Bryony

Bryony

:"This article is for plants in genus" Bryonia. "See also Black Bryony".Taxobox
name = "Bryonia"


image_width = 250px
image_caption = "Bryonia alba" (white briony)
regnum = Plantae
divisio = Magnoliophyta
classis = Magnoliopsida
ordo = Cucurbitales
familia = Cucurbitaceae
genus = "Bryonia"
genus_authority = L.
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision = 12, including:
* "B. alba" (White Bryony)
* "B. cretica" (Cretan Bryony), "B. cretica ssp. dioica"

Bryony (pronEng|ˈbraɪəni or IPA|/ˈbriːəni/) is the common name for any of twelve species in the genus "Bryonia". These are perennial, tendril-climbing, dioecious herbs with palmately lobed leaves and flowers in axillary clusters. The fruit is a smooth, globular berry.

The English species "Bryonia alba" is known as white bryony and grows in hedgerows as far north as Yorkshire. There are eight varieties established in Europe.

Some species find use in herbal medicine.

"Bryonia" is used as a food plant by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Cabbage Moth.

Other

Variants of the plant name, such as Briony, Bryonie, and Bryony are used, in some cultures, as names for women or girls. It was quite popular in the 18th century. The name is most popular in and around Scottish regions where the plant is mainly seen and grown. This results in many Scottish versions of the name.

The Royal Navy have named two ships HMS "Bryony", after the flower.

ee also

Black Bryony - an unrelated plant of the Dioscoreaceae.

External links

*
* [http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/b/brywhi77.html Medicinal uses of "Bryonia alba"] - Note: This is a historical document from the 1930's and may not be medically accurate today.


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Bryony — Bry o*ny (br[imac] [ o]*n[y^]), n. [L. bryonia, Gr. brywni a, fr. bry ein to swell, esp. of plants.] (Bot.) The common name of several cucurbitaceous plants of the genus {Bryonia}. The root of {Bryonia alba} ({rough bryony} or {white bryony}) and …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Bryony — f English: from the name of the plant (Greek bryonia). This is one of a more recently coined (20th century) batch of names taken from vocabulary words denoting flowers. Variant: Briony …   First names dictionary

  • bryony — ► NOUN (pl. bryonies) ▪ a climbing hedgerow plant with red berries. ORIGIN Greek bru nia …   English terms dictionary

  • bryony — [brī′ə nē] n. pl. bryonies [L bryonia < Gr bryōnia < bryein: see BRYOLOGY] any of a genus (Bryonia) of perennial vines of the gourd family with large fleshy roots and greenish flowers …   English World dictionary

  • bryony — /bruy euh nee/, n., pl. bryonies. any Old World vine or climbing plant belonging to the genus Bryonia, of the gourd family, yielding acrid juice having emetic and purgative properties. Also, briony. [bef. 1000; ME brionie, OE bryonia < L < Gk: a… …   Universalium

  • bryony — [ brʌɪəni] noun (plural bryonies) a climbing hedgerow plant with red berries. [Bryonia dioica (white bryony) and Tamus communis (black bryony).] Origin OE, via L. from Gk bruōnia …   English new terms dictionary

  • bryony — /ˈbraɪəni/ (say bruyuhnee) noun (plural bryonies) 1. any plant of the genus Bryonia or related genera of the family Cucurbitaceae, comprising vines or climbers with acrid juice and emetic and purgative properties, as white bryony, Bryonia dioica …  

  • bryony — brienė statusas T sritis vardynas apibrėžtis Moliūginių (Cucurbitaceae) šeimos augalų gentis (Bryonia). atitikmenys: lot. Bryonia angl. bryony vok. Zaunrübe rus. бриония; переступень lenk. przestęp …   Dekoratyvinių augalų vardynas

  • bryony — n. (pl. ies) any climbing plant of the genus Bryonia, esp. B. dioica bearing greenish white flowers and red berries. Phrases and idioms: black bryony a similar unrelated plant, Tamus communis, bearing poisonous berries. Etymology: L bryonia f. Gk …   Useful english dictionary

  • Bryony Lavery — (born 1947) is a British dramatist, known for her successful and award winning 2004 play Frozen . In addition to her work in theatre, she has also written for television and radio. She has written books including the biography Tallulah Bankhead… …   Wikipedia

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