AND GENERAL HORTICULTURE. 



51 



BLA 



Blazing Star. A common name of Liatris squar- 

 rosa. and also given to Chamcelirium luteum. 



Ble'chniim. From blechnon, a Greek name for 

 a Fern. Nat. Ord. Polypodiacece. 



A considerable genus of Ferns of the same 

 group as Lomaria, the distinction between the 

 two consisting in the fructification of I^om- 

 aria being marginal, and that of Blechjium 

 being within the margin. The genus contains 

 a considerable number of species, which are 

 abundant in tropical countries ; South America 

 and the West Indian Islands having contrib- 

 uted the greatest number. 



Bleeding Heart. The popular name of Dielytra 

 {Diclytra, Dicentra) spectabilis. 



Blephi'lia. A genus of uninteresting herbs, 

 neai'ly allied to Monarda, Horse-mint, common 

 in the southern and western States. 



Blessed Thistle. Cniciis benedicliis. A genus 

 of Thistles, natives of the Levant and Persia. 

 Naturalized and common on the roadsides in 

 the southern States; new called by some 

 authors, Carbenia benedicta. 



Ble'tia. Named after a Spanish botanist of the 

 name of Blet. Nat. Ord. Orchidacete. 



Pretty, tuberous-rooted, terrestrial Orchids, 

 which produce large spikes of shaded purple 

 flowers and require to be grown in pots of ii- 

 brous loam and leaf mould. A somewhat high 

 temperature, say 70° or 75", with plenty of 

 moisture while they are growing, and a consid- 

 erable reduction of both as soon as it is com- 

 pleted, is necessary to cultivate them in per- 

 fection. They are increased by means of 

 offsets. Introduced from Mexico in 1822. B. 

 Tankervillm, is now included under Phaius, 

 which see. 



Bli'ghia. Named in honor of Capt. Bligh, who 

 first carried the bread-fruit to the West 

 Indies. Nat. Ord. Sapindace(B. 



This is called the Akee Tree, and is a plant 

 much esteemed in Africa and the West Indies 

 on account of its fruit, which is as large as a 

 goose's egg, and of a reddish or yellow color. 

 This fruit contains several large seeds, the 

 coating of which is eaten ; it is said to possess 

 an agreeable sub-acid taste, very grateful to 

 the palate. Syn. Cupania. 



Blight. As used by cultivators this term is of 

 vague significance. It is applied to those 

 diseases of grain, etc., which usually depend 

 upon the presence of parasitic Fungi. The 

 Pear Blight so destructive to pear trees for 

 many years past, is now generally believed to 

 be owing to the presence of a Fungus, 

 though not a few still believe that it is to be 

 attributed to a diseased condition of the sap. 

 There have been several theories put forth to 

 account for this destructive disease, and the 

 subject still remains more or less a mystery. 

 Insects have also been charged with producing 

 the disease ; but whatever the cause, all know 

 the results to be only too fatal, and, thus far, 

 without remedy. Blight is not confined to the 

 field and the orchard, but also finds its way to 

 plants in the garden. If Fungi are not the 

 cause of the disease, they may be said to be 

 always present as a result. 



Blind Shoots. A term given to such shoots as 

 do not show flower buds. 



Blood Flo'wer. The common name for Hce^ 

 manthus. 

 West Indian. Aaclepias curaaaavica. 



BCE 



Blood Root. See Sanguinaria Canadense. 

 Blood Wood. Australian. Eucalyptus corym- 



bosa. 



E. Indian. Lagerstroeania Regince. 

 Blue Bells. Campanula rotundifoUa, and Scilla 



nutans. 

 Blue-berry. Vaccinium Pennsylvanicum, etc. 

 Blue-bottle. Centaurea cyanus. 

 Blue Cohosh. A popular name of Caulophyllum 



thalictroides, also called the Pappoose root. 

 Blue Curls. A popular name for the genus 



Trichostema. 



Blue Daisy. Agathea ca&lestis and Aster Tripo- 

 liv.m. 



Blue-eyed Grass. Sisyrinchium Bermudianum. 



Blue Flag. Iris versicolor. 



Blue Grass. Kentucky. See Poa pratensis. 



Blue Gum. See Eucalyptus globulus. 



Blue Palmetto. See Rhapidopkyllum. 



Blue Pea, See Clitoria ternatea. 



Blue Tangle. Dangleberry, Huckleberry. Gay- 

 lussacia frondosa. 



Bluets. Common name for Houstonia ccerulea ; 

 also the French name for Centaurea Cyanus. 



Blue Weed, or Viper's Bugloss. Echium vul- 

 gare. 



Blumenba'chia. In honor of Dr. Blumenbach, 

 of Gottingen, a distinguished comparative 

 anatomist. Nat. Ord. LoasacecB. 



Elegant branched climbing or trailing, an- 

 nua!, biennial, or perennial herbs, with large 

 white or yellow flowers, and generally covered 

 with stinging hairs, which are very objection- 

 able. 



Bocco'iiia. Named after P. Bocconi, M.D., a 

 Sicilian. Nat. Ord. Papaveracece. 



B. cordata, the only species adapted for the 

 border, is a handsome, hardy herbaceous 

 plant, a small clump or single specimen of 

 which would take high rank among ornamen- 

 tai-leaved plants, but unfortunately, it refuses 

 to be kept within bounds, and will. When once 

 established, not only take possession of the 

 border, but the lawn as well; and for this 

 reason, notwithstanding its great beauty, it 

 should not be planted on the lawn. Syns. 

 B. japonica and Macleaya yedoensis. 



BcBhme'ria. Ramee or Ramie. In memory of 

 George Rudolph Bcehmer, a German botanist. 

 Nat. Ord. Urticacem. 



A genus of hei'baceous plants or shrubs, 

 allied to the true Nettles, but differing from 

 them in not having stinging hairs. The most 

 interesting species is B. nivea, the Chinese 

 Grass-cloth Plant. It is a small, shrubby 

 plant, about three or four feet high, throwing 

 up numerous straight shoots, which are 

 about as thick as the little finger, and covered 

 with soft shoi't hairs. Its leaves grow on 

 long hairy footstalks, and are broadly heart- 

 shaped, about six inches long and four broad. 

 They are of a deep green color on the upper 

 side, but covered on the under side with a 

 dense coating of white down, which gives 

 them an appearance like that of frosted silver. 

 The beautiful fabric knoAA-n as Grass-cloth, 

 which rivals the finest eambilc in softness of 

 texture, is manufactured from the fiber ob- 

 tained from the inner bark of this plant. The 

 Chinese bestow an immense amount of care 



