Nymphaa.] NYMPH^ACE/E. 1 1 



plane. — Shrubs or herbs, with perennial roots, mostly glabrous. 

 Inhabitants of temperate or cold climates, in both hemispheres. 



The berries of Berberis vulgaris and other species are acid 

 and astringent, and form with sugar an agreeable refreshing 

 preserve. Their acid is the oxalic. 



1. Berberis. Linn. Barberry. 



Sepals 6, in a double row, externally scaly. Petals 6, with two 

 glands at the base of each. Fruit fleshy 1 -celled, 2 — 3- 

 seeded. Shrubs with spiny stems and leaves, and yellow 

 racemose flowers. — Name; Berberys, according to Theis, is 

 the Arabic name of this fruit. Hexandria. Monogynia. 



1 . B. vulgaris, Linn. Common Barberry. Racemes pendulous ; 

 spines 3-forked ; leaves obovate with bristly serratures. Br. Fl. 

 1. p. 150. E. Fl. v. iii. p. 184. E. Bot. t. 49. 



Frequent in hedges at Ballyarthur. near Fermoy ; Mr. J. Drutn- 

 mond. Fl. June. %. — Shrub with upright twiggy stems. Flowers 

 yellow, smelling disagreeable. Stamens highly curious in their forma- 

 tion and in their elastic property when touched. Berries oblong, a 

 little curved, red, tipped with the black style : they are agreeably acid, 

 and much used for preserves, particularly the stoneless variety. The 

 leaves and young shoots are very subject to mildew. 



Ord. 3. NYMPH^ACE^;. D C. Water-Lily Family. 



Sepal 4 — 6, coloured within, often passing into the petals, 

 which are numerous, and arranged in several series. Stamens 

 numerous, in many series, inserted, as well as the perianth, on 

 a more or less enlarged portion of the receptacle ; filaments 

 often petaloid ; anthers adnate, 2-celled, opening longitudinally. 

 Ovaries, or carpels, 8 — 24, half immersed in the enlarged fo- 

 veolated receptacle, (Nelumbium), or entirely included in an 

 urceolate (resembling a solitary ovarium or carpel), 1-styled, 

 membranaceous, indehiscent, 1 — 2 — or many-seeded. Styles, 

 in the free ovaries, distinct with a simple stigma ; in the included 

 carpels combined with the stigmas, adnate at their base, and 

 radiating (as in Papaver) ; seeds in the former 2 or 1, in the lat- 

 ter very numerous, fixed to the sides of the carpels, covered by 

 a gelatinous arillus ; the cells filled with gelatine in maturity. 

 Albumen farinaceous, none in Nelumbium. Embryo minute, 

 somewhat terminate, on the outside of the albumen, and in- 

 cluded in a membranous bag. — Aquatic herbs, with peltate or cor- 

 date leaves, and splendid flowers. 



1. Nymph^ea. Linn. White Water-Lily. 



Sepals 4. Petals and stamens numerous, inserted into a disk 

 which surrounds the sides of ovarium, and adheres to it. 



