VI. BERltERA CEJE : BE RBERIS. 



49 



70. Ufrberii asiatica. 



^ 15. B. ASIA'TICA Roxb. The Asiatic Berberry. 



Identification. Koxb. in Dec. Syst., 2. p. 13. ; Dec. Prod., 1. p. 107. ; Don's Mill., 1. p. 116 ; Pen. 



Cyc., 4. p. 261 

 Synonymes. The Lycium of Dioscorides, Royle in Linn. Trans., xvii. p. 83. ; B. tinctbria Lech. ; 



the Raisin Berberry, P< n. Cyc. 

 Engravings. Deless" Icon, sel., 2. t. I.j and OCT^f. 70. 



Spec. Char., fyc. Spines trifid, or simple. Leaves oval, cuncated or ellip- 

 tical, mucronate, smooth, under surface glaucous, entire or spinulosely 

 toothed. Racemes short, 

 many-flowered, corymbose, 

 shorter than the " leaves. 

 Pedicels elongated, one- 

 flowered. Berries oval. 

 (Dotfs Mill.} A vigorous- 

 ly growing sub-eve r green 

 shrub, crowded with nume- 

 rous luxuriant suckers. Ne- 

 pal, on mountains. Height 

 6 ft. to 8 ft. Introduced in 

 1820. Flowers yellow; 

 May and June. *Berries 

 purplish, with a fine bloom ; 

 ripe in July. Decaying 

 leaves yellow and red. 



Leaves somewhat resem- 

 bling those of B. heterophylia, 

 but not glaucous. The plant 

 is easily distinguished from 

 that species by the very short 

 racemes of its flowers, by their being produced much earlier, and by the 

 smoothness of its shoots. On July 20. 1837, a fine plant of B. asiatica, 

 in the grounds at Syon, was covered with fruit, while one of B. aristata, 

 standing close beside it, was covered with its beautiful rich yellow blossoms, 

 many of which were not fully expanded. The fruit is oblong, pinkish or 

 purplish, wrinkled, and covered with a fine thick bloom like that of the 

 best raisins. The plants in 5 or 6 years attain the height of 6 or 8 feet. 



3fc 16. B. ARISTAVA Dec. The bristled-foo^-/ertw?d Berberry. 



Identification. Dec. Prod., 1. p. 106.; Don's Mill., 1. p. 115. 

 Synonymes. R. Chitria Buch. ; B. angustifoiia Rorb. ; B. sinensis Desf. 

 Engravings. Hook. Exot. Flor., t. 98. ; Hot. Reg., t. 729. ; and our^. 71 



Spec. Char., fyc. Lower spines 3-parted, simple ; 

 leaves obovate-acute, tapering much to the 

 base, ending in a mucro (prickly point) at the 

 apex, membranous, smooth on both sides, ser- 

 rated, with 4> or 5 bristly teeth. Racemes 

 nodding, many-flowered, longer than the 

 leaves. Berries oblong. (Don's Mill.) A 

 vigorous-growing sub-evergreen shrub, crowd- 

 ed with suckers which sometimes grow 8 ft. 

 to 9ft. long in a season. Nepal, on mountains 

 5000ft. to 8000 ft. of elevation. Height 6ft. 

 to 10 ft. Introduced in 1820. Flowers yel- 

 low ; June and July. Berries purplish, with 

 a fine bloom ; ripe in September. Decaying 

 leaves yellow and scarlet. Naked young wood 

 yellowish brown. 



Very distinct from any of the preceding species or varieties, growing with 

 extraordinary vigour, and capable of being formed into a very handsome small 



E 



71. Bfrberis aristat 



