I 
B I S 
the feeds, and dried famples of the plant, which are 
not more than fix inches high, though they are the 
entire plants with their roots, but in the garden they 
-grow almoft two feet high. This hath many long,, 
narrow, hairy leaves, fpreading near the ground, 
which are deeply indented on each fide, refqpibling 
thofe of Hawkweed ; from the center arifes the ftalk, 
which divides upward into many fmall branches, 
having no leaves on them, and are terminated by 
loofe panicles of yellow flowers, compofed of four 
petals, placed in form of a crofs. Thefe are fuc- 
ceeded by round compreffed feed-veffels like the 
former, but are fmaller, and the ftyle of the flowers 
bends from them. 
The third fort fends out many oblong hairy leaves, 
which are (lightly indented on their edges; from among 
thefe there arifes a hairy branching ftalk, which grows 
two feet high, and at each joint is placed one oblong 
indented leaf, which half embraces the ftalk at the 
bafe ; each branch is terminated by a clofe fpike of 
pale yellow flowers, which are fucceeded by round 
compreffed feed-veffels like the other forts, but the 
ftyle of the flower, which is joined to them, is (horter 
than thofe of the other fpecies. 
Thefe are all annual plants, which perifti foon after 
they have perfected their feeds. Thefe ftiould be 
fown either in fpring, or the autumn, upon a border 
- of light earth, in an open fituation, where they are 
- to remain for good. Thofe which are fown in au- 
tumn will come up in about three weeks, and the 
plants will live through the winter without any pro- 
tection, fo will flower earlier the following lummer, 
whereby good feeds may always be obtained ; whereas 
thofe which are fown in the fpring, do, in bad feafons, 
decay before their feeds are ripe. The autumnal 
plants flower in June, and the fpring in July, and 
■ their feeds ripen about fix weeks after; which, if per- 
mitted to fcatter, there will be plenty of young plants 
produced without any care. 
Thefe require no farther culture, but to keep them 
clean from weeds, and thin the plants where they are 
too clofe, leaving them eight or nine inches afunder. 
They are preferved in the gardens of thofe who are 
curious in botany, but they have no great beauty to 
recommend them. I have cultivated thefe forts 
many years, and have never obferved either of them 
to vary, therefore make no doubt of their being 
diftindl fpecies. 
BISERRULA. Lin. Gen. Plant. 800. Pelecinus. 
Tourn. Inft. 417. tab. 234. 
The Characters are, 
'The flower hath a tubulous empalement of one leaf, which 
is ereli , and flightly indented at the top in five equal parts , 
the two upper ftanding at a difiance. The flower is pa- 
pilionaceous , having a large roundijh ftandard , whofe edges 
are refiexed. The wings are oblcng , hut floor ter than the 
ftandard ; and the ohtufie keel is of the fame length with 
the wings , bending upward. It hath ten ftamina , nine 
of which are joined, and the other fingle, with their ends 
pointing upward. In the center is fituated an oblong com- 
prejfed germen , fupporting an uwl-foaped ftyle, crowned by 
a fingH, ftigma ; thefe are included in the keel. The germen 
afterward becomes a flat narrow pod, indented on both 
edges like the flaw of the fivord fiflo, having two cells, filled 
with kidney-floaped feeds. 
This genus of plants is ranged in the third fedlion of 
Linnaeus’s feventeenth clafs, intitled Diadelphia De- 
candria, the flower having ten ftamina, joined in two 
bodies. 
We have but one Species of this genus, which is, 
Biserrula. ( Pelecinus .) Hort. Cliff. 361. We have no 
Englifh name for this plant. Pelecinus vulgaris. 
Tourn. Inft. 417. 
This is an annual plant, which grows naturally in 
Italy, Sicily, Spain, and the fouth of France. It fends 
out many angular ftalks, which trail on the ground, 
fubdivicled into many branches, garniflied with long- 
winged leaves, compofed of many pair of lobes, ter- 
minated by an odd one ; thefe are heart-fhaped : to- 
ward the upper part of the branches come out the 
foOE-ftalk of the Lowers, - which fuftains fe vend fmall 
Butterfly flowers, of a purplifh colour, cclLcicd. to- 
gether, which are fucceeded by. plain pods, about one 
inch long, indented on both (ides the whole length,, 
divided in the middle by a longitudinal nerve, con- 
taining two rows of kidney-draped feeds. 
It is, propagated by feeds, which in this country 
ftiould be fawn in the autumn, on a bed of light 
earth, where the plants will come up in about three 
weeks, and will live in the open air very well. Thefe 
ftiould be fown where they are defigned to remain, 
or tranfplanted very young ; for when they are large, 
they will not bear removing. When the plants are 
come up, they will require no other care, but to keep 
them clean from weeds ; and where, they are too near, 
tliey ftiould be thinned to about a foot diftance from 
each other. They flower in June, and the feeds ripen 
in September. 
The feeds of this plant may alfo be fown- in the fpring, 
and treated in the fame manner as before directed ; 
but thefe will not flower till the middle or end of July, 
fo unlefs the autumn proves warm, they will not 
ripen feeds ; for which reafon I have direftedj their 
being fown in the autumn, as foon as they are ripe. 
Two or three of thefe plants may be allowed a place 
in gardens for the fake of variety, but they have not 
much beauty. 
BISLINGUA. See Ruscus. 
BISTORT A [fo called, becaufe the root is turned 
or wreathed into various rings or fpires,] Biftort,. or 
Snakeweed. 
This genus isjoinedto the Polygonum by Dr. Linnaeus. 
This plant flowers in May, and if the feafon proves 
moift, will continue to produce new (pikes of flowers 
till Auguft : it may be propagated by planting the 
roots in a moift fhady border, either in lpring or au- 
tumn, which will foon furnifh the garden with plants, 
for it greatly increafes by its creeping roots. 
The roots of this plant have been recommended for 
tanning of leather, but the trouble of procuring them 
in a fufficiept quantity is too great to anfwer the in- 
tention. 
BIVALVULAR, or Bivalve [of bivalvis] Hufk, 
is one that opens and gapes the whole length, like a 
door that opens in two parts. 
B IX A. Lin. Gen. Plant. 581. Urucu. Sloan. Cat. Jam. 
Orleana. H. L. Mitella. Tourn. Inft. 242. Anotta, 
by the French Roucou. N 
The Characters are. 
It hath a plain, fmall, obtufe empalement, which is per- 
manent ; the flower hath a double feries of petals, the cuter 
confifting of five, which are large, oblong , and equal, the 
inner of the fame number and jhape , but narrower. It ' 
hath a great number of briftly ftamina, which are but 
half the length of the petals, terminated by ereht fummits. 
In the center is fituated an oval germen , fupporting a 
fender ftyle of the fame length with the ftamina, crowned 
by a bifid , compreffed, parallel ftigma. The germen after- 
ward becomes an oval heart-fhaped capfule , a little corn- 
prejfed , covered with fharp briftles, opening with two 
valves, with one cell, and filled, with angular feeds, ad- 
hering to a linear receptacle, which runs longitudinally 
through the capfule. 
This genus is ranged in the firft feftion of Linnaeus’s 
thirteenth clafs, intitled Polyandria Monogynia, the 
flower having many ftamina and one ftyle. 
We have but one Species of this genus, viz. 
Bixa. {Orellana.) Llort. Cliff. 2 1 1 . The Arnotta, or Anotta, 
by the French Roucou. Mitella Americana maxima 
tinctoria. Achioti of Hernandez, 
This ftirub grows naturally in the warm parts of 
America, where it rifes with an upright ftem to the 
height of eight or ten feet, fending out many branches 
at the top, forming a regular head. Thefe are gar- 
nifhed with heart-fnaped leaves ending in a point, 
which have long foot-ftalks, and come out without 
any order. The ftov/ers are produced in loofe panicles 
at the end of the branches, of a pale Peach colour, 
having large petals, and a great number of briftly 
ftamina of "the fame colour, in the center. After the 
flower 
