BRYDGES, Sir SAMUEL EGERTON, 1762-1837; an English author, bred to the law. He was a prolific writer, and is said to have produced 2000 sonnets in a single year. His more important works are Censura Literaria in 10 vols. and his own Autobiography, Times, and Opinions.
Bryonia, a genus of plants of the natural order cucurbitacm, distinguished by triadelphous stamens, with distinct anthers, a trifid style, and a few-seeded fruit des titute of hard rind. The stems climb by means of lateral tendrils, the leaves are angu lar or 3 to 5-lobed, and the flowers campanulate, 3-partite, unisexual, and generally yellow. The Commox BBTONY (B. dioica), the only British species, is frequent in hedgerows in England, but is not indigenous to Scotland. It has cordate palmate leaves, axillary bunches of flowers, and red berries about the size of a pea. It abounds in a fetid and acrid juice. The root is perennial, very large, white and branched, has a repulsive smell, and is acrid, purgative, and emetic. B. alba, common in the middle parts of Europe, possesses similar properties. The root of both is applied topically to bruises, and was formerly very much in use as a purgative. It is now again much employed in home opathic practice. A decoction made of 1 lb. of the fresh root is said by Withering to be
"the best purge for horned cattle." It contains a bitter extractive, called bryonine, to which it seems to owe its properties. The young shoots of both species are, however, so free from acrid and dangerous qualities, that they may be used as pot-herbs.—The roots of other species of the genus are also acrid and purgative; but it is said that the root of B. Abyssinica, when cooked, is eaten without danger.—BLACK BittONY (tantus communis) is a plant of a different natural order (dioscorearece, q.v.), The genus is dis tinguished by an inferior ovary and succulent fruit. Black B. has long twining stems, cordate undivided leaves, greenish flowers, and red berries. Its roots are very large and fleshy, black externally. The berries are unwholesome, and the whole plant is acrid, the roots so much so as to have been formerly employed for stimulating plasters. But the young suckers, in which the acrid principle is not much developed, are eaten in Greece as asparagus, after careful boiling with change of water, as are also those of T. cream. The plant is common in most parts of Europe, and is found in England, in hedges and thickets