16 BERBERIDACE.5C. 



ORDER IV. MENISPERMACE^E. MEXISPERMADS. 



Flowers diclinous, usually dioecious and very small. Sepak 

 and petals confounded in one or several rows, each of which is 

 composed of 3 or 4 parts, deciduous. Stamens monadelphous 

 or occasionally distinct, sometimes opposite the petals and equal 

 to them in number, sometimes 3 or 4 times as many ; anthers 

 adnate. Ovaries sometimes numerous, each with one style, 

 distinct or rarely united. Drupes mostly berried, 1 -seeded, 

 compressed. Seed same shape as the fruit ; albumen wanting 

 or small. Shrubs, with a flexible tough tissue and sarmenta- 

 ceous habit. Leaves alternate and entire. Flowers small, 

 usually racemose. 



MENISPERMUM. Linn. Moonseed. 



(From the Greek uni"}, the moon, and (nrtp/ia, a seed ; on account of the lunate 

 form of the seeds.) 



Sepals and petals arranged in fours, 2 or 3 -rowed. STERILE 

 FL. Stamens 12 20. FERTILE FL. Ovaries 1 4. Drupe 

 berried, roundish-reniform, with a single lunate nut or seed. 

 Sterile and fertile flowers often dissimilar. 



M. Canadense Linn: leaves peltate, somewhat glabrous, cordate, ob- 

 tusely angled, mucronate ; racemes solitary, compound ; petals 4 8. 



Banks of streams. Can. to Car. W. to Miss. July. T^. Varies somewhat 

 in the angles of the leaves. Stem climbing, 8 12 feet long. Flowers very 

 small, greenish yellow, tinged with purple. Berries black, resembling grapes. 



Canadian Moonseed. 



ORDER V. BERBERIDACEJE. BERBERIDS. 



Sepals 3 4 6, deciduous, in a double row, surrounded ex- 

 ternally by petaloid scales. Petals either equal to the sepals 

 in number and opposite to them, or twice as many, generally 

 with ap, appendage at the base in the inside. Stamens equal 

 in number to the petals, and opposite to them. Ovary solitary, 

 1 -celled ; style rather lateral ; stigma orbicular. Fruit a berry 

 'or capsule. Seeds crustaceous or membranous. Shrubs or 

 herbaceous plants, with alternate leaves. 



1. BERBERIS. Linn. Barberry. 

 (Supposed to be the Arabian name of the plant.) 



Sepals 6, mostly with 3 bracteoles at the base. Petals 6, 

 with 2 glands upon their claws. Stamens without teeth, *? 



