58 Select Plants for Industrial Culture 



Borrago officinalis, Linne". 



Southern Europe, Orient. An annual herb, rich in nitrate of pot- 

 ash, occasionally used for medicinal purposes or as an admixture to 

 salad. Readily disseminating itself; not to be overlooked as a honey- 

 plant. 

 Boswellia papyrifera, Hochstetter. 



Morocco, Nubia and Abyssinia, forming entire forests about Bertat 

 on the Atlas. This tree exudes a kind of Olibanum-resin, and 

 represents apparently one of the hardiest species of this or allied 

 genera. 

 Boswellia serrata, Roxburgh. (B. thurifera, Colebrooke.) 



India. A deciduous tree, living in arid forest-regions. Yields an 

 aromatic resin. The real Olibanum is exuded by B. Carteri (Bird- 

 wood) of Arabia and tropical Africa. 



Boussingaultia baselloides, Humboldt. 



South-America. This hardy climber is well fitted for bowers; the 

 mucilaginous tubers are edible. It is not uncommonly grown as a 

 climber on verandahs, where no severe frosts occur. 



Bouteloua polystachya, Bentham. 



New Mexico, Texas and Arizona. One of the Gramma-grasses of 

 the prairies, called with some other species also Muskit-grass; grega- 

 rious ; famed for nutritive value; fit for arid regions. Dr. Vasey 

 recently enumerated fourteen kinds of Bouteloua, of which B. f oenea, 

 B. eriopoda and B. oligostachya (Torrey) are mentioned as those best 

 liked by the herds; others proved excellent in Argentina. 



Brabejum stellatifolium, Linne". 



South-Africa. The nuts of this small tree are edible, resembling 

 those of our Macadamia ternifolia, to which also Brabejum is closely 

 allied in foliage and flowers. The nuts are also similar to those of 

 the Chilian Guevina Avellana. The fruit should be roasted, otherwise 

 it is deleterious. Flowers sweet-scented. 



Brachychiton acerifolium, F. v. Mueller. 



The East-Australian Flame-tree. An evergreen shade-tree, with 

 magnificent trusses of crimson blossoms. Like B. populneum (R. 

 Br.), eligible for shading promenades, when rapidity of growth is no 

 object. The mucilaginous sap, when exuded, indurates to a kind of 

 Bassorin-Tragacauth. 



Brahea dulcis, Martius. 



Mexico, as far as its northern parts, and ascending to 4,500 feet, 

 A Brahea-Palm has also been discovered as far north as Arizona, 32 

 (Drude). 



Brahea edulis, Herm. Wendland. 



Lower California. Height to 20 feet. The clusters of plum- 

 shaped fruits sometimes weigh' 40 Ibs., and are eaten by domestic 

 animals. 



