31 



Essential Ciiaracteb. — Sepals 3-4-(>, deciduous, in a double row, surrouiuled ex- 

 ternally by petiiloid scales. Petals hypogyuous, either equal to the sepals in number, and 

 opposite to them, or twice as many, generally with an appendage at the base in the inside. 

 Stamens equal in number to the petals, and opposite to them ; anthers generally with two 

 separated cells, oj)ening elastically with a valve from the bottom to the top. Ovarium 

 solitary, l-celled; style . rather lateral; stiymn orl)icular. Fruit berried or capsular. 

 Seeds attached to the bottom of the cell on one side, 1,2, or 3 ; albumen between fleshy and 

 corneous ; embryo straight in the axis ; cotyledons flat. — Shrubs or herbaceous perennial 

 plants, for the most part smooth. Leaves alternate, compound, without stipulce. 



Affinities. Botanists appear of one opinion in considering Menisper- 

 niea; the nearest order to this, agreeing in having the stamens opposite the 

 petals, the floral envelopes regularly imbricated, 3 or 4 in each row, never 5, 

 the fruit usually baccate, and fleshy albumen. 'J'hese, however, differ in their 

 habit, the separation of the sexes in distinct flowers, and the presence of several 

 distinct carpella, while in Berberidese there is never more than one, which is 

 perfectly simple, as is demonstrated by the position of the placentae, the 

 single style, &c. With Podophyllese they are connected through Leontice 

 and Diphylleia, which have a near relation to Jeffersonia and Podophyllum 

 itself. In the singular structure of their anthers there is a striking analogy 

 with Laurinese, Atherospermese, and Hamamelidese, orders not otherwise akin 

 to Berberideee. Leontice thalictroides offers one of the few instances of 

 seeds being absolutely naked, that is to say, not covered by any integument 

 originating in the pericarpium. In this plant the ovarium is ruptured in an 

 early state by the expansion of the ovulum, which, having been impregnated, 

 continues to grow, and ultimately arrives at maturity, although deprived of its 

 pericarpial covering. The spines of the common Berberry are a curious state 

 of leaf, in which the parenchyma is displaced, and the ribs have become 

 indurated. They, as well as all the simple leaves of ordinary appearance, are 

 articulated with the petiole, and are therefore compound leaves reduced to a 

 single foliole ; whence the supposed genus Mahonia does not differ essen- 

 tially from Berberis in foliage any more than in fructification. Berberideas 

 are related to Anonacese through the genus Bocagea ; their ovarium is gener- 

 ally like that of Anonacese. Aug. St. Hilaire remarks, that the opposition of 

 the stamens to the petals, and the erect ovules, place them in alliance with 

 Vites. FL Braz. 1 . 47. 



Geography. Natives chiefly of mountainous places in the temperate 

 parts of the northern hemisphere. Some have, however, been found in South 

 America as far as the Straits of Magellan ; none in Africa, Australasia, or in 

 the South Sea islands. Dec. There are several species of Berberry in Chile. 



Properties. 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. The stem and bark of the Berberry are excessively astrin- 

 gent, and are employed for that reason by dyers. Dec. The root yields a 

 yellow dye. A.Rich. 



Examples. Berberis, Leontice, Achlys. 



XXIII. MENISPERMEiE. The Cocculus Tribe. 



Menisperme^, Juss. Gen. 284. (1789); Dec. Syst.l. 508. (1818) Menispermace.i;, 



Dec. Prodr. 1. 95. (1824.) 



Diagnosis. Polypetalous dicotyledons, with hypogyuous stamens oppo- 

 site the petals, distinct simple carpella, minute unisexual flowers, and twining'' 

 shrubby stems. 



I 



