VI. BERBER A CEA^. : BE'RBERIS. 



47 



B<?rbe,-is ddlci.s. 



C. Leaves leathery, evergreen, or sub-evergreen. Flowers solitary, or in Clusters. 

 & 9. B. DU'LCIS D. Don. The sweet-fruited Berberry. 



Identification. Swt. Brit. Fl.-Gard. ; Lindl. Pen. Cyc., 4. p. 261. 

 Engravings. Swt. Brit. Fl. Card., 2cl ser., t. 100. ; and our Jig. 64. 



Spec. Char., $c. Spines long, slender, simple, or 3- 

 parted. Leaves obovate obtuse, with or without a 

 bristly point, quite entire, glaucous on the under side. 

 Flowers solitary, on slender stalks, twice as long as 

 the leaves. (Lindl., Pen. Cyc.,') An evergreen shrub, 

 with shining leaves. Straits of Magellan to Valdivia. 

 Height 2ft. to 5 ft. Introduced in 1830. Flowers 

 yellow ; March to June. Berries round, black, about 

 the size of a black currant ; ripe in August. Decay- 

 ing leaves bright yellow ; dropping in May and June. 



An elegant evergreen bush, which, in some places, has 

 attained the height of 5 ft. The flowers are large, of a 

 fine bright yellow, more expanded than they are in 

 many species, and, from their long slender stalks, they 

 hang down in a very graceful manner. In its native country, the fruit is 

 used, both green and ripe, as we use gooseberries, for making pies and tarts 

 and preserves, for which it is most excellent. It is quite hardy and evergreen. 



j 10. B. JSUXIFO'LIA Lam. The Box-leaved Berberry. 



Identification. Lam. 111., t. 253. fig. 3.; Don's Mill., 1. p. 117. 

 Engravings. Lam. 111. t. 253. fig. 3. ; and our fig. 65. 



Spec. Char., 8?c. Spines 3-parted. Leaves ovate, or ovate- 

 lanceolate, smooth, quite entire. Pedicels longer than 

 the leaves, either solitary, 1-flowered, or in threes, 

 rising from a short peduncle. (Don's Mill.) A small 

 twisted sub-evergreen shrub. Native of the Straits 

 of Magellan. Height 2 ft. to 3 ft. Introduced ?. 

 Flowers yellow. December to March. Berries blu- 

 ish purple, 4-seeded. 



Said to be nearly allied to B. dulcis. A very valuable 65 - B<Mm &uxifoiia. 

 addition to our hardy evergreens ; though, at present, rare in British gardens, 



jet 11. B. ACTINACA'NTHA Mart. The ray-spined Berberry. 



Identification. Rcemer and Schultes, 7. p. 12.; Hook. 



lot. Mis., 3. p. 135. 

 Engraving. Our fig. 66. 



Spec. Char., $c. Spines palmate, 3 5 

 divisions. Leaves ovate elliptic, rigid, 

 coriaceous, toothed, mucronate. Pe- 

 duncles 4 5, sub-umbellate, shorter 

 than the leaves. An evergreen shrub, 

 with numerous spreading branches, and 

 long white spines, generally in threes, 

 but sometimes more numerous. Straits 

 of Magellan. Height 3 ft. to 4 ft. In- 

 troduced ? 1830. Flowers deep yellow, 

 a little larger than those of B. vul- 

 garis ; May and June. Fruit ?. 

 A very desirable species, nearly allied 



to B. heterophylla. Our engraving is of 



a specimen taken from a very handsome 



plant in the rich collection of evergreens 



at Elvaston Castle. Dr. Hooker mentions a variety with smaller leaves than 



the species, but it does not appear to be introduced. Quite hardv. 



Ui'rberis actinacrfntha. 



