Cissampelus.] IV. MENISPERMACE^E. 11 



rings of wood and liber) generally remain distinct in Menispermacese, and are 

 separated by broad radial masses of cellular tissue, corresponding to the medul- 

 lary rays of ordinary wood. After some time these original wood fascicles cease 

 growing, and in the cortical cellular tissue exterior to the liber originates a 

 second circle of bundles, similar to the first formed, excepting in the absence 

 of spiral vessels. After these bundles have attained full development, they 

 in turn cease to grow, and a third circle forms in the cellular tissue of the 

 bark, and so on. There is great variety in the wood structure of the genera of 

 this family. 



Order V. BERBEEIDE-ffi. 



Usually shrubby, sometimes climbing, glabrous plants. Leaves simple 

 or compound, stipules rare. Sepals and petals free, hypogynous, very 

 caducous, usually trimerous, 2-4-seriate. Stamens hypogynous, 4-6 (rarely 

 8), opposite the petals, anthers adnate, erect, dehiscing by 2 revolute or 

 ascending valves or by lateral or dorsal slits. Carpels 1-3, rarely more, 

 oblong, ovules usually indefinite. Seeds with a copious, dense albumen. 

 Gen. PI. i. 40 ; Eoyle 111. 62 j Wight 111. i. 22. 



Erect shrubs ; flowers bisexual; one carpel . . . 1. Berberis. 

 Climbing shrubs ; flowers unisexual ; carpels 3 .2. Holboellia. 



1. BERBERIS, Linn. 



Spiny shrubs with yellow wood, yellow flowers and fasciculate leaves, 

 the leaves of elongate shoots often reduced to simple or 3-7-forked spines. 

 Sepals 6, with 2-3 adpressed bracts, imbricate in 2 series. Petals 6, in 

 2 series, imbricate. Stamens 6, free, anther-cells opening by recurved 

 valves. Stigma peltate, sessile, or on a short style. Fruit a berry with few 

 seeds. Albumen fleshy, embryo straight. 



Leaves simple, membranous or thinly coriaceous, not lacunose, 



serrate, serratures equal, cuspidate ; stigma sessile . . 1. B. vulgaris. 



Leaves simple, obovate or oblanceolate, coriaceous, not lacunose, 

 entire, or with large spinescent serratures ; flowers on com- 

 pound racemes ; stigma small, on a short style . . .2. B. aristata. 



Leaves simple, narrow, lanceolate or oblanceolate, coriaceous, not 

 lacunose, entire or spinose-dentate ; flowers pale, small, on 

 corymbose racemes ; style distinct 3. B. Lycium. 



Leaves simple, obovate or orbicular, coriaceous, hard, lacunose, 

 reticulate, entire ; or with large, distant, spinescent teeth ; 

 flowers fasciculate or in short racemes ; style distinct . 4. B. asiatica. 



Leaves imparipinnate, leaflets 2-12 pair 5. B. nepalensis. 



1. B. vulgaris, Linn. ; Hook. Fl. Ind. i. 109 ; Hook. Stud. Fl. 13. 

 Barberry. Vern. zirishk, Pb. 



An erect, spinous shrub. Leaves deciduous, membranous, or thinly co- 

 riaceous, serrate with equal spinulose teeth, generally fasciculate on short 

 lateral branchlets, in the axil of a 3-7-forked, rarely simple spine, on a 

 thick broad base. The leaves vary exceedingly from oblanceolate, cun- 

 eate, or obovate, to broadly ovate. Flowers in racemes, elongated or shortly 

 corymbose, on the short leaf-bearing branchlets. Berry ovoid-oblong or 

 ovoid, red or black when ripe, terminated by the broad sessile stigma. 



