biha] 



Ei)e Exexguxg flf $5fltaug. 



144 



capsule like a long pod, with the partition 

 between its two compartments parallel 

 with the valves or walls of the pod : the 

 seeds arranged in two rows and provided 

 with a membranous wing.:. The wood of 

 some of the climbing species is arranged 

 in four divisions, so as to present a cross- 

 like appearance when cut. The leaves are 

 pinnate or sometimes consist of only two 

 opposite leaflets. The flowers are borne in 

 panicles, and are of various colours, but 

 always handsome-looking. The fruit of 

 most species is either unknown, or but 

 superficially described. [M. T. M.] 



The Bignonias are scandent tendrilled 

 plants, frequently climbing to the tops of 

 the highest trees, their flexible stems, 

 twisted like ropes, sometimes passingfrom 

 tree to tree, descending to the ground at 

 intervals, taking fresh root, and again 

 ascending other trees; in some of the 

 Brazilian forests they are so numerous as 

 to render them almost impassable. 



B. alliacea, the Garlic shrub, or Kane a 

 Vail of the French, is a native of Guiana 

 and the West Indies, and is so called in 

 consequence of the powerful odour of 

 garlic emitted by its bruised leaves and 

 branches. It is a square-stemmed climber, 

 with leaves composed of elliptical leathery 

 leaflets, joined together in pairs ; its flowers 

 are large and white. 



B. Kerereis a climbing shrub with smooth 

 angular stems. Its leaflets are in pairs or 

 threes upon a single stalk, of an elliptical 

 form, and rather hairy upon the under 

 surface ; the flowers are about two inches 

 long, downy, and of a yellow colour. 

 The natives of French Guiana, where this 

 plant is indigenous, use the tough flexible 

 stems as a substitute for ropes ; and from 

 strips of them they weave various kinds of 

 baskets, and broad-brimmed hats which 

 protect them from both sun and rain. 



B. (?) Cliica is the most useful species of 

 the genus. It is a native of Venezuela, 

 New Grenada, and Guiana, and has long 

 climbing stems, which reach to the tops of 

 the trees, where they divide into numerous 

 small branches which support themselves 

 by means of their tendrils. Its leaves 

 consist of eight leaflets arranged in pairs 

 (conjugate), each pair having a tendril 

 betwixt them, and possessing a separate 

 stalk branching from the central leaf-stalk ; 

 the leaflets are oval. The funnel-shaped 

 flowers are arranged in loose drooping pani- 

 cles, and are of a violet colour ; they pro- 

 duce a long flattened pod-like fruit, con- 

 taining numerous winged seeds. A red 

 pigment called Chica on the Orinoco, and 

 Carajuru on the Rio Negro, is obtained by 

 macerating the leaves of this plant in 

 water, and is greatly used by the natives 

 for painting their bodies, so much so that 

 M. Humbolt, in speaking of the natives of 

 the Orinoco, says :— ' To form a just idea of 

 the extravagance of the decoration of 

 these naked Indians, I must observe, that 

 a man bf large stature gains with difficulty 

 enough by the labour of a fortnight, to 

 procure in exchange the chica necessary to 

 paint himself red. Thus we say, in tempe- j 



rate climates, of a poor man, "he has not 

 enough to clothe himself;" you hear the 

 Indians of the Orinoco say, "that a man is 

 so poor, that he has not enough to paint 

 half his body.'" See ARRABiDiEA. [A. S.] 



BIHAI. Heliconia Bihai. 



BIJUGTJS. A pinnate leaf with two 

 pairs of leaflets. 



BIKH or BIKBZMA. The poisonous root 

 of Aconitum ferox. 



BILABIATE. A corolla divided into two 

 separate parts or lips, placed one over the 

 other, as in sage, bugle, and similar plants. 



BILAMELLATE. Consisting of two 

 plates, as many placenta?, stigmas, &c, or 

 bearing two vertical plates, as the lip ©f 

 some orchids. 



BILBERRY. The fruit of Yaccinium 

 MyrtiUus, sometimes called Whortleberry, 

 Whorts, or Hurts in country places. 



BILIMBI TREE. AverrJwa Bilimbi. 



BILLARDIERA. A genus of shrubs 

 belonging to the Pittosporacew, natives of 

 Australia arid Tasmania, with twining 

 stems and alternate leaves; peduncles 

 solitary from the apex of the branches, 

 one-flowered, pendulous; calyx of five 

 subulate sepals ; petals Ave, combined into 

 a tube below, generally yellow, occasionally 

 blue or purple ; stamens five ; style thread- 

 like, stigmas lobed ; berry elliptical or cylin- 

 drical-ovoid, two-celled, many-seeded ; pulp 

 generally resinous. B. mutabilis, however, 

 is said by Backhouse to have pleasant sub- 

 acid fruit which at first is green, and at last 

 amber-coloured. B. longiflora has pretty 

 blue berries. [J. T. S.] 



BILLBERGIA. A genus of Bromeliacece, 

 so called in honour of a Swedish botanist. 

 It is characterised by a superior three- 

 parted calyx ; corolla of three convolute 

 petals, scaly at the base; stamens inserted 

 into the base of the perianth ; style thread- 

 shaped; stigmas linear convolute; fruit 

 berry-like. The flowers are generally T very 

 elegant, bluish-red or yellow, borne on 

 light panicles ; the leaves are harsh and 

 rigid. These plants are found growing on 

 trees in tropical America, and being capable 

 of living without contact with the earth, 

 they are hung on balconies, &c, in South 

 American gardens, where they are much 

 prized for the beauty and fragrance of 

 their flowers. Many species are cultivated 

 for ornament in our stoves. A yellow dye 

 is extracted from the root of B. tinctoria in 

 Brazil. [M. T. M.] 



BILOBTJS. Divided into two lobes. 



BILSTED. An American name for Liqui- 

 dambar Styraciftua. 



BIMESTRAL. Existing for two months 

 only. 



BIMFS. Lasting two years. 



BIXATE, BINUS. In pairs. Also the 



same as Bifoliolate. 



