HENDERSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS. 



BLU 



Blue Daisy. See Galaihea celestis. 



Blue Flag. See Iris versicolor. 



Blue-eyed Grass. See Sisyrinchium. 



Blue Grass (Kentucky.) See Poa pratensis. 



Blue Gum. See Eucalyptus. 



Blue Tangle, Dangleberry, Huckleberry. See 

 Gaylussaciafrondosa, 



Bluet. See Iloustonia. 



Blue Pea. See Clitoria. 



Blue- Weed. Viper's Buglos. See Echium vulgare. 



Bocconia. Named after P. Boccone, M.D., a 

 Sicilian. Linn. Dodecandria-Monoyynia. Nat. 

 Ord. Papaveracece. 



B. Japonica, the only species adapted for the 

 border, is a plant of quite recent introduction. 

 A small clump or single specimen of i ; would 

 take high rank among ornamental-leaved plants. 

 Unfortunately, it refuses to be kept within 

 bounds, and will, when once established, not 

 only take possession of the border, but the 

 lawn as well; and for this reason, notwithstand- 

 ing its great beauty, it should not be planted on 

 the lawn. 



Bcehmeria. Ramee or Ramie. In memory of 

 George Rudolph Bcehmer, a German botanist. 

 Linn. Monoeda-Tetrandria. Nat. Ord. Urticaceci'. 

 A genus of herbaceous plants or shrubs, allied 

 to the true Nettles, but differing from them in 

 not having stinging hairs. The most interest- 

 ing species is B. nivea, the Chinese Grass-cloth 

 Plant. It is a small, shrubby plant about three 

 or four feet high, throwing up numerous 

 straight shoots, which are about as thick as the 

 little finger, and covered with soft short hairs. 

 Its leaves grow on long hairy footstalks, and 

 are broadly heart-shaped, about six inches long 

 and four broad. They are of a deep green color 

 on the upper side, but covered on the under 

 side with a dense coating of white down, which 

 gives them an appearance like that of frosted 

 silver. The beautiful fabric known as Grass- 

 cloth, which rivals the finest cambric in soft- 

 ness of texture, is manufactured from the fiber 

 obtained from the inner bark of this plant. The 

 Chinese bestow an immense amount of care and 

 labor upon its cultivation and the preparation 

 of its fiber. They obtain three crops of its 

 stems annually, the second being considered I 

 the best. To obtain the fiber, the bark is strip- 

 ped off in two long pieces and carefully scraped 

 with a knife, so as to get rid of all useless mat- 

 ter, after which it is softened and separated into 

 . tine filaments either by steeping it in hot water 

 or holding it over steam. This plant has been 

 introduced into the Southern States, where it 

 grows freely; but the difficulty in separating the 

 fiber, so as to make its production profitable, i 

 has yet to be overcome. 



Bog Moss. See Sphagnum. 



Bog Rush. Juncus. Common in all marsh ' 

 grounds or swamps. 



Bollea. Derivation of name not given. Linn. ' 

 Gynandria-Monandria. Nat. Ord. Orchidaceai. 



A small genus of epiphytal Orchids, consist- 

 ing of only two species, natives of New Gre- 

 nada. They are showy plants, with radical foli- . 

 age, from the base of which the flowers are pro- 

 duced on single scapes. The flowers are shaded ; 

 pink, with a bright yellow lip. They require ' 

 to be grown in pots of moss, in rather a warm ! 

 house, and are increased by division. 



Bolbophyllum. From bolbos, a bulb, and phyl- < 

 Ion, a leaf; referring to the leaves issuing from 

 the apex of the pseudo-bulbs. Linn. Gynandria- 

 Monandria. Nat. Ord. Orchidacea.'. 



BOU 



A genus of dwarf epiphytal Orchids from 

 Africa and the East Indies. More curious than 

 beautiful. Flowers large, single or in pairs; 

 color, yellow, white, with purple spots or stripes. 

 Not often seen in collections. 



Bomarea. Derivation of name not given. Linn. 

 Hexandria-Monogynia. Nat. Ord. AmaryttidacecK. 

 A somewhat extensive genus of tuberous- 

 rooted plants, formerly included in the genus 

 Alstrcemeria, and differing only in the fruit. 

 The species abound in the Peruvian Andes, and 

 are common in other high elevations in South 

 America. B. edulis is a West Indian species. 

 the roots of which are eaten like those of the 

 Jerusalem Artichoke. For further description 

 and propagation, see Alstroemeria. 



Bonapartea. Named in honor of Napoleon Bona- 

 parte. Linn. Hexatidria-Monogynia. Nat. Ord. 

 Bromeliacece. 



A genus remarkable for the gracefulness of 

 their long, rush-like leaves. They are well 

 adapted for growing in vases out of doors in 

 summer. They require a warm house in winter. 

 Propagated by seeds. Introduced from Mexico 

 in 1828. 



Boneset. See Eupatorium. 



Borago. Borage. Altered from cor, heart, and ago, 

 to affect ; referring to the cordial qualities of 

 the herbs. Linn. Pentandna-AIonogynia. Nat. 

 Ord. BoraginacecK. 



Hardy annual and perennial herbs, common 

 throughout Europe. The leaves of B. qfficinalis 

 are sometimes used in salads or boiled as spi- 

 nach. The spikes of flowers are aromatic, and 

 sometimes used in cooling drinks. 



Borecole. Kale, Brussels Sprouts. Brassica oler- 

 acea fimbriata. The chief characteristic of the 

 Borecoles or Kales consists in their not pro- 

 ducing heads like the Cabbage, or eatable flow- 

 ers like the Cauliflower or Broccoli, and by its 

 beautifully cut and curled leaves, which are of a 

 green or purple color, or variegated with red, 

 green, or yellow. Several of the sub-varieties 

 are known in our markets, and extensively 

 grown by market gardeners, the most popular 

 being the Brussels Sprouts and German Greens. 

 The Borecole is a native of the British coasts and 

 the north of Europe. The garden varieties are 

 not many removes from the species. 



Boronia. Named after Boroni, an Italian attend- 

 ant of Dr. Sibthorp. Linn. Octandria-Mono- 

 ijynia. Nat. Ord. KvtacecK. 



A genus of elegant green-house shrubs from 

 New Holland. The flowers are pink or whitish. 

 From the difficulty of growing this plant, it is 

 rarely seen in collections. Propagated by cut- 

 tings. 



Botrychium. Moonwort. From botrys, a bunch ; 

 in reference to the bunch-like form of the fructi- 

 ficat on en the back of the leaf. Linn. Cryptoya- 

 mia-Filices. Nat. Ord. Polypod'uicecK. 



A genus of hardy Ferns, composed of about a 

 dozen species, found in nearly all countries ex- 

 cept Africa. B. lunaria, Moonwort, is found 

 rarely in the North and West. Many of the other 

 species are common in rich woods. 



Bottle-brush. See Inga. 



Bottle-gourd. See Lagenaria vvlguris. 



Bottle-grass. One of the common names of Se- 

 taria. 



Bottle Tree of Australia. See Brachychiton. 



Bougainvillea. Named after the French navi- 

 gator Bougainville. Linn. Octandria-Monogynia. 

 Nat. Ord. Nyctaginaceai. 

 A genus of tropical shrubs, of a climbing or 



