BERBERIS 



153 



BENI, JAPANESE. See Caryopteris Mastacanthus. 



BENINCASA (name of an Italian nobleman). Ciieur- 

 bitdcea-. One species from E. Ind. Annual, running, 

 squash-like herbs, with solitary yellow monoecious fls., 

 the staminate long-peduncled, the pistillate nearly ses- 

 sile ; corolla deeply lobed ; tendrUs 2-3-branched. 



cerifera, Sari. Fig. 223. Wax Gourd. Zit-kwa. 

 Chinese Preserving Melon. Chinese Watermelon. 

 Vine long, like a muskmelon, hairy, with cordate lobed 

 Ivs.: fr. mostly oblong, 10-16 in. long, hairy, white- 



223. Bcnincasa ccrifei 



waxy, with solid white flesh and small, cucumber-like 

 seeds. Cult, the same as muskmelon or cucumber. 

 R.H. 1887:540. -Recently int. into the U. S. (Bull. 67, 

 Cornell Exp. Sta.), and used for making preserves and 

 sweet pickles ; said to be eaten raw in warm countries. 

 L. H. B. 

 BENJAMIN BUSH. Benzoin odoriferum. 



BENT GRASS. See Agrostis. 



BENTHAMIA. Referred to Cormis. 



BENZOIN (of Arabic or Semitic origin, meaning a 

 gum or perfume). Syn., Lindern. Laiirilceie. Trees 

 or shrubs, aromatic ; Ivs. alternate, usually deciduous, 

 entire or sometimes 3-lobed : fls. polygamous-dioecious, 

 apetalous, small, in axillary, umbel-like clusters ; calyx 

 6-parted ; staminate fls. with 9 stamens : fr. a berry. 

 About 60 species in trop. and E. Asia and N. Amer. 

 Some E. Asiatic species yield an odorous oil, used in 

 perfumery. Only a few deciduous species are cult. 

 They are attractive on account of their handsome foli- 

 age, which turns bright yellow in fall, and their black 

 or scarlet fr. The hardiest species is B. odoriferum, 

 though B. obtiisilobtim and J?, hypoglaticviii may also 

 be grown north in sheltered positions. They thrive best 

 in peaty and sandy soil. Prop, usually by seeds sown 

 after maturity; also by layers, which root best in peaty 

 soil ; of greenwood cuttings under glass, one-half may 

 be expected to root. The Benzoin of the druggists is a 

 balsamic resin obtained from Styrax Benzoin. 



odoriferum, Nees (Lindira Bhizoin, Blume). Spice 

 Bush. Benjamin Bush. Wild Allspice. Fever Bush. 

 Fig. 224. Shrub, 6-15 ft., nearly glabrous : Ivs. oblong- 

 obovate, finely cUiate, bright green, pale beneath, 3-5 in. 

 long: lis. yellow, before the Ivs.: berry red, oblong, 

 spicy. N. Eng. southward and west to Kans. Em. 365. 

 —The bark is aromatic, stimulant, tonic, astringent. 



B. wstimle, Nees=B. odorifenim.— B. grAcile, 0. Kuntze 

 (Daphuidium gracile, Nees). Lvs. ovate, 3-nerved, charta- 

 ceous. Habitat unknown. Stove plant.— .B. hypoglartcum^ 

 Rehd. (Lindera hypoglauca, Max.). Lvs. penninerved. glau- 

 cous beneath : clusters few-fld.. with orbeforetbelvs.i berries 

 black. Japan.— i?. »)e/(>S(7('^n(H(, Nees. Allied to B. odorifermn. 

 Branches pubescent : lvs. oliloiig, downy beneath. S. states. 

 B.M. 1470.— B. obtusilobiini. (l. Kuntze. Lvs. 3-nerved. ovate or 

 3-lobed: clusters many-Hd.: berries black. Japan. G.l\ 6:295. 

 ~~B. prtecox, S. & Z. Lvs. penninerved, elliptic-oblong : clus- 

 ters few-Hd., before the lvs.; berries brownish, Min. diam. 

 Japan.— i?. seri^eum, S. & Z. Lvs. penninerved, pubescent be- 

 neath : clusters many-tld., witli the lvs. Japan. 



Alfred Rehder. 



BERB£RID6FSIS (from Berberis and Greek opsis, 

 likeness). BerberidAcew. Climbing evergreen shrub : 

 lvs. alternate, petioled, dentate : fls. on long pedicels In 

 terminal racemes ; bracts, sepals and petals gradually 

 passing into one another, 9-15, the inner ones concave ; 

 stamens 8-9 : fr. a berry. One species in Chile. Orna- 

 mental low-climbing shrub, with deep green foliage and 

 crimson lis. in drooping racemes, for temperate regions 

 or the cool greenhouse, growing in almost any soil. 

 Propag. by seeds sown in spring, by greenwood cuttings 

 in spring, or by layers in autumn. 



coralllna, Hook. Lvs. cordate, oblong-ovate, coarsely 

 spinulose-dentate, 2-3 in. long : fls. globose, over Yz in. 

 long, crimson, in many-fld. leafy racemes. B.M. 5343. 

 F-S- 20:2137. Alfred Rehder. 



BfiRBEEIS (Arsibic name). Berberiddceie. Bar- 

 BERBV. Shrubs, with yellow inner bark and wood, often 

 spiny : lvs. alternate, often fasciculate, usually glabrous, 

 simple or pinnate, deciduous or persistent, mostly spin- 

 ulose-dentate : fls. in racemes, rarely umbellate or soli- 

 tary ; sepals, petals and stamens 6 : fr. a 1-celled berry 

 with one or several oblong seeds. Nearly 100 species in 

 America from Brit. Col. to Patagonia, Asia, Eu., and N. 

 Afr. Low ornamental shrubs, of which a large number 

 is cultivated. Most of the deciduous species are quite 

 hardy, while the evergreen ones are to be recommended 

 for more temperate regions, except /J. Aquifolinm and 

 B. repens, which may be cultivated even north in some- 

 what sheltered positions. Both evergreen and deciduous 

 kinds are very attractive in spring, with their bright or 

 orange-yellow fls., and in fall with their red, dark blue 

 or nearly black fruits. Some, as B. Amurensis and B. 

 Thunbergii, while amongst the handsomest in fr., 

 assume a splendid fall coloring. They grow in almost 

 any soU, but prefer drier situations ; the evergreen 

 species thrive best in a sandy compost of peat and 

 loam. Prop, by seeds sown soon after maturity, or 

 stratifled and sown in spring ; even B. vulgaris, var. 

 atropurpurea, may be increased in this way, as a large 

 percentage comes 

 true. The evergreen 

 species grow from 

 cuttings in Septem- 

 ber, placed in sand 

 under glass. Most of 

 the deciduous species 

 can be grown from 

 greenwood cuttings, 

 taken from forced 

 plants in spring and 

 put under glass with 

 slight bottom heat. 

 Layers put down in 

 autumn usually re- 

 main 2 years before 

 they can be sepa- 

 rated. Some species 

 may be propagated by 

 suckers. Rarer kinds 

 and varieties are 

 sometimes grafted on 

 B. vulgaris or Thun- 

 bergii, in August 

 or September under 

 glass, or in early 

 spring in the green- 

 house. The root 

 and the inner bark 



for dyeing yellow. 

 Some species have 

 medicinal properties. 

 In wheat-growing 

 districts, planting of 

 Berberis should be 

 avoided, as it is the 

 host of the ^iTciiJi eon -stage of Puccinia graminis, a fun- 

 gus which causes the wheat-rust. Destroying the Ber- 

 beris, however, will not check the propagation of the 

 fungus, as it is able to grow and to spread for years 

 without forming the ^cidiMm-stage. Monogr. of spe- 



