673 



BRYACE.E. 



BUBO. 



674 



Professor Lindley. It has an inferior calyx in 5 divisions, with four 

 bracts at the base ; a monopetalous corolla, almost regular 5-parted 

 inferior withering ; definite hypogynous stamens, alternate with the 

 segments of the corolla ; the anthers collateral, slightly cohering ; a 

 1-celled ovary, with a single erect ovule ; a single stigma inclosed in 

 a 2-valved cup ; a membranous fruit (a utricle) inclosed within the 

 indurated tube of the calyx ; a solitary erect seed without albumen ; 

 the embryo with plano-convex fleshy cotyledons, and a minute inferior 

 radicle. 



This order has t -it one genus, of which there are two species. They 

 are herbs, natives of Australia, having flowers of an azure blue, which 

 are on scapes, collected in heads, and surrounded by enlarged bracts. 

 Although placed by Brown in Goodenmia, Lindley thinks it differs 

 essentially from that order " in the superior 1-celled ovary and capitate 

 flowers, thus approaching some species of Dipsacece, but differing in 

 the want of an involucel, the erect ovule, superior ovary, and peculiar 

 stigma." It agrees with Composites in inflorescence, in the aestivation 

 of the corolla, in the remarkable joint or change of texture in the apex 

 of its filaments, and in the structure of the ovariuni and seed. Brown 

 remarks, that " in the opposite parietes of the ovarium of Brunonia 

 two nerves or vascular cords are observable, which are co'ntinued into 

 the style, where they become approximated and parallel. This struc- 

 ture, so nearly resembling that of Compontce, seems to strengthen the 

 analogical argument in favour of the hypothesis advanced in the pre- 

 sent paper of the compound nature of the pistillum in that order, and 

 of its type in phsenogamous plants generally; Brunonia having an 

 obvious and near affinity to Goodenovitz, in the greater part of whose 

 genera the ovarium has actually two cells, with one or an indefinite 

 number of ovula in each ; while in a. few genera of the same order, as 

 Dampiera, Diaspasis, and certain species of Scmola, it is equally 

 reduced to one cell and a single ovulum." There is but the genus, 

 Brunonia, with two species, in this order. (R. Brown, Linn. Tram., 

 xii. 132; Lindley, V^JK tattle Kingdom, 266.) 



BRYA'CEJE, a name given to a section of the natural order of 

 Mosses. [Musci.] 



BRYA'XIS, a genus of Coleopterous Insects belonging to the family 

 PtdaphicUf, which by some authors ig arranged with the Brachdytra, 

 but according to Latreille forms the third family of the section Trimera. 

 Technical Characters : Antenna; long, from the third to the terminal 

 joint gradually increasing in size, the three terminal joints forming a 

 large knob ; the last joint much larger than the rest, and somewhat 

 conical in shape ; the two basal joints large ; maxillary palpi distinct ; 

 the apical joints robust ; head rather large ; thorax rounded at the 

 sides; elytra very broad, and covering only the basal half of the 

 abdomen. 



The species of this and allied genera, though minute, are perhaps 

 among the most remarkable of the Coleoptera. In the short wing-cases 

 they appear to evince an affinity to the Brachdytra, but in the number 

 of joints iu the tarsi, a character generally considered of importance, 

 they differ ; they likewise differ from that tribe in having the terminal 

 joints of the antennae immensely large, and in many other characters. 

 They are generally found during the winter and early part of the 

 spring in moss. Nine or ten species have been recorded as British. 



BRYO'NIA. The Wild Hryony or Red Bryony of our hedges, 

 Bryonia diotca, is a plant formerly much employed in rural pharmacy, 

 but now disused. It is a perennial with large fusiform succulent 

 roots, which have a repulsive nauseous odour. From these there 

 annually springs a slender pale-green hairy branching stem, which 

 climbs among bushes by Means of its tendrils, in the manner of a 

 cucumber, to which it is botanically allied, both belonging to the 

 natural order Cucurbitacece. The leaves are palmate, and rough on 

 both sides, with callous points. The stamens and pistils are on dif- 

 ferent flowers on different plants. The flowers in which the stamens 

 are situated are larger than those which contain the pistils. They are 

 whitish with pale-green veins, and the pistiliferous flowers are suc- 

 ceeded by little red berries containing a very few seeds. Its principal 

 use was on account of the powerful drastic properties of its root, 

 which the French call from that circumstance Navet du Diable, or 

 Devil's Turnip. It is excessively bitter, and when dried purges in 

 doses of 30 or 40 grains. Over-doses are extremely dangerous, and 

 even sometimes fatal. Its properties are apparently owing to the 

 presence of a principle called bryonine, analogous to cathartine, which 

 exists in about the proportion of 2 per cent, of the root. It should 

 be gathered in the autumn, after the stem has turned yrllow ; it is cut 

 into slices, which are strung upon a thread, and hung in the air to dry 



BRYONY, BLACK. [TAMUS.] 



BRYONY, RED. [BRYONIA.] 



BRYOl'HY'LLUM, a genus of succulent plants belonging to the 

 natural order Crcusulacece, and remarkable for the singular property 

 possessed by its leaves of budding from their margin. These leaves 

 are of a succulent texture, and sometimes pinnated ; they or their 

 leaflets are of an oblong figure, with a deeply -crenelled border ; when 

 placed in a damp and shady warm place they sprout from the crenels 

 and form young plants a property unknown in the same degree in 

 any other vegetable production. Physiologists however consider that 

 traces of a similar power, exercised in another way, exist in all plants 

 in their carpellary leaves, from whose edges, forming placenta?, ovules, 

 which are theoretically young buds, are constantly produced. 



AT. HJST. DIV. VOL. I. 



The only species is Bryophyllum calycinum, a shrub found in the 

 Moluccas, with panicles of large pendulous greenish-yellow flowers. 

 In this country it is a green-house plant ; but is apt to be eaten 

 by mice. 



BRYOZOA, a name proposed by Ehrenberg for those Zoophytes in 

 which a higher organisation is indicated by the presence of separate 

 orifices for the mouth and anus. The same natxiralist has applied the 

 term Anthozoa to those Polypes in which the mouth and vent have but 

 one orifice. The distinction between these two great families seems to 

 have been observed by Mr. J. V. Thompson previously to the publica- 

 tion of Ehrenberg's name, hence his designation for this family, 

 Polyzoa, ia more generally received. Other names have been given to 

 this interesting family of Zoophytes. Professor Owen calls them 

 Molluscan Zoophytes, on account of their structure being supposed to 

 ally them to the Mollnsca. For the same reason they have also been 

 called Ascidioid Polypes (P. Ascidioida). Milne-Edwards has also called 

 them Tunicated Polypes (Polypes tuniciens). Dr. Farre in a paper in 

 the 'Philosophical Transactions,' 1837, proposes to call them 

 Ciliobrachiata, in reference to the ciliated character of their tentacula. 

 Mr. Busk in his Catalogue of the Zoophytes in the collection of the 

 British Museum, adopts Mr. Thompson's designation of Polyzoa as 

 prior to that of any others. [POLYZOA.] 



BRYUM, a genus of plants belonging to the natural order of Mosses. 

 It has a terminal footstalk; double peristome, outer one of 16 teeth, 

 inner one of a membrane cut into 1 6 equal segments with filiform 

 processes often placed between them ; the calyptra dimidiate. The 

 species of this genus are exceedingly numerous. They are found in 

 great abundance in Great Britain. They are all very small, produce a 

 large number of capsules, and are found growing in wet places. They 

 resemble forests of larger plants in miniature. In B. palustre are 

 found terminal capitular bodies which resemble what are called the 

 anthers of B. Androyynum ; but in B. paluitre they are considered 

 gemmae, and arise not only from the main stems, but also from the 

 innovations. A large number of the species is British. [Musci.] 



(Loudon, Encyclopaedia of Plants.) 



BUBO, a genus of Birds belonging to the family Strigida, separated 

 by Cuvier, and characterised by a small concha, or ear aperture, and a 

 facial disk, less perfect than in the sub-genus Syrnium (Chats-Huans of 

 the French). Two tufts or feathered horns of considerable size adorn 

 the head, and the legs are feathered down to the toeS. 



B. maximut, the Great Owl or Eagle-Owl ; Strix Bubo of Linnaeus ; 

 Le Hibou Grand Due of the French ; Gufo, Gufo Grande, and Gufo 

 Reale of the Italians ; Uhu, Grosse Ohreule of the Germans ; Uff of 

 the ' Fauna Suecica ; ' Buhu of the Lower Austrians. 



Great Owl (Bubo ma.rimiis'j. 



This, the largest of the nocturnal birds, is, there can be little doubt, 

 the Bt/ of Aristotle (' Hist. Anim.' viii. c. 3), and the Bubo funebrit 

 mentioned by Pliny in his chapter ' De Inauspicatis Avibus ' (lib. x. 

 c. 12 and 13), on account of whose advent Rome twice underwent 



2 x 



