BR UGHTONIA 9 5 



which fasten the plant to its support, but which do not aid in its 

 nutrition, or very little. The bases of the 1. are covered with scaly 

 hairs by which the water in the pitcher is absorbed. Water is stored 

 in the 1., which consist largely of water-tissue. They have a thick 

 cuticle and often bear scaly hairs that reduce transpiration. Some 

 show a totally different habit to this, e.g. Tillandsia usneoides (q.v.). 

 [See Schimper, Epiph. Veg. Amerikas.} 



Infl. usu. out of the centre of the pitcher; bracts coloured. Fl. 

 usu. ? , reg., 3-merous. P. 3 + 3 or (3) + (3), the outer whorl sepaloid, 

 persistent, the inner petaloid ; A 6, introrse, often epipet. ; G (3), 

 inf., semi-inf., or sup., 3-loc., with oo anatr. ov. on the axile plac. in 

 each. Style i, stigmas 3. Berry or caps. ; seeds in the latter case 

 very light, or winged. Embryo small, in mealy endosp. 

 Classification and chief genera (after Wittmack) : 



1. Tillandsieae (caps.; ov. sup.; 1. entire; seed hairy): Til- 



landsia. 



2. Ptiyeae (caps. ; ov. sup. ; 1. thorny; usu. large stem) : Puya, 



Dyckia. 



3. Pitcairnieae (caps.; ov. semi-inf. or almost sup.; 1. entire, 



or toothed at base, rarely at top) ; Pitcairnia. 



4. Bromelieae (berry; ovary inf.; 1. with thorny teeth): Bro- 



melia, Ananas, Billbergia, Aechmea. 



Bromheadia Lindl. Orchidaceae (n. 5). 6 Malaya. 



Bromus Dill, ex L. Gramineae (10). 70 temp., and trop. Mts. 7 Brit. 

 (brome-grass). Of little value as pasture. 



Brongniartia H. B. et K. Leguminosae (in. 6). 30 trop. Am. 



Brookea Benth. Scrophulariaceae (n. 4). i Borneo. 



Brook-lime, Veronica Beccabunga\; -weed, Satnolus Valerandi. 



Broom, Cytistis (Sarothamnus) scoparius Link.; -bush (W.I.), Par- 

 theniuin ; -corn, Sorghum vulgare Pers. ; butcher's-, Ruscus acu- 

 leattis L. ; -rape, Orobanche ; Spanish-, Spartium junceum L. ; 

 -root, Epicampes ; -tree (W.I.), Baccharis; -weed (W.I.), Cor- 

 chorus, Scoparia. 



Brosimopsis Sp. Moore. Moraceae (il). i Matto Grosso. 



Brosimum Sw. Moraceae (li). 10 trop. and S. temp. Am. Infl. 

 remarkable, a spherical pseudo-head composed of one ? fl. and many 

 tf fls. The former is sunk into the centre of the common recept. 

 and its style projects at the top, whilst the latter occupy the whole of 

 the outer surface. Each $ fl. has a rudim. P. and one sta., whose 

 versatile anther in dehiscing passes from a shape somewhat like ^ 

 to one like T. Achene embedded in the fleshy recept. 



The achene of B. Alicastruw Sw. is the bread-nut (not to be con- 

 fused with Artocarpus, the bread-fruit), which is cooked and eaten 

 in the W.I., &c. [The bread-nut of Barbados is, however, a seeded 

 var. of the bread-fruit.] B. Galactodendron D. Don is the cow-tree 

 or milk-tree of Venezuela. The milky latex flows in considerable 

 quantities, tastes very like ordinary milk, and is used for the same 

 purposes. The wood of several sp. is useful (snake-wood). 



Brossardia Boiss. Cruciferae (2). i Persia. 



Brotera Willd. (Cardopatium Juss. ). Compos, (u). 4 Medit. 



Broughtonia R. Br. (Epidendrum EP.}. Orchid, (n. 6). 2 W. Ind. 



