BRO 
Triandria Digynia class and order. Natural 
order of Gramina or Grasses. Essential cha- 
racter : calyx two-valved ; spikelet oblong, 
columnar, distich ; awn below the top. 
There are twenty -five species. 
The several species of this genus of 
grasses are numerous, and have not yet been 
well distinguised. They have a loose panicle 
like the oat, hence they have been called 
the oat-grasses ; the awn or beard proceeds 
from the back of the glume or chaff, or is 
an elongation of the keel or mid-rib, as in 
the genus Avena; but in that tire awn is 
commonly twisted, whereas in this it is 
straight ; modern writers, therefore, distin- 
guish them by the name brome-grasses. The 
festuca is scarcely different from bromus as 
a natural genus ; in that, however, the chaff 
is either very much pointed, or terminates in 
an awn ; but that of bromus always comes 
to the tip. The genus triticum, or wheat, 
agrees with it in this respect; and, there- 
fore, some have thought there is no mark of 
distinction between them ; it is, however, 
distinct in the inflorescence or manner of 
flowering in a spike ; whereas bromus, fes- 
tuca, and avena, bear their flowers in a 
panicle. 
BRONCHIA, in anatomy, the ramifica- 
tions of the trachea. See Anatomy. 
BRONZE, in the arts, a compound me- 
tal, composed of from 8 to 12 parts of tin 
combined with 100 parts of copper. It is 
of a greyish yellow colour, harder than cop- 
per, less liable to rust, and more fusible, so 
as to run thin, and be easily cast in a mould. 
Hence its use in casting statues. The 
metal of which the artillery is cast is of a 
similar composition, containing rather less 
tin. An alloy similar to bronze was much 
in use among the ancients, as well for war- 
like weapons as for medals, coins, Sec. 
BROOM. See Genista. 
BROSIMUM, in botany, a genus of the 
Oioccia Monandria class and order. Essen- 
tial character: male, ament globular, co- 
vered all round with orbicnlate, peltate 
scales; corolla none; filament solitary, be- 
tween the scales : female, ament as in the 
male ; corolla none ; style bifid ; berry one- 
seeded. There are but two species. B. 
alicastrum is a tree frequent in the island of 
Jamaica. It is computed to make up about 
a third part of the woods in the parishes of 
St. Elizabeth and St. James. The timber 
is not much esteemed; but the leaves and 
young branches are more useful, being fat- 
tening fodder for all sorts of cattle. The 
fruit boiled with salt-fish, pork, beef, or 
BRO 
pickle, is frequently the support of the 
negroes and poorer sort of white people 
in times of scarcity, and is a wholesome and 
not unpleasant food : when roasted, it eats 
something like our chesnuts, and is called 
bread-nut. B. spunium, is called milk- 
wood, and is common in St. Maiy’s parish, 
Jamaica. It rises to a considerable height 
in the woods, is reckoned among the timber 
trees, and is sometimes used as such, though 
not much valued. 
BROSS/EA, in botany, so named from 
Guy de la Brojsse, a genus of the Pentan- 
dria Monogynia class and order. Natural 
order of Bicornes. Eric®, Jussieu. Essen- 
tial character: calyx fleshy; corolla trun- 
cate ; capsule five-celled, many-seeded. 
There is but one species : viz. B. coccinea. 
An obscure plant, and the character doubt- 
ful, except what Plunder has said of it. In 
stature it is something like the codon. 
Branches alternate ; leaves alternate, ovate, 
serrate, petiolate; flowers few, terminating 
the branches, alternate. It is a native of 
South America. 
BROTERA, in botany, a genus of the' 
Didynamia Gymnospermia. Calyx five- 
awned ; middle segment of the lower lip of 
the corolla hodded, involving the stamina 
and style, and protruding them with a jerk. 
One species, B. persica, found in Persia. 
BROWALLIA, in botany, given by 
Linnams in honour of Job. Browallius, 
Bishop of Aboa, a genus of the Didynamia 
Angiospermia class and order. Natural 
order of Lunidae. Scrophulariae, Jussieu. 
Essential character: calyx five-toothed; 
corolla border five-cleft, equal, spreading’ 
with the navel closed ; anthers two larger • 
capsule one-celled. There are two species : 
B. demissa, spreading Browallia; and B. 
elata, upright Browallia. These are herba- 
ceous annual plants, with alternate leaves. 
The flowers are either axillary or terminat- 
ing. They have the habit of the solanaceous 
plants, and like them have the peduncle 
inserted either over against or at the side of 
the peticles. The former is a native of 
Panama, the latter of Peru. They both 
flower from July to September. 
BROWNEA, in botany, from Dr. Patrick 
Browne, a genus of the Monadelphia De- 
candria. Natural order of Lomentaceae. 
Leguminosae, Jussieu. Essential character : 
calyx unequally bifid: corolla double- 
outer five-cleft ; inner five-petalled : legume’ 
two-celled. There are two species: B. 
coccinea is a small tree, growing to the 
height of eighteen feet. When in flower it 
