Tas, 6505. 
BERBERIS BUXIFOLIA. 
Native of Ohili. 
Nat. Ord. BerperipEx.—Tribe BERBEREZ. 
Genus Berperis, Linn.; (Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant. vol. i. p. 43.) 
Berperis buxifolia; erecta, glaberrima, foliis fasciculatis obovatis v. cuneato- 
obovatis obtusis acutis v. pungentibus coriaceis integerrimis v. paucidentatis 
sessilibus v. in petiolum angustatis, pedunculis solitariis 1-floris foliis longioribus, 
floribus aurantiacis sepalis 3 exterioribus ovatis quam interiora orbiculata 
retusa duplo brevioribus, petalis oblongis fusco-aurantiacis staminibus paulo 
longioribus, baccis globosis, stylo distincto valido, stigmate majusculo peltato. 
B. buxifolia, Lamk. Ill. Gen. t. 253, £. 3; DC. Prodr, vol.i. p. 107; Gay £7. 
Chil. vol. i. p. 91. 
B. dulcis, Sweet Brit. Fl. Gard. Ser. 2, t. 100; Past, Mag. Bot. vol. x. t. 171. 
- The nomenclature of the species of Berberis presents 
many difficulties, and though I am satisfied as to the 
present plant being the B. buwifolia of Lamarck, figured 
in his “Illustrations” in 1802, and B. dulcis of Sweet, 
published in 1838, I am not persuaded that it may not 
have an earlier name than either of these. The difficulties 
referred to arise from the extreme variability both of the 
foliage and the inflorescence. Of these the latter is used 
for sectional characters, according as the flowers are soli- 
tary, fascicled, or corymbose; but when the corymb is 
sessile, the flowers appear fascicled, and it is often the case 
that the flowers of the fascicles are reduced to one. Thus 
I in the “Flora Antarctica,” and De Candolle in his 
Systema (vol. ii. p. 15), have referred to this species 
Forster’s B. microphylla, a Fuegian plant, found by me as 
far south as Cape Horn itself, which has short three- 
flowered peduncles, which are often reduced to one-flowered 
ones, when it closely resembles B. buzifolia, but it differs 
in a character which is almost unique amongst the high 
JULY Ist, 1880, 
