May.~\ noT-HousE — of repotting, etc. 149 
sively in the West Indies, and the tender part of the top 
is eaten by the natives. A montand is most frequent in 
collections. There is no particular beauty in the flowers. 
They are all easily grown, if plenty of heat be given. (Soil 
No. 12.) 
Aristoldchias, Birth-wort. There are several of these be- 
longing to the hot-house, but none of them deserving 
particular observation, except A. Iccbibsa and A. brasiliensis. 
The leaves are reniform, roundish, cordate, and amplexicaule; 
the flower or corolla is of a curious construction, being in- 
curved, and at the base swelled or saccate, with a large lip, 
and all beautifully spotted ; colour greenish brown. They 
are climbing plants, and require a strong heat. (Soil No. 9.) 
Astrapa-as, three species. A. Wallichii is a celebrated 
plant in Europe, and is frequently met with in our collec- 
tions. It has a profusion of scarlet unibellated flowers, with 
an involucre ; has twenty-five stamens united into a tube, 
bearing the corolla with five petals ; leaves roundish, cordate, 
acuminate, very large, with persistent, ovate wavy stipules. 
The plant is of easy culture, and grows freely, wood very 
strong. (Soil No. 12.) 
Bambiims, Bamboo-cane, two species. Plants of very 
strong growth, and are used in the East Indies, where they 
are indigenous, for every purpose in the construction of huts, 
for furniture both domestic and rural, for fences, boats, boxes, 
paper, &c. It is frequently used as pipes to convey water. 
The species thus useful is B. arundindcea, which grows to 
a great height. We do not mention it as interesting in 
beauty, but as a valuable plant for the many useful purposes 
to which it is applied. It requires to be kept wet. (Soil 
No. 15.) 
Banisterias, a genus of about fourteen climbing evergreen 
plants. Three of them are esteemed, B. fulijeus, yellow 
flowers in racemose spikes, leaves subovate and downy be- 
neath. B. ckrisophylla has beautiful foliage, as if covered 
with a shining gold-coloured dust ; leaves large, oblong, acute. 
B. spl&ndens, flowers in spikes of a yellow colour; foliage 
large and silvery -like ; the pots should be well drained. (Soil 
No. 9.) 
Barrintjtbnias, two species. B. specibsa has produced a 
great excitement among cultivators, and is one of the hand- 
somest plants produced within the tropics. The leaves are 
13* 
