BILBERRY. See Vaccinium Myrtillus.
BILIMBI TREE. See [Averrhoa Bilimbi.]
BILL. A cutting instrument, curved forward, or hook-shaped toward the point, and fitted with a handle, like a hatchet. It is used for pruning, &c. When short, it is called a Hand-bill; when long, a Hedge-bill, or Hedge-hook.
BILLARDIERA (in honour of Jacques Julien Labillardiere, a celebrated French botanist and traveller). Apple Berry. ORD. Pittosporaceæ. Very desirable greenhouse evergreen climbers. Peduncles solitary from the apex of the branches, one-flowered, pendulous; calyx of five subulate sepals; petals five, combined into a tube below, generally yellow; stamens five. Fruit edible. Leaves alternate. They thrive either in pots or planted out in a compost of fibrous loam, leaf soil, and peat, in equal proportions, with thorough drainage. Cuttings, dibbled in a pot of sandy soil, placed under a bell glass, in gentle heat, root readily. They may also be raised from seed, which several of the species produce in abundance.
B. angustifolia (narrow-leaved). A synonym of B. scandens.
B. longiflora (long-flowered).* fl. greenish-yellow, often changing to purple, solitary; pedicels glabrous. Berries blue. May to August. l. lanceolate, entire. Van Diemen's Land, 1810. A very free-growing and profuse-flowering species. SYN. B. ovalis. See Fig. 251. (B. M. 1507.)
FIG. 251. FRUITING PORTION OF BILLARDIERA LONGIFLORA.
B. mutabilis (changeable). A synonym of B. scandens.
B. ovalis (oval-leaved). A synonym of B. longiflora.
B. scandens (climbing).* fl. cream-coloured, at length purplish, solitary; pedicels same length as the flower. June to September. l. lanceolate-linear, entire. Branches, when young, villous. New Holland, 1795. SYNS. B. mutabilis, B. angustifolia. (B. M. 1313.)
BILLBERGIA (named after J. G. Billberg, a Swedish botanist). ORD. Bromeliaceæ. A genus of handsome stove plants. Flowers borne on light panicles; calyx three-parted; corolla of three convolute petals, scaly at the base; stamens inserted into the base of the perianth. Leaves harsh, rigid. These require much the same treatment as recommended for Æchmea. The most suitable soil is a mixture of peat, leaf soil, and loam in about equal parts, to which is added some sharp sand, to keep it open and porous. Free and perfect drainage is absolutely necessary for the successful culture of this class of plants, and a layer of moss should be placed over the crocks previous to filling the pots with soil. Although fond of heat, Billbergias will, when in flower, bear removal to a cooler house than a stove; and, if they are kept a little dry at the same time, the change will greatly prolong their blooming period. The stronger growing kinds thrive well in rich, well-drained loam and leaf mould. Propagation is effected by carefully taking off the suckers which form at the base, after the plants have done flowering; but, before doing this, they should be allowed to attain a good size. The suckers grow quickly when attached to the parent stem, from which they derive their strength, and feel the check less when severed; besides which, they become more mature, and are in better condition for rooting. The best method to adopt is as follows: Take the sucker in the hand and gently twist it off the stem; next trim the base by the removal of a few of the lower leaves, and then insert each sucker separately in a small pot, in sharp soil. A bottom heat of about 80deg. will greatly facilitate new root-growth; failing this, they will root freely in the temperature of a stove if placed in a shaded position for two or three weeks, after which they will bear increased light and sunshine during the later part of the day. See also [Æchmea] and [Androlepis].
B. amœna (pleasing). fl. greenish-white, tipped with blue, loosely panicled; bracts rose-coloured. July to winter. l. ligulate, abruptly acuminate, slightly spiny. h. 2ft. Brazil, 1817. (B. R. 344.)
B. Baraquiniana (Baraquin's).* fl. green; spikes long, the upper portion pendulous, bearing four or five large, oblong-lanceolate, bright scarlet bracts at the base of the flowers; the stem above the bracts is hoary white. Early spring. l. ligulate, tapering to a point, where, as well as at the edges, they are armed with sharp reddish spines, arched, transversely variegated with white scurfy bars. h. 1½ft. Brazil, 1865. (I. H. 1864, 421.)
B. chlorosticta (green-spotted). Synonymous with B. Saundersii.
B. iridifolia (Iris-leaved).* fl. red and yellow, tipped with blue, in drooping spikes; rachis and bracts crimson. March. l. lanceolate, ensiform, 1½ft., grey beneath. h. 1ft. Rio de Janeiro, 1825. (B. R. 1068.)
B. Liboniana (Libon's).* fl., outer perianth segments beautiful coral red, about half as long as the inner ones, which are whitish at the base, and a splendid purple upwards. Winter. l. in a dense rosette. h. 1ft. Brazil, 1858. (B. M. 5090.)
B. Lietzei (Lietz's).* fl. in loose terminal racemes, each subtended by lanceolate pink bracts; sepals rosy pink, half as long as the greenish corolla. l. tufted, ligulate, acute; margin spiny. Brazil, 1881. A double-flowered variety, with petaloid stamens, is mentioned by M. Morren, which is interesting in being the first double-flowered Bromeliad yet recorded. (B. H. 1881, 97.)
B. marmorata (marbled).* fl. deep blue; calyces green, tipped with blue; bracts very large, leafy, oblong, bright scarlet; panicles erect, branched, much longer than the leaves. l. broadly ligulate, sheathing at the base, truncate-mucronate at the apex; edges very regularly toothed, deep green, freely blotched and barred with dull reddish-brown. (I. H. 2, 48.)
B. Moreli (Morel's).* fl., sepals red, densely woolly, less than half as long as the purplish-violet petals; spike dense, drooping; bracts large, deep rosy red, much longer than the solitary sessile flowers. February. l. arching, lanceolate, shining green on both surfaces; marginal spines few and weak, h. 1ft. Brazil, 1848. An excellent basket plant. SYN. B. Moreliana. (B. H. 1873, 1, 2.)
B. Moreliana (Morel's). Synonymous with B. Moreli.