BERBERACE^. 



Nat. syst. ed. 2.^.29. 



BERBERIS. 



Sepals 6, with 3 exterior scales. Petals 6, with 2 glands at 

 the base. Stamens 6, without denticulations. Pericarp fleshy, 

 oblong, 2-3-seeded. Seeds erect, oblong, with a crustaceous 

 skin. — Primary leaves consisting of nothing but spiny ribs ; 

 only filling up with a web of parenchyma on the secondary 

 branches. 



] 35. B. vulgaris Linn. sp. pi. 472. Fl. dan. t. 904. Eng. 



Bot. t. 49 Common throughout Europe and the North of 



Asia. (Common Barberry.) 



An erect, deciduous shrub. Leaves somewhat obovate, divided at 

 the edge by ciliated teeth, in their primary state 3-parted and spiny. 

 Racemes many-flowered, lax, pendulous. Petals entire. Fruit bright 

 red, very acid. — Bark astringent. A refreshing drink, prepared by 

 crushing the fruit in water, is considered serviceable in fevers. 



136. B. Lycium Royle Illustr. 6b. in Linn, trans, vol.xvii.p.83. 

 — Avkiov ivhKov Dioscorid. — Mountains in the North of India. 



Spines 3-parted conical. Leaves 5-8 in a cluster, pale, leathery, 

 veiny, oblong, lanceolate, or obovate, tapering to the base, mucronate ; 

 the margins spiny toothed or entire. Racemes 20-flowered, erect, 

 spreading, becoming pendulous in fruit. Pedicels long simple. Flowers 

 small. External scales lanceolate. Ovaries smooth, 4-seeded. Fruit 

 ovate, obtuse at each end. — In India an extract prepared by digesting 

 in water sliced pieces of the root stem and branches of this and other 

 species of Barberry, is called riisot, and is used advantageously in 

 cases of ophthalmia. Dr. Royle has seen it particularly useful when 

 the acute symptoms have subsided ; and others say that it is perhaps 

 the best application in ophthalmia ever employed. 



63 



