CHAP. VIII, BERBER A^CE^. BE RBERIS. 305 



Varieti/. 



<3i B. e. 2 serrattfolia Poir. The serrated-leaved Cretan Berberry. — Leaves 

 ciliately serrated. 



it 8. B. cratje'gina Dec. The Crataegus-like Berberry. 



Identification. Dec. Syst, 2. p. 9. ; Don's Mill, 1. p. 116. 



Spec. Char,, Sfc. Spines simple. Leaves oblong, reticulated, hardly serrated. 

 Racemes many-flowered, crowded, spreading, scarcely longer than the leaves. 

 (^Don's Mill.,\. p. 116.) Native of Asia Minor. "Allied to Berberis 

 cretica and sinensis " {Dec.) : said to be Uke B. vulgaris by G. Don. " De- 

 scribed by De CandoUe from specimens collected in Asia Minor. Young 

 plants, of what is said to be this species, are in the gardens, but they have 

 not yet flowered." {Lindl.~) Where we meet with many doubts, we are 

 always disposed to simplify ; and, from the geography of this species, we 

 think it highly probable that it will turn out to be a mere variety of B. 

 vulgaris. 



C. Leaves leathery, evergreen or sub-evergreen, Flotvers solitary or in Clusters. 

 ^ 9. B. du'lcis. The sweet-fruited Berberry. 



Identification. Swt. Brit. Fl.-Gard. ; Lindl. Pen. Cyc, 4. p. 261. 

 Engravings. Swt. Brit. FI. Gard. 2d ser., t. 100. ; and ouryf^. SI. 



Spec. Char., ^c. Spines long, slender, simple, or 3-parted. 

 Leaves obovate obtuse, with or without a bristly 

 point, quite entire, glaucous on the under side. 

 Flowers solitary, on slender stalks, twice as long as 

 the leaves. (Lindl., Pen. Cyc, 4. p. 216.) This species, 

 or alleged species, is not recognised by De Candolle 

 or George Don : it is said by Dr. Lindley to be " a 

 native of the south-western part of South America, 

 from the Straits of Magellan to Valdivia, where it 

 forms a small evergreen bush. The species has been 

 some years in this country ; but it is at present very 

 rare." (Pen Cyc, 5. p. 261.) There are plants in 

 the Hort. Soc. Garden between 2 ft. and 3 ft. high ; 

 and it is to be procured at Low's Nursery, Clapton, 

 where it flowered in March, 1831. It was sent to 

 Mr. Low by Mr. Anderson, the collector attached to Capt. King's expe- 

 dition, from the Straits of Magellan. In Sweet's FIower-Garden, where 

 it is figured, it is said that, in its native country, " the fruit is used, both 

 green and ripe, as we use gooseberries, for making pies and tarts, and pre- 

 serves, for which it is most excellent. The berries are round and black, 

 being about the size of a black currant, and are produced in great abund- 

 ance. The flowers are very handsome, being of a bright yellow, and nod- 

 ding : they make a very elegant appearance." (Swt. Fl.-Gard., 2d s., i. 

 t. 100.) It is quite hardy, and evergreen ; but there is a deciduous variety, 

 also possessed by Mr. Low, which, by some, is supposed to be a distinct 

 species. 



£ 10. B. heteropiiy'lla Juss. The various-leaved Bert)erry. 



Identification. Juss. in Poir. Diet., 8. p. 622. ; Dec. Prod., 1. p. 108. : Don's Mill., 1. p.ll7 ; Lindl . 



Pen. Cyc, 4. p. 261. 

 Synonymes. B. jlicifWia Forst. ; B. triscupid^ta Smith. 

 Engraving. Hook Exot. Fl., 1. t. 14. ; and out fig. 52. 



Spec. Char., Sfc. Spines 3-parted. Leaves ovate-lancolate, glabrous, some of 

 them entire, others furnished with 3 pungent teeth. Pedicels solitary, 

 1-flowered, hardly longer than the leaves. Filaments toothed. (Don's 

 Mdl., i. p. 117.) This species Dr. Hooker describes as a shrub about 3 ft. 

 in height, much branched, and the older branches covered with dark wrinkled 



z 2 



