B. cartilagineum (cartilaginous). cau. oblique, densely scaly at top. sti. strong, erect, 4in. to 6in. long, scaly, muricated in the lower part. fronds ovate-oblong, 2ft. to 3ft. long, 6in. to 12in. broad; pinnæ numerous, linear, 4in. to 6in. long, about ½in. broad, narrowed gradually towards the point, margin finely toothed, dilated, and connected at the base. sori in a broad line close to the midrib. Temperate Australia, 1820. Greenhouse species.
B. hastatum (halbert-shaped).* rhiz. short, stout, scaly. sti. 4in. to 6in. long, nearly naked. fronds from 9in. to 18in. long, and 2in. to 4in. broad, lanceolate, with twenty to forty pinnæ on each side; the barren ones 1in. to 1½in. long, lanceolate, falcate, narrowed gradually to a point, the lower side slightly truncate, and slightly lobed, the upper cordate, with a large hastate auricle; fertile pinnæ narrower. sori midway between the midrib and margin; rachis and surfaces naked or slightly pubescent; texture coriaceous. Temperate South America, 1841. Greenhouse species.
FIG. 256. BLECHNUM BRAZILIENSE.
B. Lanceola (lance-leaved). rhiz. slender, creeping, stoloniferous. sti. slender, erect, 2in. to 4in. long. fronds lanceolate, undivided, 4in. to 6in. long, ½in. broad, or less, narrowed gradually from the centre towards each end. Tropical America, 1820. Stove species.
B. L. trifoliatum (three-leaved). fronds furnished with one or two pairs of small oblong-obtuse lateral pinnæ at the base of the large terminal one. Stove variety. (H. S. F. 3, 94.)
B. longifolium (long-leaved).* rhiz. slender, creeping. sti. firm, erect, nearly naked, 6in. to 12in. long. fronds 6in. to 9in. long, with a terminal pinna, and three to six lateral ones on each side, which are 3in. to 5in. long, and ½in. broad, narrowed gradually towards the point. sori in broad lines close to the midrib; texture coriaceous. Tropical America, 1820. B. l. fraxineum is a variety found in gardens under the name of B. fraxiniifolium, with a habit more close than the type; pinnæ six to eight on a side, sometimes 1in. broad. B. intermedium (Link.) and B. gracile (Kaulf.), often seen in gardens, are slender-growing varieties of this rather variable stove species.
B. nitidum (shining).* sti. stout, erect, naked, 3in. to 4in. long. fronds oblong-lanceolate, 1ft. or more long, 4in. to 6in. broad; pinnæ numerous, sub-falcate, linear, 3in. to 4in. long, ¼in. to ½in. broad, narrowed gradually towards the point, dilated and connected at the base; edge undulate-dentate; texture coriaceous; both surfaces smooth. Stove species. The variety contractum, often seen in gardens, has its pinnæ contracted, and the edge much undulated. Brazil. (H. S. F. 3, 55.)
B. occidentale (western).* cau. stout, erect, scaly at the top. sti. 6in. to 12in. long, erect, scaly below. fronds ovate-acuminate, 9in. to 18in. long, 4in. to 8in. broad, with twelve to twenty-four linear pinnæ on each side, which are 2in. to 4in. long, and about ¾in. broad, narrowed gradually to a point, truncate or cordate; texture coriaceous. West Indies, southwards to Chili and South Brazil, 1823. A very handsome stove or greenhouse fern.
B. o. multifidum (much-cut).* A pretty variety, said to have been introduced from Dominica; the apices of the pinnæ are copiously crested and tasselled, rendering it very desirable. Stove variety.
B. orientale (oriental).* cau. stout, erect, clothed at the crown with dark brown scales. sti. 4in. to 8in. long, strong, erect, scaly below. fronds 1ft. to 3ft. long, 6in. to 12in. broad, ovate, with very numerous nearly contiguous pinnæ on each side, which are 4in. to 8in. long, and about ¾in. broad, narrowed to a long point. Australia, northwards to South China and the Himalayas. Greenhouse.
B. polypodioides (Polypodium-like). A synonym of B. unilaterale.
B. serrulatum (saw-edged).* cau. elongated, stout, ascending. sti. 6in. to 12in. long, strong, erect, smooth, nearly naked. fronds oblong-acuminate, 1ft. to 2ft. long, 6in. to 9in. broad, with twelve to twenty-four pairs of quite distinct articulated linear oblong pinnæ on each side, which are about 4in. to 5in. long, ½in. broad, narrowed gradually towards the point, and downwards to a narrow base, the margins finely incised. Florida, &c., 1819. Stove or greenhouse. SYN. B. striatum. (H. S. F. 3, 159.)
B. striatum (striped). A synonym of B. serrulatum.
B. unilaterale (one-sided).* cau. elongated, densely scaly at the crown. sti. slender, erect, 1in. to 4in. long, slightly scaly below. fronds lanceolate, 6in. to 12in. long, 1½in. to 2in. broad; pinnæ numerous, spreading horizontally, linear, ¾in. to 1in. long, central ones ¼in. to ⅜in. broad, point usually mucronate; edge entire, or nearly so, the lower part dilated to a broad base. sori in a line close to the midrib. Tropical America, 1829. Widely distributed. Stove or greenhouse species. SYN. B. polypodioides, under which name it is usually found in gardens.
BLECHUM (a Greek name for an unknown plant, supposed to resemble Marjoram). ORD. Acanthaceæ. Stove herbaceous perennials. For culture, &c., see Justicia.
B. Brownei (Browne's). fl. white, in a dense bracteated spike, which is four-cornered; bracts ovate, downy. Summer. l. ovate elliptical, somewhat toothed. h. 2ft. West Indies, 1780. The other species introduced are: angustifolium, blue; braziliense, blue; and laxiflorum, white.
BLEPHARIS (from blepharis, the eyelash; in reference to the fringed bracts of the calyx). ORD. Acanthaceæ. Dwarf shrubs or herbs, often spiny and woody, allied to Acanthus. Flowers in bracteate spikes; calyx cruciately four-parted, bracteate; upper segment entire, three-nerved; lower, two-nerved; corolla-tube very short; lip five-lobed, three lobes often much larger than the others; stamens four, sub-didynamous. For culture, &c., see [Acanthus].
B. boerhaaviæfolia (Boerhaavia-leaved). fl. blue. July. l. usually four in a whorl, elliptic, toothed. h. 1ft. India, 1829. Stove annual.
B. capensis (Cape Colony).* fl. blue. July. l. narrow, lanceolate, spinose. h. 1ft. Cape of Good Hope, 1816. Greenhouse biennial.
B. furcata (forked-spined). fl. blue. July. l. lanceolate, entire or spiny; bracts large, strongly spinose. h. 2ft. Cape of Good Hope, 1846. Greenhouse evergreen shrub.
B. linearifolia (narrow-leaved). fl. blue. July. l. long, entire, linear, glabrous or hairy, not spiny. h. 2ft. Guinea, 1823. Stove annual.
B. procumbens (trailing).* fl. blue. July. l. linear lanceolate, spiny. h. 1ft. Cape of Good Hope, 1825. Greenhouse evergreen trailer.
BLEPHILIA (from blepharis, the eyelash; in allusion to the ciliated bracts). ORD. Labiatæ. Ornamental hardy perennials, closely allied to Monarda, but differing from it in the calyx tube having thirteen instead of fifteen nerves, and being naked in the throat, while the corollas are much smaller and more dilated. They are of easy culture in ordinary soil. Increased readily by dividing the roots in early spring.
B. ciliata (ciliated). fl. blue; whorls all distinct; bracts ciliated, reddish at top. July. l. almost sessile, ovate-oblong, narrowed at the base, canescent beneath. h. 1ft. to 2ft. North America, 1798.
B. hirsuta (hairy). fl. purple or blue; whorls more numerous than in the preceding; upper ones approximate. July. l. petiolate, ovate, roundly cordate at the base, hairy on both surfaces. h. 1ft. to 2ft. Virginia, 1798. Habit more branched and loose than in B. ciliata.