BUTEA 



BUXUS 



C01 



unsymmetrica) : fls. 2 in. long, orange-crimson, very 

 showy; stamens 9 together and 1 free. E. India and 

 Burma. Rheede Hort. Mai. 6 : 16, 17. Reaches a height 



of 50 ft. Inspis- 

 sated juice is known 

 as Bengal or Palas 

 kino, or butea gum, 

 which has astrin- 

 gent properties, re- 

 sembling true kino. 

 Seeds used in India 

 as a vermifuge. The 

 tree yields also 

 stick-lac. The 

 coarse, fibrous ma- 

 terial obtained from 

 the inner bark is 

 used for caulking 

 the seams of boats. 

 Dried fls. yield a 

 yellow or orange 

 dye. 



BUTNERIA: Caly- 

 canthus. 



BUTOMUS 



(Greek, bous, ox, 

 and temno, to cut; 

 the leaves too sharp 

 for the mouths of 

 cattle). Butomacex. 

 Hardy perennial 

 aquatic of easy cul- 

 ture in ponds. 



The Butomacese 

 comprises 3 genera. 

 Butomus is allied to 

 Alisma, but with 

 several ovules in 

 each carpel: peri- 

 anth-segms. all 

 prominent and col- 

 ored; stamens 9; 

 carpels 6, tapering 

 above: Ivs. sedge- 

 like. All the species 

 are referred by DC., in Mon. Phan., Vol. Ill, to B. 

 umbellatiis, and to the Australian Butomopsis, which is 

 also a monotypic genus (by some, however, included 

 in Tenagocharis). 



umbellatus, Linn. FLOWERING RUSH. Fig. 698. 

 Rhizome thick: Ivs. 2-3 ft. long, iris-like, sheathing at 

 the base, 3-cornered: fls. rose-colored, 25-30 in an 

 umbel, on a long scape; sepals 3; petals 3. Summer. 

 Eu., Asia, in still water. Prop, by division. 



BUTTERCUP: Species of Ranunculus. 

 BUTTERFLY WEED: AscUpias tuberom. 

 BUTTERNUT: Juglans. 

 BUTTERWORT: Pinguicula. 

 BUTTON-BUSH: Cephalanthus. 

 BUTTON WOOD: Platanus. 



BUXUS (ancient Latin name). Buxctcese. Box 

 TKEE. Ornamental small trees or shrubs grown chiefly 

 for their handsome evergreen foliage. 



Leaves opposite, short-petioled, penninerved, entire, 

 glabrous or nearly so, coriaceous: fls. monoecious, 

 apetalous, in axillary or terminal clusters, consisting 

 usually of 1 terminal pistillate fl., with usually 6 sepals 

 and with a 3-celled superior ovary with 3 short styles 

 and several lateral staminate fls. with 4 sepals and 4 

 stamens: fr. an obovate or nearly globular 3-pointed 

 caps., separating into 3 valves, each containing 2 shin- 

 ing black seeds. About 30 species in the mts. of Cent. 



698. Butomus umbellatus. 



and E. Asia, N. Afr., and S. Eu., also in W. India and 

 Cent. Amer. 



These are evergreen shrubs of rather slow growth, with 

 shining, small foliage and inconspicuous flowers and 

 fruits. Buxus japonica seems to be the hardiest species, 

 and it has proved quite hardy at the Arnold Arboretum ; 

 and B. microphylla is of aboul the same hardiness, while 

 B. sempervirens is somewhat tenderer; B. balearica and 

 B. Wallichiana are still more tender. B. sempervirens 

 stands pruning very well, and in the old formal gardens 

 of Europe was formerly much used for hedges, and some- 

 times trimmed into the most fantastic shapes; the 

 dwarf variety is still often planted for bordering flower- 

 beds. The very hard and close-grained wood is in great 

 demand for engraving and finer turnery work. 



The box tree thrives in almost any well-drained soil, 

 and best in a partially shaded position. 



Propagation is by cuttings from mature wood early 

 in fall, kept during the winter in the cool greenhouse or 

 under handlights in the open; in more temperate re- 

 gions they may be inserted in a shady place in the open 

 air; 4 to 6 inches is the best size for outdoor cuttings. 

 Layers will also make good plants. The dwarf variety 

 is usually propagated by division. In planting borders, 

 it is essential to insert the divided plants deeply and as 

 firmly as possible, and to give plenty of water in the 

 beginning. Seeds are sown soon after maturity, but it re- 

 quires a long time to raise plants of good size from them. 



A. Width of Ivs. less than 

 B. Lvs. oval to oblong-lanceolate, broadest about or below 



the middle: branchlels usually slightly pubescent. 

 sempervirens, Linn. COMMON Box TREE. Fig. 699. 

 Shrub or small tree, to 25 ft.: branches quadrangular: 

 Ivs. oval-oblong or oval, rarely roundish oval or lanceo- 

 late, usually obtuse, %-!% in. long, petioles usually 

 pubescent: fls. in axillary clusters; staminate fls. sessile, 

 with a central gland half as long as the calyx. S. Eu., 

 N. Afr., Orient, China. H.W. 3, p. 29. F.E. 18 pi. 81. 

 Gn. 55 p. 62. Wood much used for engraving. Lvs. 

 employed in medicine. Very variable in size, color 

 and shape of the Ivs.; some of the most commonly 

 cult, forms are the 

 following: Var.ar- 

 borescens, Linn. 

 Fig. 700. Tall 

 shrub or small 

 tree: Ivs. usually 

 oval. The typical 

 form. Var. argen- 

 tea, Loud. (Var. 

 argenteo-margin- 

 ata, Hort.). Lvs. 

 irregularly edged 

 with silvery white. 

 Var. afcrea, Loud. 

 (var. aurea macu- 

 lata, Bail!.). Lvs. 

 variegated with 

 yellow or entirely 

 yellow. Var. mar- 

 ginata, Loud. (var. 

 aurea marginata, 

 Baill. and Hort.). 



Lvs. edged yel- 6gg Buxus sempervirens . , . , ., 

 low. Var. glaflca, The lower spray shows the under surface . 

 Koch (var. ma- 



crophylla glaitca, Hort.). Lvs. oval, glaucous. Var. 

 rotundifolia, Baill. (var. latifdlia, Hort.J. Lvs. broadly 

 oval. Var. Handsworthii, Koch. Of upright habit, with 

 rather large dark green Ivs. Var. oleaefolia, Hort. Of 

 upright habit, with oblong Ivs., resembling those of the 

 olive. Var. elegans, Hort. (var. olesefblia elegans, 

 Hort.). A variegated form of the preceding variety. 

 Var. bullata, Koch. With large bullate Ivs. Var. angus- 

 tifdlia, Loud. (var. longifolia, Hort., var. salicifolia, 



