Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 03.djvu/394

* BO-TBEE. 348 BOTTA. during the night in which he received supreme enlightenment and attained to the Buddhaship. As bo-tree literally means 'Tree of Wisdom,' from Sinhalese 60 = Skt. Pali hodhi, wisdom, enlightenment, the name is applicable to any tree under which a Buddha receives the great spiritual enlightenment. The particular bo-tree, or pipal, under which the Sakya sage, Gotanux, was seated when he became Buddha, was situated at Uruvela, the modern Gaya, in Behar, 150 miles southeast of Benares. The scene at- tendant upon the coming of the supreme enlight- enment at dawn, under the bo-tree, is described with poetic imagination in the Pali writings of the Buddhists, and is familiar to English readers in Sir Edwin Arnold's Light of Asia. The spot thus hallowed by tradition is marked by an ancient temple, nine stories high, which is now undergoing restoration. The present bo-tree at Gaya can hardly itself be very old, but from its sacred connections it is one of the two most ven- erated trees in the world. The second sacred bo- tree is situated at Anuradhapura, in northwest- ern Ceylon. This is said to be the oldest his- torically authenticated tree in existence. It is stated that when Buddhism was established in Ceylon, the Buddhist abbess Sanghamitta, a sis- ter of the royal missionary Jlahinda, brought a branch from the original bo-tree at Gaya, and planted it at Anuradhapura, B.c, 245. From this branch the present tree grew up, and its history is traced with the utmost detail for cen- turies in the native chronicles. Its leaves are most sacred relics for the thousands of Buddhist pilgrims that visit it. Buddhist temples else- where have bo-trees planted by them. BOTRYCHITJM, bA-trik'I-iim (Gk. p6rpvxot. a curl or lock of hair. jSirpv^, hotrys, grape-clus- ter; refers to its fruit-clusters). A genus of ferns of the order Ophioglosseae, having a short, erect rootstock, with clustered, fleshy roots, bear- ing a stalk, one part of which is sterile and fern- like, the other fertile and carrying the clusters of sporangia or spore-cases. The species are of little importance economically. The only British species is the Botri/chium lunaria {moonwort),a little plant pretty frequent in dry mountain pas- tures, but not applied to anj' particular use. A species more worthy of notice is Botri/chium rir<iinianum, of which the geographical distribu- tion is very remarkable. It abounds in many parts of the United States, in the mount.ains of Mexico, in Australia, in some parts of Asia, as the Himalaya Mountains, and is found also in Norway, although in no other ])art of Europe. It is large and succulent, and is boiled and eaten in the Himalaya, in New Zealand, etc. It is called rattlesnake-fern in some parts of Amer- ica, from its growing in places where rattle- snakes are found. In the United States, Botry- chium Viryiiiidntim ranges irom Washington to Colorado and Texas, and eastward, including Florida, liotryvhiiun lunuria ranges from Colo- rado to New England, Lake Superior, and spar- ingly northward. liotrychium simplex, a rare species, with small fronds, is found from Califor- nia and Yellowstone I'ark to Lake Superior and eastward. A variety, componitum, occurs in Alpine regions. liotrychium lanceolatnni ranges from Colorado to Lake Superior, Ohio, New Jer- sey, and New England. liotrychium luiiarioides is found from Massaehus<'tts to Florida in drv, rich woods and shady pastures. It has two varieties: ohliquum anA dissectum. Botrychium tcniatum, a v.ariable species, occurs throughout North America. BOTKYTIS, b6-tri'tis (Gk, ^drpvi, hotrys, a cluster of grapes). A genus of mold-fungi be- longing to the Mucedinea;. The plant consists of a mycelium (see Fungi) of more or less en- tangled threads, with shoots of the same nature rising up from them, and bearing" the fructifi- cation at their extremity. Most of the species live upon dead leaves, decaying wood, and other vege- table material. Some are found on living animal tisues, whether always previously diseased or not is a question still unsettled. A remarkable species of this genus is the Muscardine (q.v.). Many of the species of Botrytis belong to what are known as the imperfect fungi, i.e. those of which the life-history is not fully known, the Boti-ytis being the only form discovered. A number of Botrytis forms are known to produce disease in plants by attacking them through their young tissues, but most of the fungi causing diseases, formerly referred to species of Botrytis, are now referred to other genera. Botrytis Dourilasii is the cause of a destructive disease of the Douglas fir and other conifers. Botrytis cincrca, which causes the ripe rot of grapes, is now referred to Sclerotinia Fuckcliana, and a number of other species are considered as belonging to the same genus of fungi. The potato-rot fungis once referred to Botrytis is now called Phytophthora infest (uis. BOTT, Jean Joseph (1826-95). A German violinist. He was born in Cassel, Germany, where he received his first musical instruction from his father, the Court musician. After fur- ther studies with M. Hauptmann and L. Spohr, he won the Mozart scholarship (1841), and suc- cessively became solo violinist in tlie Electoral orchestra (1840) and Court kapellmeister at Meiningen (1857) and Hanover (1805), In 1885 he came to New York, where he died. His works comprise two operas — Dcr Vnbekannte (1854) and Aktiia, das Miidchcn von Korinth (1802) — and symphonies, overtures, violin con- certos, pianoforte music, solos for violin, and songs. BOT'TA, Anne Charlotte Lynch (1820-91). An American autlior ; born in Bennington, Vt. In 1855 she married Prof. Mncenzo liotta (q.v.). She published a book of poems (1S4SI. besides many essays and reviews, pronuited the estab- lishment of Barnard College (q.v.). and founded the prize awarded every five years by tlie I'rench Academy for the best essay on "The Condition of Women." Her fiftiiilbook of Universal Literature (ISOO) was formerly widely used as a text-book. BOTTA, Carlo Giu.seppe Guoi.iei.mo (1700- 18.37). -Vu Italian historian. He was born in San Giorgio del Canavese, Piedmont. Xovember fl, 17(10, studied medicine in Turin, and, because of his active symi>athy with the French Revolu- tion, was arrestcil and imprisoned in 17i>2. Upon his release, in 1794, Botta went to France and became a physician in the Army of the Alps, taking part later in the expedition to (.orfu. In 1799 he was ai)pointed, with Carlo Giulio and Carlo Aurelio de Bossi, a member of the provisional government of Piedmont, hence called the 'Triinuvirate of the Three Carli.' -After the battle of .Marengo he became a member