HENDERSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS. 



27 



BID 



Some of the species are the last trees found as 

 we approach the snow in the most elevated dis- 

 tricts. This genus is largely represented in our 

 Northern States by 13. alba, the common White 

 Birch, which, from the tremulous habit of the 

 foliage, is in some localities called Poplar Birch. 

 This species is remarkable for its elegance. It 

 seldom divides the main stem, which extends to 

 the summit of the tree, giving out from all parts 

 numerous slender branches, forming a very neat 

 and beautiful spray of a dark chocolate color, 

 contrasting finely with the whiteness of the 

 trunk. When grown as a single specimen this 

 tree assumes a beautiful pyramidal form, mak- 

 ing a moderate-sized tree of great beauty. B. 

 lenia is the Black or Cherry Birch, so named 

 from its resemblance to the American Black 

 Cherries. The bark of the young twigs of this' 

 species has a sweet, aromatic taste. The wood 

 is dark rose color, fine grained, and much used 

 in fine cabinet work. There are several other 

 native species common in our Northern States, 

 all interesting, mostly low-growing trees or large 

 shrubs. 



Bidens. The botanical name of the well-known 

 Beggar's Ticks. 



Bidwillia. Named after Mr. Bidwill, of Sydney, an 

 ardent cultivator of bulbs. Linn. Hexandria- 

 Monogynia. Nat. Ord. Liliacece. 



Allied to Anthericum. A small genus of Aus- 

 tralian and Peruvian bulbs. The flowers are 

 white, borne in racemes, and differing but little 

 from the Asphodelus. Propagated by offsets. 



Bignonia. Trumpet Creeper. Named after Abbe 

 Bignon, librarian to Louis XIV. Linn. Didyna- 

 inia-Anf/iospermi<t. Nat. Ord. Bignoniacece. 



An extensive genus of highly ornamental 

 plants, and the type of an order equally beauti- 

 ful. Most of the species are hot-house, climbers, 

 though a few assume a more arborescent char- 

 acter, and one, B. radicans, (Tecoma radicans,) 

 is sufficiently hardy to withstand our severest 

 weather when trained against a wall. The flow- 

 ers of all are large and showy, produced in pan- 

 icles, and are of various colors, red, blue, white, 

 or yellow. They should be grown in rich loam, 

 in a sunny position, or they will not flower well. 

 Introduced in 1820. 



Bilberry. See Vacciniiim. 



Billardiera. Apple Berry . Named after LabUlar- 

 diere, a French botanist. Linn. Pentandria-Mono- 

 yynia. Nat. Ord. PittisporacecK. 



A small genus of green-house evergreen climb 

 ers, natives of Australia and Tasmania. The 

 species are not remarkable for beauty of plant 

 or flower, but are highly esteemed for their sub- 

 acid fruit, which is pleasant and wholesome. 

 The fruit is a small berry, either blue or amber- 

 colored. Propagated by cuttings. 



Billbergia. Named after Billberg, a Swedish 

 botanist. Linn. Hexandria-Monogynia. Nat. Ord. 

 Bromeliacece '. 



These are handsome plants when well grown. 

 The colors of the flowers are at once rich, vivid, 

 and delicate, and are usually contrasted in the 

 highest manner by the equally bright tints of 

 the colored bracts. They should be grown in 

 pots of rich loam plunged into an active hot-bed 

 until the growth is completed, when a cooler 

 and drier place, as on a shelf of the hot-house, 

 will induce them to flower freely. Propagated 

 by suckers. Introduced from Brazil in 1825. 



Bilstead. A common name of the Lijuidambar. 



Bindweed. See Convolvulus. 



Birch. See Belula. 



BLU 



Birthroot. Trulimn ereduin and Lewisia, which 

 see. 



Birthwort. See Aristolochia. 



Bitter Sweet. A popular name of the Celastrus 

 scandens, and also applied to Solanum Dulcamara. 



Bitter Weed. A common name of one of the 

 species of Ambrosia, A. artemisicKfolia, Hog- 

 Weed. 



Black Alder. Winterberry. See Ilex verticillata. 



Blackberry. See Rubus. 



Blackberry Lily. See Pardanthus. 

 ' Black Bindweed. See Potygonum convolvulus. 



Black Gum or Sour Gum. See Nyssa multiftora. 



Black Haw. See Viburnum prunifolium. 

 i Black Hoarhound. See Battota nigra. 



Black Jack or Barren Oak. See Quercus nigra. 



Black Moss, Florida Moss. See TiUandsia uwie- 

 oides. 



Black Mustard. See Sinapis. 



Black Oat Grass. See Stipa avenacea. 



Black Oyster Plant. See Scorzonera. 



Black Pepper. See Piper. 



Black Snake-root. See Smicula Marilandica. 



Black Thorn. A common name applied to Pru- 

 nus sp'mosa, and also to Cratcegus tomentosa. 



Bladderwort. See Utricularia. 



Blandfordia. Named in honor of George, Mar- 

 quis of Blandford. Linn. Hexandria-Monogynia. 

 Nat. Ord. LUiacece. 



Beautiful green -house bulbs from New South 

 Wales. They should be grown in large pots 

 filled with leaf mould, loam, and sand, placed in 

 the green-house, and, if properly attended with 

 water, will flower freely. The flowers are 

 crimson or orange. Introduced in 1812. Prop- 

 agated by seeds and offsets. 



Blazing Star. A common name of Liatris squar- 

 rosa, and also given to Chamcelirium luteum. 



Blechnum. From blechnon, a Greek name for a 

 Fern. Linn. Cryptogamia-Mices. Nat. Ord. Poly- 

 podiacece. 



A considerable genus of Ferns, of the same 

 group as Lornaria, the distinction between the 

 two consisting in the fructification of Loma- 

 ria being marginal, and that of Blechnum be- 

 ing within the margin. The genus contains a 

 considerable number of species, which are 

 abundant in tropical countries, South America 

 and the West Indian islands having contrib- 

 uted the greatest number. 



Bleeding Heart. The popular name of Dielytra 

 (Diclytra, Dicentra) spectabilis. 



Blessed Thistle. Onicus Benedictus. A genus of 

 Thistles, natives of the Levant and Persia. 

 Naturalized and common on the roadsides in 

 the Southern States. 



Bletia. Named after a Spanish botanist of the 

 name of Blet. Linn. Oynandria-Monandria. Nat. 

 Oid.Orchidacece. 



Pretty, tuberous-rooted, terrestrial Orchids, 

 which require to be grown in pots of fibrous 

 loam and leaf mould, and produce large spikes 

 of shaded purple flowers. A somewhat high 

 temperature, say 70 or 75, with plenty of 

 moisture while they are growing, and a consid- 

 erable reduction of both as soon as it is com- 

 pleted, is necessary to cultivate them in per- 

 fection. They are increased by means of off- 

 sets. Introduced from Mexico in 1822. 



Blood-root. See Sanguinaria. 



Blue Bells. See Campanula rotundifolia. 



Blueberry. See Vaccinium. 



Bluebottle. See Gentaurea cyanus. 



Blue Cohash. Popular name of Caulophylium 

 thdictroidvs, which is also called Pappoose-root. 



