36 DICTIONARY OF POPULAR NAIVIES BAMBOO 



mopolitan species, being common througbxDut tropical Asia and 

 America. It grows to the height of 100 or more feet, the 

 diameter at the base being about a foot, the upper part termi- 

 nated with widespread leafy branches ; it remains perfect until 

 it flowers, which is rare. When it does flower the whole of the 

 extensive tract of jungle flowers at the same time, and it is 

 recorded that at different times the quantity of seed produced 

 prevented famine in several parts of India. After flowering the 

 stems die. In 1864-66 a general flowering took place in Bengal 

 and other parts of India, and the canes dying caused great 

 inconvenience for want of Bamboo for building and other pur- 

 poses, for, like the cocoa-nut, few plants are more useful in 

 domestic economy than the Bamboo. It is not only used for 

 house-building, but its hollow stems are converted into water 

 pipes and domestic utensils generally. Ornamental trinkets are 

 also made of it. 



The Bamboo is of rapid growth, and attains its full height in 

 a few months in the Palm-house at Kew. Two stems from the 

 same root attained the height of 36 feet in seventy days. The 

 young stems have lately come into repute for paper-making, and 

 it is now being cultivated for that purpose both in the East and 

 West Indies. 



Bamboo, Male, a name in India given to Dendrocalamus 

 strictus, attaining the height of 100 feet or more. Widely dis- 

 tributed throughout India. Its solid stems are used for many 

 purposes, but especially for spear shafts. An alhed species, D. 

 gigantea, is growing in the Palm-house at Kew. 



Banana. {See Plantain.) 



Baneberry {Actma spicatd), a strong -growing perennial of 

 the Buttercup family (Eanunculacea3), a native of ^N'orth 

 America, found also in some districts of the North of England, 

 but rare. Its berries are black, about the size of currant-berries, 

 but poisonous. It is also known by the name of " Herb 

 Christopher." 



Banyan Tree (Ficus lengalensis), a tree of the Mulberry 

 family (Moraceae). In India this is an immense spreading 



