64 DICTIONARY OF POPULAR NAMES BROOM 



spikelets, bearing nnmerous small corn-grains, wliich after being 

 removed the spikelets become hard and rigid, and are used 

 for making house brooms. For this purpose it is extensively 

 cultivated in parts of the United States, especially Ohio. Great 

 quantities of the spikelets and broom handles are imported to 

 this country, 



Broom Rape, a name for a certain class of plants growing 

 on the roots of others, and therefore termed parasitical ; the 

 typical genus of Broom Eapes is Orobanche. Of this genus, which 

 gives the name to the family (Orobanchacese), six species are 

 described as being natives of Britain. The most conspicuous is 

 0. 7najor, which grows upon the roots of broom and furze ; it 

 consists of a fleshy stem a foot or more in height, of a brownish 

 yellow colour ; instead of leaves it is furnished with numerous 

 pointed scales, terminated by a head of monopetalous bilabiate 

 flowers. The other species are similar in habit, but of less size, 

 and are found on the roots of furze, flax, clover, wild carrot, etc. 

 They possess no special properties, but are troublesome weeds, 

 especially those growing on clover and flax, doing irrej)arable 

 mischief. 



Brucine. {See Nux Vomica.) 



Brush Grass {Andro]oogon grylhis), a strong growing peren- 

 nial grass, native of the South of Europe. It has stiff wiry 

 roots, which are largely imported into this country for making 

 toilet and other brushes. 



Brussels Sprout. {See Cabbage.) 



Bryony {Bryonia dioica), a common British plant of the 

 Gourd family (Cucurbitaccce), climbing over hedges and adorn- 

 ing them with its beautiful berries in autumn, which are higlily 

 poisonous. The plant has a thick, long, fleshy root, often 

 double, or made to grow so by herb collectors in order to con- 

 vert them into the form of a man, these are called Mandrakes, 

 and are occasionally to be obtained as curiosities. It is a 

 dangerous purgative. 



Bryony, Black {Tamus communis), a tuberous -rooted herb 

 of the Yam family (Dioscoreacese), native of roadsides and waste 



