839. (B. R. 27, 18.)

=B. L. longissima= (long-sepaled).* _fl._, sepals deep orange-yellow, blotched and spotted, especially towards the base, with reddish-purple, and lengthened out into tail-like appendages, which, in well-grown examples, measure 7in. in length; petals about 2-1/2in. long and 1/4in. broad at the base, marked in the same manner as the sepals; lip about 3in. long, pale yellow, dotted and spotted towards the base with purple. August and September. Costa Rica, 1868. A magnificent variety.

=B. maculata= (spotted).* _fl._ large; sepals and petals pale yellow, irregularly spotted with brown; the former being short compared with those of the other species; lip white, spotted about and below the centre with brown and purple. Spring and early summer. Jamaica, 1806. See Fig. 276. (B. M. 1691.)

=B. m. guttata= (spotted).* _fl._ on spikes 2ft. or 3ft. long; sepals and petals yellowish-green, blotched with brown; lip broad, yellow, spotted with brown. May to August. Guatemala, 1842. SYN. _B. Wrayæ_. (B. M. 4003.)

=B. verrucosa= (warty-lipped).* _fl._ large; sepals and petals greenish, blotched with blackish-purple; lip white, ornamented with numerous little green protuberances or warts, hence the specific name; scape many-flowered. May and June. Guatemala.

=B. v. grandiflora= (large-flowered).* _fl._ twice the size of, and a lighter colour than, the type. This variety is very rare, and is said to be the best of the genus.

=B. Wrayæ= (Wray's).* A synonym of _B. maculata guttata_.

=BRASSICA= (old Latin name used by Pliny; from _Bresic_, the Celtic name for Cabbage). Cabbage. ORD. _Cruciferæ_. Herbaceous, usually biennial, rarely annual or perennial, or suffrutescent plants, usually with a short caudex. Flowers yellow, rarely white, but never purple nor veined. Radical leaves usually stalked, lyrate, or pinnatifid; cauline ones sessile or stem-clasping, entire; racemes elongated; pedicels bractless, filiform. Full cultural details will be found under the popular garden name of each variety.

=B. oleracea= (herb-like). _fl._ pale yellow, large. May and June. _l._ glaucous, waved, lobed, smooth. Root-stem cylindrical, fleshy. _h._ 1ft. to 3ft. England. Biennial.

=B. o. acephala= (headless). Borecole or Kale. Stem round, elongated. _l._ expanded, racemes panicled.

=B. o. botrytis asparagoides= (Asparagus-like). The Broccoli. _fl._ abortive. Stem taller than that of the Cauliflower. _l._ greyish-glaucous, elongated. Branchlets fleshy, bearing small flower-buds at the top.

=B. o. b. cauliflora= (Cauliflower). Heads of flower-buds thick, terminal. Stem short. _l._ oblong, of a greyish-glaucous colour.

=B. o. bullata gemmifera= (bud-bearing). Brussels Sprouts. Heads small, numerous, rising from the axils of the leaves along an elongated stem.

=B. o. b. major= (larger). Savoy Cabbage. Heads of leaves loose, thick, terminal, roundish. _l._ blistered.

=B. o. capitata= (headed). The Cabbage. Stem round, short. _l._ concave, not blistered, crowded into a head before flowering; racemes panicled.

=B. o. Caulo-rapa= (Kohl-Rabi). Stem tumid and somewhat globose at the origin of the leaves.

=B. Rapa= (Rape). The Turnip. Radical leaves lyrate, destitute of glaucous bloom, green, covered with bristly hairs; middle cauline ones cut; upper ones quite entire, smooth.

=BRASSICACEÆ.= _See_ =Cruciferæ=.

=BRAVOA= (named after Bravo, a Mexican botanist). ORD. _Amaryllidaceæ_. A pretty little graceful bulbous plant, hardy in very sheltered positions, but in exposed situations requiring a slight protection in winter. It is an admirable plant for cool-house culture, and delights in a compost of light rich loam, leaf mould, and sand. Propagated by offsets, which are obtainable in autumn; or by seeds, which should be sown as soon as ripe.