CHAPTER I. 



BARBERRY. BEKBEEIS. 

 NATURAL FAMILY BerberidaccR. 



[Name derived from Berberys, the Arabic name of the fruit. The French name 

 la Epine Dinette ; German, Berberitze ; Dutch, Berberisse ; Italian, Berbero ; Span- 

 ish, Berberis.} 



GENERAL CHARACTEES. Shrubs of medium size, with 

 yellow inner bark and wood. Flowers in drooping ra- 

 cemes, leaves, and fruit acid. A section of this genus is 

 often called Mahonia ; the species belonging to it, have 

 evergreen leaves, and are chiefly cultivated for ornament. 



SPECIES. 



Berberis Vlilgaris. Common Barberry. Native of 

 Britain, but has become naturalized in the New England 

 States. Stems with sharp spines. Leaves obovate-oblong, 

 bristly toothed. Berries oblong, scarlet. 



Berberis Canadensis. American Barberry. Very 

 similar to the last ; the racemes not quite so long. Berries 

 oval. Considered by some botanists as only a variety of JB. 

 vulgaris. Found wild on the Alleghanies and southward. 



Berfoeris dulcis. Magellan Sweet Barberry. Also 

 called B. buxifolia and B. rotundifolia. Native of the 

 Straits of Magellan. It is an evergreen in its native coun- 

 try and in England, but with us it usually drops its leaves 

 in the latter part of winter. It blooms early, and ripens its 

 fruit in July. Berries round, black, and moderately sweet. 



Berberis aristata, Nepaul Barberry. B. Asiatica and 

 B. Chitra of some authors. Native of Nepaul and other 

 portions of India, where it is an evergreen. Fruit purple, 

 covered with bloom. Highly prized in its native country. 



There are probably other distinct species which produce 

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