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THALAMIFLORiE 



Natural Order II 



BERBERIDE.E. The Barberry Family 



Sepals 3, 4, or 6, in a double row, often coloured, soon falling 

 off, surrounded by petal-like scales ; petals either equal in number 

 to the sepals, or opposite to them, or twice as many, often with 

 a gland at the base ; stamens equal in number to the petals, 

 and opposite to them ; anthers opening by a valve from the base 

 upwards ; ovary solitary, i-celled, 1- to 3-seeded, generally turning 

 to a berry. Shrubs, growing principally in mountainous parts 

 of the temperate zones, especially in the north of India. Several 

 species have thorny stems and astringent bark, and furnish a 

 yellow dye ; the berries are acid those of our species, Berberis 

 Asiatica, are dried in the sun like raisins. Several handsome 

 species are cultivated in gardens under the name of Mahonia. 



1. Berberis (Barberry). Sepals 6 ; petals 6, with 2 glands at 

 the base of each ; fruit, a berry with 1-3 seeds. (Name said to 

 be of Arabic origin.) 



2. Epimedium (Barrenwort). Sepals 4 ; petals 4, 

 with a scale at the base of each ; pod many-seeded. 

 (Name of uncertain origin.) 



1. Berberis {Barberry) 



1. B. vulgaris (Common Barberry). A pretty 

 shrub, not uncommon in woods and hedges, remark- 

 able for the light colour of its bark, which is 

 yellow within, and for its 3-forked spines. The 

 flowers are yellow, and grow in drooping clusters ; 

 the filaments are elastic and irritable, so that 

 when touched ever so lightly by the legs of an 

 insect they spring forward and close on the pistil, 

 scattering the pollen from the anthers as they do 

 so ; after some time they recover their original posi- 

 tion. The berries are oblong, red when ripe and 

 gratefully acid, and may be made into an agreeable 

 preserve. Probably not a true native. Fl. June. 

 Perennial. 



2. Epimedium {Barrenwort) 



1. E. Alpinum (Alpine Barrenwort). The only 

 species found in Britain, occurring here and there in 

 mountainous woods in some parts of Scotland and 

 the north of England, but not really indigenous. 

 Never growing more than a foot high ; each stem 

 Alpinum (Alpine Dears a single leaf, which is composed of 3 delicate 

 Barrenwort) heart-shaped leaflets. Fl. May. Perennial 



Berberis 

 (Barberry) 



