114 
' Anthers 2-celled, opening on the side ; they are inserted on the top 
of the filaments. Female flowers with a corolla and calyx as in the 
male ones, but they are usually 6-cleft. Ovary simple, ovate- 
globose, 1-seeded. Stigma sessile, orbicular, radiately emar- 
ginate. Fruit unknown. A climbing shrub, with almost oppo- 
site oval mucronate leaves, which are tomentose on the ribs 
beneath; and axillary, rather dichotomous corymbs of flowers. 
1 J. ova tis (Blum. l. c.) kh. U.S Native of Java. 
Oval-leaved Jodes. Shrub cl. 
Cult. See Meniscosta. 
Orver. VII. BERBERI’DES, (plants agreeing with Bér- 
beris in many important characters.) Vent. tabl. 3. p. 83. D. C. 
fl. fr. ed. 3. vol. 4. p. 627. syst. 2. p. 1. prod. 1. p. 105. 
Sepals 3-4, but usually 6, (f. 31. c.) in two series, deciduous, 
furnished with petal-like scales on the outside (f. 31. c.) Petals 
equal in number with the sepals, rarely double that number, (f. 31. 
a. f. 32. b.), and opposite them, usually furnished with a gland or 
a scale at the base on the inside of each. Stamens equal in num- 
ber with the petals and opposite them; anthers adnate, 2-celled, 
opening from the base to the apex by a small somewhatelastic valve. 
Ovary solitary, crowned by the rather orbicular stigma. Fruit 
1-celled, baccate, or capsular, (f. 31. c.). Seeds erect, usually fixed 
to the bottom of the lateral placenta, rarely solitary, usually 
2-3, ovate or globose. Albumen fleshy, usually rather corneous. 
Embryo straight, slender, with the radicle more or less thickened 
at the point, and flat cotyledons. Smooth shrubs or perennial 
herbs, with simple or compound feather-nerved leaves. Flowers 
yellow or white, usually disposed in racemes or panicles. This 
order differs from all those belonging to Thalamiflore in the 
singular dehiscence of the anthers. The species are all inhabitants 
of Europe, Asia, North and South America, usually of the tem- 
perate zones; but when found within the tropics, they are always 
at a considerable height on the mountains. 
The seeds retain their vegetative power a considerable time, 
therefore they are easily imported in a living state from any part 
of the world. The medicinal qualities of this order are scarcely 
known. The roots are usually bitter and astringent. Bark pur- 
gative, taken in the form of a decoction in ale or other liquors. 
The berries and leaves in all the species of Bérberis and Mahonia 
are acid and astringent; the latter quality is particularly strong 
in the wood and bark: these last parts afford a yellow colour, 
which will dye linen and cotton, with the assistance of alum. 
Synopsis of the Genera. 
§ I. Shrubs. 
1 Be’rserts. Sepals 6, furnished on the outside with 3 scales. 
Petals 6, with 2 glands on the inside of each at the base. Sta- 
mens toothless. Berries 2-3-seeded. 
2 Manonra. Sepals 6, furnished on the outside with 3 scales, 
(f£. 31 c.). Petals 6, (f. 31. a.) without glands on the inside. 
Stamens furnished with a tooth on each side at the top of the fila- 
ment, (f. 31. b.) Berries 3-9-seeded. 
3 Nanprna. Sepals 6, furnished on the outside, with numer- 
ous scales, which are disposed in many series. Petals 6, without 
glands on the inside. Berries 2-seeded. 
BERBERIDEE. I. BERBERIS. 
` § II. Perennial herbaceous herbs. 
4 Lxro’ntice. Sepals 6, (f. 32. a.) naked on the outside. 
Petals 6, (f. 32. b.) bearing a scale at the base of each on the 
inside. Capsules bladdery, (f. 32. c.) 2-4-seeded. 
5 Erre‘pium. Sepals 4-8, furnished with 2 bracteas on the 
outside. Petals 4-6, furnished with a two-coloured appendage 
on the inside of each. Capsule in the form of a silicle, many- 
seeded. 
6 A‘cutys. Sepals and petals wanting. 
disposed in a dense spike. Stamens numerous. 
hence concave. 
7 Divnytuie'ra. Sepals 3, naked outside. 
inside. Berry 2-3-seeded. 
Flowers naked, 
Stigma dilated, 
Petals 6, naked 
I. BE'RBERIS. (Berberys is the Arabic name of the fruit, 
and /ep/3eoc in Greek signifies a shell: many authors believe that 
it is originally derived from this word, because the leaves are 
hollow, like a shell; and Bochart says, the word Beppept is de- 
rived from the Pheenician word barar, which expresses the bril- 
liancy of a shell ; alluding to their shining leaves.) Lin. gen. no. 
442. Juss. gen. 286. Lam. ill. t. 253. Schreb. gen. no. 595. 
Geert. fruct. 1. p. 200. t. 42. f.6. D. C. syst. 2. p. 4. prod. 1. 
p. 105. 
Lin. syst. Hexdndria, Monogynia. Sepals 6, guarded on 
the outside by 3 scales. Petals 6, with 2 glands on the inside of 
each. Stamens toothless. Berries 2-3-seeded. Seeds 2, rarely 
3, laterally inserted at the base of the berries, erect, oblong, with 
a crustaceous coat, and fleshy albumen; cotyledons leafy, ellip- 
tical; radicle long, capitellate at the top. Shrubs from 2 to 18 
feet high, with the primary leaves abortive, generally changed 
into spines, the secondary ones growing in fascicles in the axilla 
of the primary ones. Flower in all yellow. The stamens of 
Bérberis vulgaris, Canadénsis, Sinénsis, and perhaps all the spe- 
cies of such flowers as are open, bend back to each petal, an 
shelter themselves under their concave tips. No shaking of the 
branch has any effect upon them, but if the inside of the filaments 
are touched with a small bit of stick, a needle, or pin, they m- 
stantly spring from the petals, and shake the anthers against the 
stigma. The outside of the filament has no irritability, nor has the 
anther itself any ; as maybe proved by touching either of them with 
a blunt needle, or any thing which cannot injure the structure 0 
the part. Ifthe stamen be bent to the stigma by means of a pall 
of scissars applied to the anther, no contraction of the filament !$ 
produced. From all this it is evident that the spring of the sta 
mens is owing to a high degree of irritability in the side of the 
filament next the germ, by which, when touched, it contracts, 
that side becomes shorter than the other, and consequently thé 
filament is bent towards the germ. This irritability is percep- 
tible in the stamens of flowers of all ages. If the germ is cut 0 
the filaments will still contract ; and, nothing being in their Way: 
will bend over quite to the opposite side of the flower. After 
irritation the stamens will return to their original place ; and, on 
being touched again, they will contract with the same facility as 
at first, and this may be repeated three or four times. The pw” 
pose which this curious contrivance of nature answers is evident. 
In the original position of the stamens, the anthers are shelter 
from rain by the concavity of the petals. Thus probably they 
remain till some insect comes to extract honey from the base ° 
the flowers, thrusts itself between the filaments, and almost u?” 
avoidably touches them in the most irritable part: thus ™ 
impregnation of the germ is performed. This irritability # 
the stamina has been more particularly observed in the B. vu” 
garis. 
