Dictyogens is the name given by Lindley to a group of monocotyledonous plants, with net-veined leaves, intermediate between the monocotyledons and dicotyledons; as the yam, sarsaparilla, etc. Research Dictyogens
Dioscoreaceae is a family of twining shrubs or herbs belonging to the Monocotyledonous group, but resembling the Dicotyledons in many superficial characters, the leaves being decidedly stalked and having netted veins. The family is a small one, and with the exception of one genus (Tamus) confined to the tropics. The family includes the Yam. Research Dioscoreaceae
Yamm, also known as Yam, Jamm, was the Phoenician god of sea and water. Yamm, wishing to be ruler of all the other gods asked El to grant him the necessary powers. El agreed on condition that Yamm defeated Baal. In the battle Yamm was killed by Baal who scattered his remains and crowned himself king. Research Yamm
Burma (now called Myanmar) is a country in Asia bounded on the north by Assam and Tibet, on the east by Chinese territory andThailand , elsewhere mainly by the Bay of Bengal. It has a total area of 678,500 km2. The climate is tropical monsoon; cloudy, rainy, hot with humidsummers (south-west monsoon, June to September); less cloudy with scant rainfall, mild temperatures and lower humidity during the winter (north-east monsoon, December to April). The terrain is comprised of central lowlands ringed by steep, rugged highlands. Between these ranges and in the plains or valleys here situated the four great rivers of Burma - the Irrawaddy, its tributary the Kyen-dwen, the Sittang, and the Salwen - flow in a southerly direction to the sea, watering the rich alluvial tracts of Lower Burma, and having at their mouths all the great seaports of the country. Natural resources are crude oil, timber, tin, antimony, zinc, copper, tungsten, lead, coal, some marble, limestone, precious stones (the chief precious stone is the ruby, Sapphire, amber, and jade are also obtained), and natural gas. The religion is 85% Buddhist, 15% animist beliefs, Muslim, Christian, or other. The language is Burmese but minority ethnic groups have their own numerous languages.
The natives all belong to the Mongolian type of mankind, but are made up of a great variety of races besides the Burmese proper, as Talaings, Shans, Karens, etc. The Burmese proper are of a brown colour, with lank, black hair (seldom any on the face), and have active, vigorous, well-proportioned frames. They are a cheerful, lively people, fond of amusement, averse to continuous exertion, free from prejudice of caste or creed, temperate and hardy.
Under its native kings the form of government in Burma was an absolute monarchy, the seat of government being at Mandalay. The king was assisted in governing by a council of state known as the H'loot-daw, to which belonged the functions of a house of legislature, a cabinet, and a supreme court. The king had power to punish at his pleasure anyone, even the great officers of state. The revenue was derived from taxes levied in a very irregular and capricious manner, and official corruption was rampant. The criminal laws were barbarously severe. Capital punishment was commonly inflicted by decapitation, but crucifixion and disembowelling were also practised. After the loss of the maritime provinces in the 19th century to Britain, the influence of Independent Burma greatly declined, as did also its Asiatic and foreign trade.
The Burmeseempire is of little note in ancient or general history. Since the 16th century the Burmese proper have mostly been the predominant race, and ruled the Peguans, Karens, etc, throughout the country. The capital has at different times been at Ava, Pegu, Prome, or elsewhere. In the latter half of the 18th century the Burmese emperors began a series of wars of conquest with China, Thailand, Assam, through which they greatly enlarged the empire. This brought them into contact with the British, and in 1824 war was declared against them on account of their encroachments on British territory and their seizure of British subjects. The war terminated in the cession of the provinces of Aracan and Tenasserim to the British. Peace continued for some years, but latterly various acts of hostility were committed by the Burmese, and in 1852 the maltreatment of British subjects occasioned a second war, at the end of which the British possessions were extended to include the whole of Pegu. The third and last war occurred in 1885 in consequence of the arrogance and arbitrary conduct of King Theebaw. The result was that Upper Burma was annexed to the British empire by proclamation of the Viceroy of India, on the 1st of January 1886, and thus became a province of India.
In 1937 Burma was raised to the status of a British crown colony, and in 1948 was granted independence. In 1974 the monarchy was removed and Burma became a Socialist republic, changing its name to the Union of Myanmar in 1989. Research Burma
Abbreviations
Research Dictyogens
