130 



BERBERIDACEAE. 



VOL. II. 



i. Podophyllum peltatum L. May Apple. 

 Wild Mandrake. Fig. 1961. 



Podophyllum peltatum L. Sp. PL 505. 1753. 



Erect, i-ii high. Basal leaves centrally pel- 

 tate, nearly i in diameter, long-petioled, deeply 

 5~9-lobed, glabrous, or pubescent and light green 

 on the lower surface, darker above; lobes 2-cleft 

 and dentate at the apex ; flowering stems appear- 

 ing from different rootstocks, bearing 1-3 similar 

 leaves, or occasionally leafless; flower white, 

 stout-peduncled, nodding, 2' broad, appearing 

 from the base of the upper leaf and generally 

 from immediately between the two leaves ; sta- 

 mens twice as many as the petals; fruit ovoid, 

 yellowish, 2' long, edible. 



In low woods, western Quebec and throughout 

 southern Ontario to Minnesota, Kansas, Florida, 

 Louisiana and Texas. Ascends to 2500 ft. in Vir- 

 ginia. Indian- or hog-apple. Devil's-apples. Wild- 

 or ground-lemon. Puck's-f oot. Raccoon-berry. May. 



Family 33. MENISPERMACEAE DC. 

 Prodr. i : 95. 1824. 



MOOXSEED FAMILY. 



Climbing or twining woody or herbaceous vines, with alternate entire or lobed 

 leaves, no stipules, and small dioecious panicled racemose or cymose flowers. 

 Sepals 4-12. Petals 6, imbricated in 2 rows, sometimes fewer, or none. Stamens 

 about the same number as the petals. Carpels 3-00 (generally 6), i-ovuled, sepa- 

 rate ; styles commonly incurved. Fruit drupaceous, often oblique. Endosperm 

 little. Embryo long, curved. 



About 55 genera and 150 species, mainly of tropical distribution, a few extending into the tem- 

 perate zones. 



Petals none ; anthers 2-celled. i. Calycocarpum. 



Petals present ; anthers 4-celled or 4-lobed. 



Stamens 6 ; drupe red. 2. Epibaterium. 



Stamens i2-many; drupe black. 3. Menispermum. 



i. CALYCOCARPUM Nutt. ; T. & G. Fl. N. A. i : 48. 1838. 



A high climbing vine, with large petioled palmately lobed leaves,' and greenish flowers 

 in long narrow drooping panicles. Sepals 6, oblong, obtuse. Petals none. Stamens about 

 12, nearly equalling the sepals; anthers 2-celled. Pistils 3, narrow; stigma laciniate. 

 Drupe oval or globose, the stone flattened and 

 hollowed out on one side, the embryo cordate. 

 [Greek, cup- fruit, in allusion to the cup-like 

 stone.] 



A monotypic genus of eastern North America. 



i. Calycocarpum Lyoni (Pursh) Nutt 

 Cup-seed. Fig. 1962. 



Menispermum Lyoni Pursh, Fl. Am. Sept. 371. 



1814. 

 C. Lyoni Nutt.; A. Gray, Gen. 111. i: 76. 1848. 



Climbing to the tops of trees, glabrous or 

 slightly pubescent. Leaves long-petioled, thin, 

 very broadly ovate or nearly orbicular in out- 

 line, 5'-8' long, cordate with a broad round 

 sinus, palmately 3-7-lobed, glabrous above, 

 more or less pubescent on the veins beneath ; 

 lobes ovate or oblong, acute or acuminate, 

 repand, dentate or entire ; panicles axillary, 

 5'-io' long, loose ; flowers 2" broad ; drupe 

 nearly i' long, black, the stone toothed or 

 erose along the margin of its lateral cavity; 

 pistillate flowers sometimes containing abor- 

 tive stamens. 



In rich woods, Illinois to Missouri and Kansas, 

 south to Florida and Texas. May-June, the fruit 

 ripe in August. 



