Aristolochias, Birth-wort. There are several of these belonging to the Hot-house, but none of them deserving particular observation, except A. labiosa. The leaves are reniform, roundish, cordate, and amplexicaule; the flower or corolla is of a curious construction, being incurved, and at the base swelled or saccate with a large lip, and all beautifully spotted; colour greenish brown. It is a climbing plant, and requires a strong heat.
Astrapœas, three species. A. Wallichii is a celebrated plant in Europe, and a few specimens of it are in this country. It has scarlet unbellated flowers, with an involucre, has twenty-five stamens united into a tube, bearing the corolla with five petals; leaves roundish, cordate, accuminate, very large with persistent, ovate wavy stipules. The plant is of easy culture, and grows freely, wood very strong.
Areca, Cabbage-tree, ten species. They are a kind of palms, with large pinnated leaves, or properly fronds. In their indigenous state they are from six to forty feet high, but in the Hot-house they seldom exceed twenty feet. A. catechu is used in medicine. A. olerácea is cultivated extensively in the West Indies, and the tender part of the top is eaten by the natives. A. montana is most frequent in collections. There is no particular beauty in the flowers. They are all easily grown, if plenty of heat be given.
Brunsvigias are all large bulbs from the Cape of Good Hope, and will keep in the Green-house during winter, but are better where they can obtain a situation in the Hot-house. It is a splendid genus, containing about ten species. Some of the bulbs grow to an enormous size, and all of them while growing require a liberal supply of water; but when dormant it must be wholly withheld, and they should have large pots to make them grow and flower in perfection. B. multiflora, flowers scarlet and green; the leaves lay on the surface of the pot. B. latìcoma, flowers pale purple. B. Josephinæ has splendid rose coloured flowers, and is the most admired species of the genus: the foliage spreading, half erect, and glacous; flowers numerous, and in large umbels, on a stem two feet high, blooming successively; there is a variety that has striped flowers.
Several other species have been given to different genera. B. falcata is now Ammocharis falcata; B. marginata, now Imhofia; and B. cilliaris, is now Buphone cilliaris. They all flower in umbels, on stems from six inches to two feet; flowers lily-like with six petals.
Bambusa, 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. arundinacea, 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.
Banistèrias, a genus of about fourteen climbing evergreen plants. Three of them are esteemed. B. fúlgens, yellow flowers in racemose spikes, leaves subovate, and downy beneath. B. Chrisophylla has beautiful foliage, as if covered with a shining gold coloured dust; leaves large, oblong, acute. B. splèndens, flowers in spikes of a yellow colour; foliage large and silvery like; the pots should be well drained.
Barringtònias, two species. B. speciòsa has produced a great excitement amongst cultivators, and is one of the handsomest plants produced within the tropics. The leaves are large, oblong, acute, shining, with fleshy nerves, tinged with red; the flowers are large, full of stamens with four petals, opens in the evening and fades at sunrise; colour purple and white; grows freely in strong heat.
Brôwneas, five species of splendid plants, but scarce in collections. B. coccínea has scarlet flowers in pendulous bunches, corolla semi-double, foliage bipinnate, in three pairs. B. ròsa, mountain rose of Trinidad. B. grandicéps is the finest of the genus, leaves bipinnated; leaflets cordate, accuminate, downy and pendulous, flowers rose colour, in large close heads. Drain the pots well.