BERBERIDACEAE 81 



small, yellow flowers with sepals in two rows above 2 or 3 small 

 bracts, 6 petals arranged in two rows, and 6 stamens. The 

 1 -celled ovar}', capped by a shield-shaped stigma, develops into 

 a few-seeded, usually juicy berry. 



There are more than 250 species in this family, with a wide 

 distribution in temperate regions north of the equator and 

 southward into the Andes in South America. Only the follow- 

 ing occurs in Illinois. 



BERBERIS (Tournefort) Linnaeus 

 The Barberries 



The barberries, shrubs with the characteristics of the family, 

 are armed with simple or branched spines formed by the trans- 

 formation of primary leaves. The foliage consists of fascicles 

 of secondary leaves developed in axils of the first. Flowers 

 are borne in simple, drooping racemes, and the sour, red berries, 

 which have no bloom, are edible. 



Of more than 150 species in this genus, perhaps as many as 

 50 have been introduced into cultivation, and 1, the Japanese 

 Barberry or Berberis Thunbergii De CandoUe, is widely 

 planted at the present time in Illinois. The following species 

 was early introduced and became widespread and naturalized. 



BERBERIS VULGARIS Linnaeus 



Common Barberry 



The Common Barberry, fig. 16, is an erect shrub 5 to 10 feet 

 or more tall, with gray stems and yellowish or yellowish-red 

 branchlets, which are strongly grooved and bear many 3-parted 

 spines along their length in place of primary leaves. Secondary 

 leaves, developed in the axils of the transformed primary leaves, 

 are elliptic to oblong or obovate, ^ to 1]/^ inches long, obtuse 

 or rarely somewhat pointed at the tips, and narrowed at the 

 base into a petiole J4 to 1/4 inch long. The leaf margin is serrate, 

 and the teeth are pointed with small, weak spines. The inflores- 

 cence, a raceme which terminates short, lateral branches, is 

 many flowered, 1 to 2 inches long in flower, and 3 to 4 inches 

 long in fruit. The flowers are yellow and \^ inch broad or more. 

 The berries at maturity are oblong or elliptic, sour, and bright 

 scarlet. 



