HENDEKSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS. 



BAR 



Flowers are white, blue, or yellow. They grow 

 in any good garden soil, and are increased by di- 

 vision. 



Barbarea. Winter Cress. So named on ac- 

 count of its having been formerly called the 

 Herb of St. Barbara. Linn. Telradynamia;. Nat. 

 Ord. BrassicacecK. 



B. vulgar is is a hardy herbaceous plant, in 

 early days esteemed as a salad. It closely re- 

 sembles the common Water Cress, but grows on 

 dry soils. Its use is now discarded. It is a na- 

 tive of Europe, and has become naturalized in 

 some parts of this country. 



Barberry. See Berberis. 



Barkeria. After the late Mr. Barker, of Birming- 

 ham, Eng., an ardent cultivator of Orchids. Linn. 

 Gynandria-Moiutndria. Nat. Ord. Orchidacece. 



A small genus of very beautiful epiphytal Or- 

 chids, natives of Mexico and Central America. 

 They closely resemble the well-known genus 

 Epidendrum. B. sppctabUis, called in Guatemala 

 Flor de Isabel, is the finest species. It is one of 

 the votive offerings of the Catholics in that 

 country. The plants should be grown in bas- 

 kets of moss in a warm house. They are in- 

 creased by division. Introduced in 1843. 



Barleria. After the Rev. J. Barrelier, of Paris. 

 Linn. Didynamia-Angiospermia. Nat. Ord. Acan- 

 ihacece. 



A large genus of herbs and shrubs, natives of 

 the tropical regions of both the Old and the 

 New Worlds. The flowers are purple, yellow, 

 orange, or white, produced in axillary or termi- 

 nal spikes or heads. But few of the species have 

 been introduced into the garden or green-house. 

 B. cristaia, a native of the East Indies, is a pret- 

 ty little hot-house evergreen plant, bearing its 

 purplish-lilac flowers ir great profusion in 

 summer, making it a desirable border plant. 

 It is propagated by cuttings. Introduced in 

 1796. 



Barley. The common name for Hordeum. 



A genus of grain-bearing grasses, the most 

 important of the species being H. vulgare, our 

 common Spring Barley, a grain that has been 

 the longest in cultivation, and is more generally 

 used than any other. The Egyptians have a tra- 

 dition that Barley was the first grain made use 

 of by man, and trace its introduction to their 

 goddess Isis. Pliny, in his Natural History, 

 speaks of its great antiquity, but gives no ac- 

 count of its origin, which is as little known as 

 that of Wheat. Of the kinds under cultivation, 

 H. vulqare is the common four-rowed, //. cfe- 

 tichon the two-rowed, and H. hemstichon the 

 Winter Barley, which has six rows of grain, 

 each row terminating in a long beard. This is 

 the species most generally cultivated in this 

 country. 



Barnardia. Named in honor of E. Barnard, F.L.S. 

 Linn. Ilexandria-M<mo</ynia. Nat. Ord. LUiacen: 

 A small genus of half-hardy bulbs from China 

 and Japan. The flowers are pale blue, similar 

 to the ScOto, and from the resemblance the fin- 

 est species has been called jB. scillioides. They 

 require to be grown in a frame. Propagated by 

 offsets. Introduced in 1819. 



Barnyard Grass. The common name for Pa ni- 

 cum Ciiis-gaUL 



Bartonia. Named after Dr. Barton, one of our dis- 

 tinguished botanists. Linn. Icosandria-Monwni- 

 nia. Nat. Ord. 'Loasacecu. 



B. aurea, a native of California, is a splendid 

 annual, with golden yellow flowers, which have 

 quite a metallic luster when the sun shines 



BAY 



upon them. The seed-pod is curiously twisted. 

 Like all the Californian annuals, it is very apt to 

 die off if the roots become at all withered by 

 drought, or if the collar of the plant be exposed 

 to the full heat of the sun; and thus it does 

 best when grown in masses, so that the ground 

 may be quite covered with its leaves. It suc- 

 ceeds best in a moist situation. Introduced in 

 1834. 



Basella. Malabar Nightshade. Its Malabar name. 

 Linn. Pentandria-Trigynia. Nat. Ord. Basella- 

 cece. 



A genus of climbing plants, mostly biennial. 

 B. alba and B. cordifolia are grown in the East 

 Indies as pot-herbs, and are used as a substitute 

 for Spinach. Some of them are also grown in 

 France, to furnish the Paris market with sum- 

 mer Spinach, and they are grown for the same 

 purpose in China. B. rubra, a variety of B. cor- 

 difolia, yields a rich purple dye. Some of the spe- 

 cies have tuberous roots. B. alba is suitable for 

 a suspended pot or basket, being quite pretty 

 when in bloom. B. lucida, when in fruit, is a 

 very interesting plant. Propagated by division 

 and by seed. 



Basil. See Ocymum. 



Basil Thyme. Common name for Calamintha 

 Nepeta. 



Bassia. Butter Tree. Named after M. Bassi, 

 Curator of the Botanic Garden at Boulogne. 

 Linn. Dodecandria-Monogynia. Nat. Ord. Sapota- 

 cece. 



Tall trees, natives of the hottest parts of the 

 East Indies and Africa; the leaves are alternate, 

 produced in terminal tufts. The trees are of 

 considerable importance in their native coun- 

 tries. B. butryacea yields a thick, oil-like butter 

 from its fruit. It makes good soap, and is adapt- 

 ed for burning. From the juice of the flowers 

 a kind of sugar is prepared. The fruit qf the 

 Illupie Tree, B. longifolia, yields oil for lamps 

 and various other purposes; it is also used 

 for food. B. Parkii is the Shea Tree, or Butter 

 Tree, mentioned by Mungo Park in his travels. 

 Some of the species furnish a very valuable tim- 

 ber for the mechanic arts. 



Bass wood. See Ti/ia. 



Bastard Pennyroyal. See Trichostema dichoto- 

 mum. 



Batatis. Its Indian name. Linn. Pentandria- 

 Monogynia. Nat. Ord. ConvohrulacecK. 



A somewhat extensive genus of tuberous- 

 rooted climbing plants, tender or half-hardy. 

 Some of the species are handsome green-house 

 climbers, with large, purple, snowy flowers. As 

 the flowers fade quickly and have no commer- 

 cial value, the species are rarely cultivated. 

 The most interesting species is B. edulis, the well- 

 known Sweet Potato, for description of which 

 see Potato. The several species are natives of 

 Mexico, South America, and the East Indies. 



Batemannia. In compliment to James Baieman, 

 a celebrated English collector and cultivator of 

 Orchids, and author of the "Orchidaceaa of 

 Mexico and Guatemala." Linn. Gynandria- 

 Monandria. Nat. Ord. Orchida&XB. 



A small genus of epiphytal Orchids, most of 

 which have small, inconspicuous flowers. Bate- 

 mannia, Burlii is a very rare and showy plant, 

 with flowers three inches in diameter, of a red- 

 dish brown, with yellow spots, lip white and 

 dark purple. They require to be grown in a 

 house with moderate heat, and to be watered 

 with great caution. Introduced in 1839. 



Bayberry. See Mi/rica. 



