78. RANUNCULACEAE — 79. BERBERIDACEAE IQQ 



8. Perianth regular. Petals 5 — 8 g 



Perianth irregular. Petals i^ — 4, usually 2 10 



9. Petals 5, large, with a long spur. Carpels separate. Leaves ternately 



dissected; segments broad. Tall, perennial herbs. — Species i. North- 

 west Africa. Used as an ornamental plant and in medicine. '• Colum- 

 bine." Aquilegia L. 



Petals 8, small, not distinctly spurred. Carpels more or less united. 

 Leaves pinnately dissected ; segments narrow. Low annual herbs. 

 — Species 6. North Africa. Some (especially ^V. sativa L.) yield con- 

 diments and medicaments, others serve as ornamental plants. 



Nigella L. 

 10. Petals with a long claw, enclosed by the sepals. Upper sepal erect, helmet- 

 shaped. Flowers yellow. — Species i. North-west Africa (Morocco). 

 Poisonous and used in medicine. Aconitum L. 



Petals sessile, projecting beyond the sepals. Upper sepal spreading, spur- 

 shaped. — Species i8. North and East Africa. Some are poisonous or 

 used in medicine or as ornamental plants. " Larkspur." Delphinium L. 



FAMILY 79. BERBERIDACEAE 



Leaves alternate or all radical. Flowers in racemes, hermaphrodite. Sepals 

 4 — q, more or less petal-like and yellow, at least the inner ones. Petals (nect- 

 aries) 4 — 8. Stamens 4 — 6, free. Anthers turned inwards, opening by valves. 

 Ovary superior, i-celled. Ovules 2 or more, basal or inserted along the ventral 

 suture. Stigma i. Fruit a capsule or a berry. Seeds with a straight embryo 

 and copious albumen. — Genera 3, species 6. North and East Africa. 

 I Stem woody, shrubby. Leaves undivided. Inflorescence terminal. Flow- 

 ers 6-merous. Fruit a berry. — Species 4. North and East Africa. 

 They yield timber, tanning and dyeing materials, fish-poison, medica- 

 ments, and edible fruits which are also used for the preparation of 

 drinks and coniectionery. " Barberry." [Tribe BERBERIDEAE.] 



Berberis L. 

 Stem herbaceous, low. Leaves dissected. Inflorescence lateral. Fruit 



a capsule. [Tribe EPIMEDIEAEJ 2 



2. Flowers 4-merous. Ovules many, inserted along the ventral suture. 

 Fruit openirg by two valves. Seeds with an aril. — ^ Species i. North- 

 west Africa Epimedium L. 



Flowers 6-merous. Ovules few, basal. Fruit bursting irregularly. Seeds 

 without an aril. — Species i. North-west Africa. The tubers are 

 used in medicine and as a substitute for soap Leontice L. 



FAMILY 80. MENISPERMACEAE 



Stem usually woody and twining. Leaves alternate, undivided, palmately 

 lobed or digitate, nearly always exstipulate. Flowers small, unisexual, nearly 

 always dioecious, mostly in racemes or panicles. Sepals usually 6. Petals 



