182 HEXANDRiA MONOGYNiA. Berberis, 



1. B, asiatica. R. 



Shrubby. Leaves obovate-oblong, hard, spinous-tooth- 

 ed. iS^ewes triple. i?«ce/Mes axillary. Pedicels, and flowers 

 erect. Nectarial glands subcylindric. Germs from five 

 to six-seeded. 



Berberis ilicifolia. Asiaf. Researches. 6. p. 357. 



A native of the mountainous countries north of Hindoo- 

 sthau, where it was first observed by Captain Hardwicke, 

 on his journy to Shreenagur, and afterwards found by Dr. 

 Buchanan in Napal, from whence the latter sent seed 

 to the Botanic Garden at Calcutta in 1802 ; in April 1808 

 the plants therefrom blossomed for the first time. In ap- 

 pearance it resembles the common Berbery bush of Eu- 

 rope. 



Stems several from the same root, bending much to one 

 side. Branches slender, after the first year spreading 

 and drooping ; youncj shoots angular, and furrowed. Bark 

 of the old ligneous parts of a light ash colour, and yellow 

 within ; and so is the wood ; the height of our shrubs now 

 when seven years old, is from four to eight feet. Spines 

 three, rarely five-fold from one base, straight, strong, and 

 sharp. Leaves iu fascicles in the axills of the spines, sub- 

 sessile, obovate, and oblong ; margins spinous, with cir- 

 cular sinuses between, texture hard, smooth on both sides, 

 but reticulate with veins ; from one to two inches long. 

 Stipules small, subulate, patiolary, having some small 

 scales intermixed with the insertions of the leaves. Ra- 

 cemes solitary, from the centre of the fascicles of leaves, 

 many-flowered. Pedicels often as long as the racemes, 

 straight, one-flowered ; sometimes there is no raceme, and 

 then several, long-pedicelled flowers occupy its place. 

 Flowers rather large, pure yellow. Bractes at the base 

 of the pedicels triple, one-flowered, ovate, acute. Calyx 

 about nine-leaved, imbricate. Leaflets unequal, yellow, 

 smooth. The exterior three minute, and may be called 

 bractes ; the next three larger ; the inner three still larg- 



