177 



Cl)c Crea^urn of Matany. 



[bttdd 



ging a detached leaf close down to the soil, 

 when the buds will root into the ground, 

 and form new plants. The species is a native 

 of the Moluccas, Madagascar, the Mauri- 

 tius, <Src, and grows in dry situations in 

 the clefts of the rocks. In the Mauritius 

 it is used as a fomentation or poultice in 

 intestinal complaints. [M. T. M.] 



BR YUM. A large genus of acrocarpous 

 mosses, now subdivided, but formerly 

 almost equivalent to the natural family 

 Bryace^e, which see. [M. J. B.] 



BUBAXIA. A little known genus of 

 Plumbaginacece, having the habit of Gonio- 

 limon, but possessing five clavate and 

 not capitate stigmas. It differs from that 

 genus, as well as from Statice, in having the 

 styles united through a considerable ex- 

 tent of their length, and in the filaments 

 being papillose at the base. The genus is 

 founded on a single species from Algeria, 

 which has not yet been satisfactorily des- 

 cribed, [w. c.] ;.. 



BUBOX. A genus of Umbelliferce, 

 which has an obsolete calyx, and obovate 

 entire petals, with the points bent inwards. 

 The fruit is compressed and has a dilated 

 flattened edge ; while each half of it has 

 on its outer surface four ridges, the central 

 ones filiform, the lateral ones passing into 

 the flattened margins of the fruit. In the 

 channels between the ridges, in the interior 

 of the fruit, are canals containing volatile 

 oil, while on the inner face o£ the two 

 halves are two such canals. The species 

 are natives of the Cape of Good Hope, and 

 have yellowish flowers. B. Galbanum se- 

 cretes a resinous juice somewhat like gal- 

 banum. [M.T.M.] 



BUCAIL. (Fr.) Fagopyrum esculentum. 



BUCCJE. The lateral sepals or wings of 

 the flower of an aconite ; seldom used. 



BUCHANAiSTA. A genus of Anucar- 

 diacece, named in compliment to Dr. Bu- 

 chanan Hamilton, a distinguished investi- 

 gator of Indian botany. The genus consists 

 of Indian trees with simple leathery leaves, 

 hermaphrodite flowers in axillary panicles, 

 with a five, or more rarely a three or four- 

 cleft calyx ; five petals rolled backwards; 

 ten stamens shorter than the petals ; and a 

 ten-lobed disc wrapping round the ovaries, 

 which are five in number, but only one 

 perfect, the remaining four being repre- 

 sented only by the styles. The fruit is a 

 drupe with one seed, borne on a little 

 stalk within it. The seeds of B. laUfolia 

 are eaten by the natives as almonds, and 

 they furnish an oil known as the cheroon- 

 jee oil; the fruits also supply a black 

 varnish. The unripe fruits of B. lancifolia, 

 according to Major Drury, are eaten by the 

 natives in their curries. [M. T. M.] 



BUCKSERA. A large erenus of Hero- 

 phnlariacece, generally distributed over the 

 tropical and subtropical regions of the 

 world. They are stiff scarcely-branched 

 herbaceous plants, with the lower leaves 

 opposite and the upper alternate, and with 



flowers in terminal spikes. The calyx is 



tubular with five short teeth ; the corolla 



tube is straight and slender, and the limb 



has five nearly equal spreading lobes, the 



two upper ones inside in the bud. The 



two pairs of stamens are included in the 



' tube ; they have obtuse one-celled anthers. 



The style is club-shaped. The capsule is 



straight, opening loculicidally in two en- 



, tire valves. [W. C] 



I BUCHU. The same as Bucku. 



BUCIDA. A genus of trees belonging- 

 to Combretacece, native of tropical America 

 and the West Indies, with alternate wedge- 

 shaped entire leaves, smooth or harry on 

 the margins, and axillary peduncles bearing 

 l-ather small, spicate or capitate flowers. 

 Calyx tubular, adhering to the ovary, above 

 which it is bell-shaped and five-toothed 

 at the margin ; corolla none ; stamens ten 

 with long filaments ; style simple, subu- 

 i late ; drupe one-seeded. The ends of the 

 j peduncles sometimes grow into spiny horn- 

 I like excrescenses, from which the genus 

 ; takes its name : (bous) ox. B. Buceras, the 

 j Olive-bark, or Black Olive of Jamaica, 

 ' produceswood which is valuable onaccount 

 of its not being liable to the attacks of 

 insects ; the bark is also used for tanning 

 purposes. [J. T. S.] 



BUCKBEAN. Menyanthes trifoliata. 



I BUCK-EYE. An American name for 

 the species of Pavia and JEsculus, especially 

 ^27. ohiotensis. 



BUCKLANDIA. The name of a genus 

 belonging to the order of witch hazels, 

 having stamens and pistils in the same 

 flower, or in different flowers on the same 

 plant ; or some plants have stamens only, 

 while others have only pistils. The calyx is 

 almost bell-shaped, adherent below to the 

 seed vessel ; the anthers are supported on 

 awl-shaped filaments. The flowers are in 

 head-like groups, each subdivision of which 

 consists of eight flowers. The name Buck- 

 landia, which has also been employed to 

 designate certain fossil species of plants, 

 was given in honour of the late Dr. Buck- 

 land, well knoAvn as a geologist. The only 

 species is an Indian tree with the general 

 aspect of a poplar ; its leaves are alternate, 

 stalked, and variable in outline. [G. DJ 



BUCKLER-SHAPED. Having the form 

 of a small round shield, like a Highland 

 target. 



BUCKTHORN. The common name for 

 Rhamnus. — , DYER'S. Rhamnus infecto- 

 rius. — , SEA. Hippophde rhamnoides. 



BUCKWHEAT. Fagopyrum esculentum. 

 BUCKWHEAT TREE. Mylocaryum Zr 

 gustrinum. 



BUCKU. A name applied in South Africa 

 to several species of Barosma, especially 

 B. crenata, crenulaia, and serratifolia. 



BUD. The young undeveloped branch or 

 flower. 



BUDDLEIA. A large genus of Scropliu- 



