156 Berberidaceae 



broad, on stout peduncles 2.5-5 cm. long; achenes transversely 



wrinkled. 



Occasional in ponds and slow-running streams. -May-August. 



7. THALICTRUM L. Meadow-rue. 



Erecl perennial herbs with ternately decompound 



leaves and (ours) with small greenish dioecious panicled 

 flowers. Sepals 4-5. Petals none. Stamens many. 

 Achenes few-ribbed or nerved, stipitate or nearly sessile. 



1. T. polycarpum Wats. Usually robust, 6-12 din. high, 

 glabrous throughout; leaves of ratber thin texture; achenes 

 numerous, forming a globular bead in fruit, 6 mm. high, vesic- 

 ular, obovate or somewhat orbicular, usually only the midveina 

 apparent. 



Common in the foothill region, mostly below 4000 feet altitude. April- 

 June. 



Family 32. BERBERIDACEAE. Barberry 



Family. 



Shrubs or herbs with alternate or basal, simple or 

 compound leaves, with or without stipules, and solitary 

 or racemed, mostly terminal, perfect flowers. Sepals and 

 petals generally imbricated in several series. Stamens 

 as many as the petals and opposite them, hypogynous ; 

 anthers extrorse. opening by valves. Pistil 1 : style 

 short ; ovules 2— many, anatropous. Fruit a berry or 

 capsule. 



1. BERBERIS L. BABBEBRY. 



Shrubs with yellow wood and inner hark, hitter. 

 Leaves mostly pinnately compound and spinulose-den- 

 tate. Flowers racemose, yellow. Sepals 6 9, petaloid, 

 bracted, each with '2 glands at base. Petals (i. imbricated 

 in 2 series. Stamens c, irritable, closing around the 

 stigma when touched on the inner face near the base. 

 Pistil 1 : stigma peltate. Berry t-few-seeded. 



