I.] 



BERBERIDE^E. 



117 



a needle, they suddenly incline towards the pistil: the 

 dehiscence of the anthers by valves. 



There is a prejudice amongst farmers that the Bar- 

 berry causes wheat grown near to it to become blighted; 

 but the fungus which attacks the Barberry has been, 

 until recently, regarded as belonging to a genus different 

 from that which infests wheat, and the prejudice con- 

 sequently was supposed to be without any reasonable 

 foundation. Observations, however, by Oersted and De 

 Bary prove, notwithstanding the differences which have 

 been regarded as generic between the two fungi, that they 

 are merely alternating generations of one and the same 

 species. The wood of Barberry, especially of the root, is 

 of a deep yellow colour, and is used as a dye. The acid 

 fruit, with sugar, is used in preserves and confections. 



3. Natural Order Nymphaeaceas. The Water-lily 

 Family. 



DISTRIBUTION. Widely dispersed in the waters of 

 Tropical and Temperate regions of both hemispheres. 

 British genera 2, species 2. 



Floating Plants. Petals and stamens indefinite, 

 indefinite (spuriously coherent). 



Carpels 



Type White Water-lily (Nymphcea -alba). 

 An aquatic herb, with cordate floating leaves and large 

 white solitary flowers. 



