Bryony
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Bryonia |
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Bryonia alba (white briony)
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Bryony or briony is the common name for species in the genus Bryonia of 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.
Black Bryony is an unrelated plant of the Dioscoreaceae
Some species find use in herbal medicine.
Bryonia is used as a food plant by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Cabbage Moth.
[edit] Other
Variants of the plant name, such as Briony, Bryonie and Bryony are used, in some cultures, as girls names.