BERBERIDACE^ 



29 



Columbine, a pretty drooping blue flower, not 

 uncommon in woods ; the Larkspur, an upright 

 plant with a flower much resembling Monkshood, 

 but of a brighter blue ; and the Pseony, which is 

 naturalised on an island in the Severn, but which 

 is really a South European plant. 



Order II. Berberidacece (2 genera) 



This is a small family, comprising shrubs the 

 flowers of which have petals and sepals opposite 

 to each other, variable in number, and one i-celled 

 ovary. There are only two British species, neither 

 of which is perhaps truly indigenous. Of these 

 the best known is the Barberry {Berberis vulgaris). 

 which is an ornamental shrub with oval dentated 

 leaves, drooping clusters of yellow flowers (with 

 6 sepals, petals, and stamens), which emit an 

 unpleasant odour, and smooth, glossy oval or curved 

 fruit, of a bright scarlet, a quarter of an inch in 

 length, and about three times as long as broad. 

 The berries are intensely acid, but when tied in 

 small clusters and boiled in syrup make a very 



nice preserve. The tree is set with strong trifid 

 spines. The flowers are remarkable for their 

 peculiar irritability. If one of the stamens is 

 moved or touched with a needle at the base, it 

 suddenly bends over on the pistil, resuming its 

 erect position after a short time, thus ensuring 

 the fertilisation of the seeds. A yellow dye is 

 obtained from the roots and bark of the Barberry. 

 The Corn Mildew (Puccinia graminis), which 

 attacks corn and grain, passes through an alter- 

 nate stage on the leaves of the Barberry, from 

 whence the spores are again transferred to grass 

 or corn. The Barberry is common in hedges in 

 many parts of the British Islands, and is a very 

 favourite plant in shrubberies. 



B arren wort — Epimedium alpinum 



(Plate VI) 



This plant is a native of the Eastern Alps, but 

 is occasionally found half-naturalised in Britain. 

 The root is perennial, creeping, and the stalk is 

 clothed with brown scales towards the base. The 



