B. arundinacea (reed-like).* Stem very stout, rising like a beautiful column to some 50ft. or 60ft. in height; the laterals producing a profusion of light green leaves, the whole presenting the appearance of a huge plume of feathers. India, 1730. This species is best treated as a stove plant, but it may be placed out of doors in summer. See Fig. 202. (B. F. S. 321.)
B. aurea (golden).* l. lanceolate, acute, light green, distinguished from B. nana by having their under surface less glaucescent, and the sheath always devoid of the long silky hairs. China. This very handsome species forms elegant tufts, with its slender much-branched stems, which attain a height of from 6ft. to 10ft., and are of a light green colour in a young state, ultimately changing into a yellowish hue. Hardy in most parts of the country. See Fig. 203.
B. Fortunei (Fortune's).* l. linear-lanceolate, abruptly pointed, somewhat rounded at the base, on very short hairy stalks, serrated and often fringed with long hairs on the margin, downy on both sides, and distinctly variegated, the transverse veins often of a bottle-green colour. h. 1ft. to 2ft. Japan. A dwarf tufted species, with very slender stem. Quite hardy. There are only variegated varieties of this in cultivation, viz., variegata and argenteovittata. (F. d. S. 1863, t. 1535.)
B. glauca (milky-green). A synonym of B. nana.
B. japonica (Japanese). Synonymous with Arundinaria Metake.
B. Maximowiczii (Maximowicz's). Synonymous with Arundinaria Maximowiczii.
B. Metake (Metake). Synonymous with Arundinaria Metake.
B. mitis (small). l. deep green, lanceolate, acute, striated, clasping the stem; panicle simple, erect, close; spikes long, imbricated. Stem tapering. h. 40ft. Cochin China and Japan. This vigorous-growing species can be cultivated out of doors during summer, and, in most localities, it may be left out all the year.
B. nana (dwarf).* l. lanceolate, acute, glaucous, stoutish, with the footstalks slightly downy. h. 6ft. to 8ft. India, 1826. A rather tender species, requiring to be grown in the stove or greenhouse. SYNS. B. glauca and B. viridi-glaucescens. See Fig. 204.
B. nigra (black). See Phyllostachys nigra.
B. Ragamowski (Ragamowsk's).* l. 9in. to 18in. long, and about 1in. to 3in. broad. China and Japan. This species "can readily be recognised by the tomentose line on one side of the midrib, running nearly the whole length of the leaf on the underside, this line being always on the longer side of the leaf." Hardy. SYN. B. tessellata.
B. Simonii (Simon's).* l. narrow, nearly 6in. to 10in. long, occasionally striped with white. Stems growing with great rapidity, mealy-glaucous at the joints; branchlets numerous, rather closely crowded. h. 10ft. China and Japan, 1866.
B. striata (striated).* l. linear-oblong; culms striped yellow and green. h. 6ft. to 20ft. China, 1874. A very slender and graceful, rather tender, species. May be grown in the open air during summer, and in very favoured spots it is probably hardy, especially if covered with a mat in winter. It makes an excellent pot plant. SYN. B. viridi-striata. (B. M. 6079.)
B. tessellata (tessellated).* A synonym of B. Ragamowski.
B. violescens (nearly-violet).* l. green above, bluish-grey beneath, with an elongated ligule, surrounded by a bundle of black hairs. Stems much branched, blackish-violet. China, 1869. This handsome and vigorous species is intermediate between Phyllostachys nigra and B. nana. It requires protection during winter.
B. viridi-glaucescens (glaucous-green). A synonym of B. nana.
B. viridi-striata (green-striped). A synonym of B. striata.
BANANA, or PLANTAIN. See Musa.
BANEBERRY. See [Actæa.]
BANISTERIA (named after John Baptist Banister, a traveller in Virginia in the seventeenth century, author of a catalogue of Virginian plants, inserted in Ray's "Historia Plantarum"). ORD. Malpighiaceæ. Stove trees or shrubs, frequently climbing. Flowers yellow; calyx five-parted; petals furnished with long stalks; stamens ten. Leaves simple, stalked. They are for the most part very ornamental, but are not often seen in flower in this country. They will grow in a mixture of loam, leaf soil, and peat, with some sharp sand added. Cuttings, made from ripened wood, will root freely in sandy soil, under a hand glass, in stove heat, taking about three or four weeks to do so.
B. chrysophylla (golden-leaved).* fl. deep orange, axillary, corymbose. l. ovate, oblong, acutish, somewhat sinuated towards the top, clothed beneath with golden shining down. Brazil, 1793. Climber.
B. ciliata (ciliated).* fl. large, orange-coloured, umbellate. June. l. cordate, orbicular, smooth, ciliated. Brazil, 1796. Twiner.
B. ferruginea (rust-coloured). fl. yellow; racemes panicled. June. l. 2in. long, ovate, acuminated, smooth above, and shining, rusty beneath, and are, as well as the petioles, clothed with close pressed hairs. Brazil, 1820. Climber.
B. fulgens (glowing).* fl. yellow, in umbellate corymbs. l. ovate, acuminated, smooth above, and clothed with silky pubescence beneath, as well as the petioles. Branches dichotomous. West Indies, 1759. Climber.
B. Humboldtiana (Humboldt's).* fl. yellow; umbels lateral and terminal, sessile. l. roundish-ovate, cordate, rather acuminated, mucronate, membranaceous, smoothish above, clothed beneath with soft hoary down as well as the branchlets. South America, 1824. Climber.
B. sericea (silky). fl. yellow, racemose. July. l. ovate, obtuse, with a mucrone; younger ones downy on both surfaces, adult ones only on the under surface; down of a golden shining colour. Brazil, 1810. Climber.
B. splendens (splendid).* fl. yellow; racemes axillary, dichotomous, umbellate. Floral leaves orbicular, and nearly sessile. l. cordate, kidney-shaped, orbicular, clothed with silky down beneath. South America, 1812. Climber.
BANKS. These are usually formed with a view to increasing the amount of surface ground, and for the acceleration or retarding of vegetable crops, such as strawberries, &c. They should be from 6ft. to 12ft. apart, according to the depth of soil, and run from east to west. In constructing Banks of a uniform size, great care, and a constant use of the garden line, will be found necessary. For the warmest side of the Banks, Dwarf French Beans, Peas, Vegetable Marrows, Cucumbers, New Zealand Spinach, Capsicums, &c., may be grown. On the opposite side, and when a prolonged supply is desired, Cauliflower, Broccoli, Lettuce, Turnip, Spinach, &c., may be sown thinly in drills, to be thinned out, and remain. It needs but little discretion to produce valuable crops by this method.
BANKSIA (named in honour of Sir Joseph Banks, once President of the Royal Society, and a distinguished patron of science, particularly of Natural History). ORD. Proteaceæ. Greenhouse evergreen shrubs, natives of Australia, principally grown for the beauty of their foliage. Leaves variable in form, usually dark green, clothed with white or rufous down beneath; margins deeply serrated or spinous, rarely entire. The following is the mode of culture recommended many years ago by Sweet. The pots should be well drained, by placing a potsherd about half way over the hole at the bottom of the pot, then laying another piece against it that it may be hollow, afterwards putting some smaller pieces all around them, and on the top of these some others broken very small. All the plants belonging to the order Proteaceæ should be drained in a similar manner, as the roots are very fond of running amongst the broken potsherds, and consequently there is less danger of their being overwatered. Care must also be taken not to allow them to flag, as they seldom recover if once allowed to get very dry. The plants should be placed in an airy part of the house when indoors. Cuttings are generally supposed to be difficult to root, but this is not the case if properly managed. Let them be well ripened before they are taken off; then cut them at a joint, and place them in pots of sand, without shortening any of the leaves, except on the part that is planted in the sand, where they should be taken off quite close. The less depth they are planted in the pots the better, so long as they stand firm when the sand is well closed round them. Place them under hand glasses in the propagating house, but do not plunge them in heat. Take the glasses off frequently to give them air, and dry them, or they will probably damp off. When rooted, transfer to small pots; after which, place them in a close, unheated frame, and harden by degrees. Seeds are a very unsatisfactory means of multiplying the stock.
B. æmula (rivalling).* l. 6in. to 10in. long, 1in. broad, linear-oblong, tapering slightly at the base; edges deeply toothed, deep green on both sides; midrib of under surface clothed with rich brown hairs. h. 20ft. 1824. SYN. B. elatior. (B. M. 2671.)
B. australis (southern). A synonym of B. marginata.
B. Caleyi (Caley's). l. 6in. to 12in. long, linear, deeply and regularly toothed from base to apex, dark green above, paler below. h. 5ft. to 6ft. 1830. Said to be an elegant species.
B. collina (hill-loving).* l. 2in. to 3in. long, ½in. broad, linear; apex præmorse, as if bitten straight off; upper surface dark green, silvery below. h. 6ft. to 8ft. 1822. This forms a dense and handsome shrub, especially with its large head of yellow flowers. SYNS. B. Cunninghami, B. ledifolia, and B. littoralis. (B. M. 3060.)
B. Cunninghami (Cunningham's). A synonym of B. collina.
B. dryandroides (Dryandra-like).* l. 6in. to 10in. long, ¼in. broad, pinnatifid, divided almost to the midrib; lobes triangular, deep green above, and reddish-brown below. Stem clothed with reddish-brown hairs. h. 6ft. 1824. This plant is extremely graceful and elegant as a table decoration.
B. elatior (taller). Synonymous with B. æmula.
B. integrifolia (whole-leaved). l. cuneate-oblong, 6in. long, nearly 1in. wide at the broadest part; edges entire; upper side dark green, silvery white beneath. h. 10ft. to 12ft. 1788. SYNS. B. macrophylla, B. oleifolia. (B. M. 2770.)
B. i. compar (well-matched). l. very densely set upon the branches, oblong, tapering at the base, blunt at the apex; edges serrulate; upper side dark olive green, silvery white beneath. h. 6ft., finely branching. 1824.
B. latifolia (broad-leaved). l. 6in. to 10in. long, 3in. broad, obovate-oblong; edges serrated; upper surface deep green, beneath clothed with woolly greyish hairs, those on the midrib bright brown. h. 20ft. 1802. (B. M. 2406.)
B. ledifolia (Ledum-leaved). Synonymous with B. collina.
B. littoralis (shore). Synonymous with B. collina.
B. macrophylla (large-leaved). Synonymous with B. integrifolia.
B. marginata (margined). l. 1in. to 2in. long, ½in. broad, blunt at the apex, armed with several short spines, and tapering at the base, deep green on the upper surface, snowy white beneath. h. 5ft. to 6ft. 1822. SYN. B. australis. (B. M. 1947.)
B. occidentalis (western).* fl. yellow, rather handsome, in spikes about 4in. long. April to August. l. 5in. to 6in. long, ¼in. broad. h. 5ft. 1803. West coast of New Holland. A beautiful species. (B. M. 3535.)
B. oleifolia (olive-leaved). Synonymous with B. integrifolia.
B. Solanderi (Solander's).* l. 4in. to 6in. long, and over 2in. wide, deeply pinnatifid, with three to six pairs of lobes on each leaf; apex as if bitten off; upper side dark green, under silvery white. h. 6ft. 1830.
B. speciosa (showy).* l. 8in. to 14in. long, about ½in. wide, pinnatifid, but divided almost to the midrib; lobes semicircular, with a spine on the end of each; upper side deep green, beneath silvery white, with the midrib clothed with ferruginous woolly hairs. h. 6ft. 1805. Both this and the preceding species are very handsome, and highly deserving of the most extensive culture.
B. quercifolia (Oak-leaved). l. cuneate-oblong, deeply incised at the margins, and having a short spine upon each lobe. h. 5ft. 1805. (B. R. 1430.)
BANKSIA (of Forster). A synonym of Pimelea.
BAOBAB-TREE. See [Adansonia].