156 Berberidaceae 



broad, on stout peduncles 2.5-5 cm. long; achenes transversely 

 wrinkled. 



Occasional in ponds and slow-running streams. May-August. 



7. THAL.ICTRUM L. MEADOW-RUE. 



Erect perennial herbs with ternately decompound 

 leaves and (ours) with small greenish dioecious panicled 

 flowers. Sepals 4-5. Petals none. Stamens many. 

 Achenes few-ribbed or nerved, stipitate or nearly sessile. 



1. T. polycarpum Wats. Usually robust, 6-12 dm. high, 

 glabrous throughout; leaves of rather thin texture; achenes 

 numerous, forming a globular head in fruit, 6 mm. high, vesic- 

 ular, obovate or somewhat orbicular, usually only the midveins 

 apparent. 



Common in the foothill region, mostly below 4000 feet altitude. April- 

 June. 



Family 32. BERBERIDACEAE. BARBERRY 

 FAMILY. 



Shrubs or herbs with alternate or basal, simple or 

 compound leaves, with or without stipules, and solitary 

 or racemed, mostly terminal, perfect flowers. Sepals an,d 

 petals generally imbricated in several series. Stamens 

 as many as the petals and opposite them, hypogynous ; 

 anthers extrorse, opening by valves. Pistil 1 ; style 

 short; ovules 2-many, anatro;pous. Fruit a berry .or 

 capsule. 



1. BERBERIS L. BARBERRY, 



Shrubs with yellow wood and inner bark, bitter. 

 Leaves mostly pinnately compound and spinulose-den- 

 tate. Flowers racemose, yellow. Sepals 6-9, petaloid, 

 bracted, each with 2 glands at base. Petals 6, imbricated 

 in 2 series. Stamens 6, irritable, closing around the 

 stigma when touched on the inner face near the base. 

 Pistil 1 ; stigma peltate. Berry .1-few-seeded. 



