HENDERSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS. 



BER 



of various species of Berberry, and a 

 similar preparation is much used in India 

 as a febrifuge. The pinnate-leaved Ber- 

 berries form the sub-genus Mahonia. The 

 order contains twelve genera and a hun- 

 dred and ten species, among which are 

 Berberis, Leontice, Epimedium, Nandina, 

 Jejfersonia, etc. 

 Berberids. The English term for Berber- 



Berry. A pulpy fruit containing seeds, as 

 the Strawberry. See Bacca. 



Betonica. An old Linnsean name for vari- 

 ous plants, now referred to Stachys. 



Betuline. Birch Camphor, a peculiar resin- 

 ous substance, principally furnished by 

 the Birch Tree. 



Betulacece, (Birchworts.} A natural order 

 of Exogens, belonging to the Monochla- 

 mydeous sub-class of De Candolle, and 

 to the Amental or Catkin-bearing Alli- 

 ance of Lindley. The order consists of 

 trees or shrubs, which have alternate, 

 simple, stipuled leaves, often with the 

 primary veins running straight from the 

 midrib to the margin. The flowers are 

 in catkins, some having stamens only, 

 and others pistils only; and they have 

 scales instead of a perianth, or floral en- 

 velope. The Alder, however, has a four- 

 leaved perianth. The stamens are oppo- 

 site the scales. The ovary is two-celled, 

 with a single pendulous ovule in each 

 cell; there are two stigmas. The fruit is 

 dry, does not open, and is one-celled and 

 one-seeded. The plants are found in the 

 woods of Europe, Northern Asia, the 

 Himalayas, and North America. They 

 also inhabit the mountains of Peru and 

 Columbia, and the antarctic regions. 

 They are mostly timber trees with decid- 

 uous leaves. The bark possesses tonic 

 qualities, and is occasionally employed as 



BIG 



a substitute for paper, and is used by the 

 Indians for making their canoes. It is 

 also used as an astringent for gargles, and 

 for dyeing and tanning. Betula alba is^ 

 the common Birch. Its sap contains su- 

 gar, and by fermentation yields a kind of 

 so-called wine. The empyreumatic oil 

 of the Birch has been recommended in 

 various affections, and is used in the 

 preparation of Russia leather, to which 

 it gives a peculiar odor. The Alder (Al- 

 nus glutinosus) grows in moist places, and 

 the wood has been used for the piles of 

 bridges, on account of its resistance to 

 the action of water. The Eialto of Ven- 

 ice is built on Alder piles, as are many 

 houses in Amsterdam. Sabots are also 

 made of the wood. There are two gen- 

 era, (Betula and Atnus,) and upward of 

 sixty species. 



Beurre. A general name applied to a 

 class of dessert Pears, which have their 

 flesh of what is called a buttery texture, 

 as the name itself indicates. 



Bi. This prefix, in compound words, means 

 turice, as bi-pinnate, twice pinnate. 



Biacuminatus, Biacuminate. Having two 

 diverging points. 



Bialata, Two winged. 



Biarticulate. T wo-j ointed. 

 ! Biaurite. Having two little ears. See 

 Auriculate. 



Bicattose. Having two callosities, as the lip 

 of many Orchids. 



Bicarinate. Having two elevated ribs or 

 keels on the under side, as in the pales of 

 many grasses. See Pales. 



Biceps. Having two heads; a term some- 

 times applied to the keel of a papiliona- 

 ceous corolla, when the ungues of the two 

 petals of which it is composed are dis- 

 tinct. See Ungues. 



Biconjugate. Twice-paired, as when each 



