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BIXACEAE 
simple. Frt. a capsule; seeds oo with rich endosperm ; embryo usually 
curved. As defined by Warburg in Nat. Pjl. this order consists of the 4 
gen. Bixa, Cochlospermum, Amoreuxia, and Sphaerosepalum. The 
latter was formerly placed in Guttiferae. B. are placed in Cistiflorae 
by Warming (Eichler), and in Parietales by Benth. -Hooker. These 
authors all include in B. the Flacourtiaceae, treated as a separate 
order by Engler. 
Bixineae (Benth.-Hooker) = Bixaceae (in wide sense; see above). 
Blackstonia Huds. = Chlora Ren. 
Blaeria Linn. Ericaceae (iv. 9). 15 sp. Afr. 
Blakea P. Br. Melastomaceae (1). 30 sp. S. Am., W. Tnd. 
Blandfordia Sm. Liliaceae (in). 4 sp. E. Austr. 
Blatti Adans. = Sonneratia Linn. f. 
Blattiaceae. Dicotyledons (Archichl. Myrtiflorae). 3 gen. with 12 sp., 
Old World trop. They are united to Lythraceae by Benth. -Hooker, 
but differ in the ovary, which is usually united to the receptacle and 
has parietal or sub -basal placentae. Chief genus Sonneratia (Blatti). 
Blechnum Linn. Polypodiaceae. 20 sp. trop. and temp. The British 
fern B. boreale Sw. or B. Spicant Roth. = Lomaria S. Desv. 
Blepharipappus Hook. Compositae (v). 1 sp. W. N. Am. 
Blepbaris Juss. Acanthaceae (iv. b). 40 sp. trop. and sub-trop., 
Old World. Thistle-like plants with the characters of Acanthus. 
The seeds have hairs which swell up when wetted. 
Bletia Ruiz et Pav. Orchidaceae (15). 20 sp. trop. Am. Epiphytes. 
For B. hyacinthina R. Br. see next art. 
Bletilla Reichb. f. Orchidaceae (5). 1 sp. China, Japan. 
Blighea Kon. Sapindaceae (1). 1 sp. trop. Afr., B. sapida Kon., 
cultivated for its frt. The edible part is the fleshy arillate seed-stalk. 
Bloomeria Kellogg. Liliaceae (iv). 2 sp. Calif. 
Blumea DC. Compositae (iv). 60 sp. trop. and sub-trop., Old World. 
Blumenbachia Schrad. (inch Caiophora Presl.). Loasaceae (ill). 55 sp. 
S. Am. The flr. is like that of Loasa. The frt. is twisted and is 
very light. It is covered with grapnel hairs and clings closely to 
fur; as it is carried about the seeds are gradually shaken out. 
Blysmus Panz. = Scirpus Tourn. 
Bobartia Linn. Iridaceae (11). 6 sp. S. Afr. Leaves sword-like, or 
centric like those of onions. 
Bocconia Plum, (inch Macleya Reichb.). Papaveraceae (11). 3 sp., 2 in 
trop. Am., the other, B. [M.) cor data Willd., in China and Japan. 
Fir. apetalous. 
Boehmeria Jacq. Urticaceae (3). 45 sp. trop. and N. temp. B. nivea 
Gaudich. has good “drip-tips” on its leaves (see art. Ficus). It is 
largely cultivated in China for the excellent fibre (Rhea or Chinese 
grass-cloth) obtained from the inner bark (cf. Linum). 
Boerhaavia Vailh Nyctaginaceae (1). 20 sp. Afr., trop. As., Am. 
The anthocarp is often glandular, aiding in seed -distribution. 
