390 D1COTYLEDOXES. 



a large, disc-like, almost sessile stigma (Fig. 385), and in the ovary 

 several erect ovules are placed close to the base of the ventral 

 suture. The fruit is most frequently a berry. Seeds endosper- 

 mous. Shrubs or herbs with scattered, most frequently compound 

 leaves (without stipules), and racemose inflorescences. They show a 

 relationship to the Lauraceas in the number of the parts of the flower and the 

 dehiscence of the anthers. 



Berberis is a shrub ; it has sepals 3 + 3, petals 3 + 3, stamens 3 + 3 

 (Fig. 384). The petals (honey-leaves) bear internally at the 

 base 2 darkish -yellow nectaries. The filaments are sensitive 

 at the base, and suddenly bend inwards if touched at that spot 

 (Fig. 385). The racemes often have a terminal, 5-merous flower; they are 

 borne on dwarf-branches. The leaves on the long-branches develope into 

 thorns, but the buds in their axils, in the same year as themselves, develope as 

 the short- branches with simple foliage-leaves, articulated at the base, from 

 which fact some authorities have considered that the leaf is compound with a 

 single, terminal leaflet Mahonia has imparipinnate leaves. The 

 flower has 3 whorls of sepals. Otherwise as in Berberis. 

 Epimedium ; herbs with spurred petals ; the flowers dimerous ; 4-5 whorls of 

 sepals, 2 of petals and stamens. Fruit a capsule. Leontice, fruit dry. The 

 anthers of Podopfiyllum dehisce longitudinally. Nandina. Aceranthits. 



100 species; North temp., especially Asia: fossils in Tertiary. Berberis 

 rulgaris is a native of Europe. This and other species, together with Mahonia 

 aquifolium (N. Am.), Epimedium alpinum, etc., are cultivated as ornamental 

 plants. Several have a yellow colouring matter in the root and stem. 

 OFFICINAL: the rhizome of Podophylluni pcltatum (from N. Am.) yields podo- 

 phyllin. 



Order 9. Menispermaceae. This order has derived its name from the 

 more or less crescent-like fruits and seeds. Dioecious. The flowers are 2-3- 

 merous, most frequently as in Berberis (S3 + 3, P3 + 3, A3 + 3), with the 

 difference that there are 3 free carpels, each with 1 ovule; in some genera, 

 however, the number is different. Stamens often united into a bundle (as in 

 Myristiea) ; anthers dehiscing longitudinally ; fruit a drupe. The plants (with 

 herbaceous or woody stems) belonging to this order are nearly all twining or 

 climlimj plants, and have scattered, palmate or peltate, sometimes lobed leaves 

 without stipules. Structure of stem anomalous. Cocculus, llenispennum, 

 Cissampelus, Anamirta. 



150 species ; Tropical ; very rich in bitter and poisonous properties. OFFI- 

 CINAL : Calumba-root from Jateorhiza coluiuba (E. Africa). The following are 

 cultivated as ornamental plants : Menispermum canadense (N. Am.) and 31. 

 dahitriciini (Asia). The fruits of Anamirta cua-tilus (E. Ind.) are very poisonous 

 (" Grains-of-Paradise " ; the poisonous matter is picrotoxine). 



Order 10. Lardizabalaceae. This order, by the free, apocarpous carpels, 

 belongs to a more primitive type, and by the united stamens to a more developed 

 one. Akebia ; Holbedlia; principally climbing or twining shrubs. About 7 

 species in S.E. Asia and S. Am. 



