BERBEKIDACEAE (BARBERRY FAMILY) 



stigma sessile, large, thick and undulate. Fruit a large fleshy berry. J>eeds 

 covering the very large lateral placenta, in many rows, each seed inclosed in 

 a pulpy aril. — Perennial herbs, with creeping rootstocks and thick fibrous roots. 

 Stems 2-leaved, 1-flowered. (Name from ttovs, a foot^ and (pvXS.ou^ a leaft 

 probably referring to the stout petioles.) 



1. P. peltatum L. Stamens 12-18; leaves 5-9-parted, the lobes oblong, 

 rather wedge-shaped, somewhat lobed and toothed at the apex. — Rich woods, 

 w. Que. and w. N. E. to Minn., and southw. May. — Flowerless stems termi- 

 nated by a large round 7-9-lobed leaf, peltate in the middle, like an umbrella ; 

 flowering stems bearing two one-sided leaves, and a nodding white flower from 

 the fork; fruit ovoid, 2.5-5 cm. long, ripe in July, sweet and slightly acid, 

 edible. 



2. JEFFERS6nIA B. S. Barton. Twinleaf 



Sepals 4, fugacioas. Petals 8, oblong, flat. Stamens 8 ; anthers oblong- 

 linear, on slender filaments. (Jvary ovoid, soon gibbous, pointed ; stigma 2- 

 lobed. Pod pear-shaped, opening halfway round horizontally, the upper part 

 making a lid. Seeds many, in several rows on the lateral placenta, with a fleshy 

 lacerate aril on one side. — A perennial glabrous herb, with matted fibrous roots, 

 long-petioled root-leaves parted into 2 half-ovate leaflets, and simple naked 1- 

 flowered scapes. (Named in honor of Thomas Jeferson.) 



1. J. diphylla (L.) Pers. Low; flower white, 2.5 cm. broad, the parts 

 rarely in threes or fives. (J. Unata B. S. Barton.) — Woods, n. N. Y. to Wise, 

 n. e. la., and southw. Apr., May. — Called Rheumatism Root in some places. 



3. DIPHYLLEIA Michx. Umbrella Leaf 



Sepals 6, fugacious. Petals 6, oval, flat. Stamens 6. Ovary ellipsoid ; stigma 

 depressed, subsessile. Ovules 5 or 6, attacned to one side of the cell below the 

 middle. Berry globose, few-seeded. Seeds oblong, with no aril. — Glabrous 

 perennial, with thick horizontal rootstocks, sending up each year either a huge 

 centrally peltate and cut-lobed rounded umbrella-like radical leaf, on a stout 

 stalk, or a flowering stem bearing two similar (but smaller and more 2-cleft) 

 alternate leaves which are peltate near one margin, and terminated by a cyme 

 of white flowers. (Name from 5ts, double^ and (pvWov, leaf.) 



1. D. cymbsa Michx. Root-leaves 3-6 dm. in diameter, 2-cleft, each division 

 5-7-lobed ; lobes toothed ; berries blue. — Wet or springy places, mts. of Va. 

 and southw. May. 



4. CAULOPHYLLUM Michx. Blue Cohosh 



Sepals 6, with 3 or 4 small bractlets at the base, ovate-oblong. Petals 6 thick 

 gland-like somewhat kidney-shaped or hooded bodies, with short claws, nnich 

 smaller than the sepals, one at the base of each of them. Stamens 6. Pistil 

 gibbous ; style short ; stigma minute and unilateral : ovary bursting soon after 

 flowering by the pressure of the 2 erect enlarging seeds, and withering away ; 

 the spherical seeds naked on their thick seed-stalks, looking like drupes, the 

 fleshy integument turning blue ; albumen horny. — A perennial glabrous herb, 

 with matted knotty rootstocks, sending up in early spring a simple arid naked 

 stem, terminated by a small raceme or panicle of yellowish green flowers, and a 

 little below bearing a large triternately compound sessile leaf (whence the name, 

 from KavXds, stem, and (pvWov, leaf, the stem seeming to form a stalk for the 

 great leaf.) 



1. C. thalictroides (L.) Michx. (Pappoose Root.) Stems 3-7.5 dm. high ; 

 leaflets o])ovate- wedge-form, 2-3-lobed, a smaller biternate leaf often at the base 

 of the panicle ; flowers appearing while the leaf is yet small. — Deep rich woods, 

 N. B. to Man., and S(.uthw. Apr., May.— Whole plant glaucous when young, 

 as also the seeds, which are as large as peas. 



