336 HEXANDRIA, MONOGYNIA, leontice. 



jy. I. p.204, Nutt, G^«, I. p. 210, Nat Ord, 

 Berberide^ Juss. 



L. Thaliclroides L.: leaves bi-triternate ; leaflets 2 — 3- 

 lobed; flowers paniculate from the centre of the leaveso 

 6/7. p/. 448. W ill d. Spec. W.^.l^d. R. Brownie, 

 Caulophyllum Thaliclroides Mich. Fl. I. p. 205. t. 21, 

 PurshFL].p.2]8. Elliott Sk. l.p.4)U Jivtt, 

 Gen. 1. c. Leontice foliis supradecompositis, Gran. Virgc 

 151. Cold. Novtb. 15. 



Root perennial. Stem about a foot high, erect, very smooth, ge- 

 nerally 2-leaved; the lower leaf triternate; upper one biter- 

 nate ; leaflets oyate, nearly sessile, except the terminal one, 

 which is petiolate and equally 3-lobed at the extremity; lobes 

 acute. Panicle loose and racemose when there is but one 

 leaf to the stem, proceeding from the divisions of the petiole ; 

 when there is a second leaf, it proceeds from the base of this. 

 Pedicels bracteate. Calyx spreading ; leaves small and un- 

 equal, lanceolate, 2— S, sometimes wanting. Petals greenish- 

 yellow, ovate-lanceolate, unguiculate ; margin reflexed, 3 — 5- 

 nerved. A''eciarics one-third the length of the petals, ungui- 

 culate, subreniform, somewhat fleshy ; margin glutinous. 

 Stamens very short ; Jilaments inserted at the base of the 

 germen ; anthers oblong-cordate, opening by elastic longitu- 

 dinal valves. Germen 2-seeded. Cafisule rupturing soon after 

 the flower decaji-s; one of the seeds proving abortive, the other 

 elevated on its short thick funiculus, which resembles a pedi- 

 cel, when ripe large, aod of a dark blue colour; albumen large 

 and horny. 

 Hab. In shady woods abounding with rocks ; commonly in moun- 

 tainous situations. Canada to Carolina. April — May. Cohosh. 

 The true structure of the fruit of this plant was entirely 

 misunderstood, until it was described by the learned and inge- 

 nious R. Brown. What was supposed to be a drupe by 

 Mic hau X, and all suceeding Botanists, is only a naked seed 

 which had early ruptured its pericarp, the remains of which 

 are easily seen at its base ; the " nux cornea crassissima" is 

 the albumen, and the "seed" is the embryo. 



228. BERBERIS. L. 

 Calyx 6-leaved, Petals 6, with 2 glands on each 

 claw. Style 0. Stigma umbilicate. Berry 1- celled, 

 2— 4-seeded. Gen. pi. 405. JVu 1 1. Gen. I. p. 210. 

 Juss. p. 286. Lam. III. t. 253. Nat. Ord. Ber- 

 BERiDEiE Juss. Filaments irritable. 

 B. vulgaris h canadensis Willd.: branches punctate- 

 armed with trifid spines ; leaves oblong-obovate, distinctly 

 ciliate-serrate ; racemes simple, subcorymbose, rectfrved. 

 W i 1 1 d. Spec, II. p. 227, B, vulgaris M i c h. FL I. p. 205. 



