232 BERBERIDOPSIS BERBERIS 



BERBERIDOPSIS CORALLINA, Hooker. CORAL PLANT. 



(Bot. Mag., t. 53430 ' , 



An evergreen, scandent shrub of remarkable beauty. Leaves alternate, 

 ovate or heart-shaped, rather hard in texture, the apex and margins set 

 with spiny teeth; dark green above, glaucous beneath, ij to 4 ins. long. 

 Flowers produced in the axils of the uppermost leaves and in a terminal 

 raceme, the whole forming a crowded group of pendent blossoms. Each 

 flower is borne on a slender stalk, ij to 2 ins. long, deep red like the 

 flower itself which is globose, \ in. across, composed of nine to fifteen 

 petal-like segments, the outer ones of which are small and spreading, the 

 inner ones larger and concave, all of the deep fine red which pervades 

 the whole inflorescence. 



Native of the forests of Chile ; discovered in the province of Valdivia, 

 and introduced to Englan'd by Richard Pearse in 1862. The species is 

 the only one of its genus at present known, and its botanical status is 

 somewhat doubtful. It has usually been associated with the barberries. 

 It is one of the most gorgeous of climbers, but unfortunately is not very 

 hardy. At Kew it thrives fairly well on the outside wall of a hothouse, but 

 is really only happy without protection in the mildest counties. At Carclew, 

 in Cornwall, there is (or was a short time ago) a splendid plant 20 ft. 

 across; and at Cragside, in Northumberland, another covers 20 ft. of 

 a north wall, but is protected by glass in winter. The species makes a 

 very attractive climber for an unheated greenhouse. It commences to 

 flower in July, and continues in beauty for two or three months. The 

 fruits form in this country, but do not usually produce good seed. Young 

 plants can be raised from cuttings or layers. A little peaty soil may be 

 put about the roots when first planted out ; but afterwards as they gain 

 in strength they will spread out into any open, sandy loam, so long as 

 it is free from lime. 



BERBERIS. BARBERRY. BERBERIDACE^E. 



A genus, of deciduous and evergreen shrubs, now including sixty to 

 seventy species. The hardy ones are natives of Europe, N. Asia, and the 

 two Americas ; the common barberry (B. vulgaris) is found in N. Africa 

 perhaps introduced. The leading characteristics of the genus are, the 

 yellow wood, yellow flowers, and the three-parted character of the 

 flowers; the sepals being six or nine, the petals six, and the stamens 

 six. The fruit is an oblong or egg-shaped berry containing one to several 

 seeds. The stamens are irritable, and if touched at the base with a fine- 

 pointed instrument like a pin, they suddenly move from their sheltered 

 position in the concavity of the petals, and close inwards on the pistil. 

 The object of this interesting power is, no doubt, to secure cross- 

 fertilisation. An insect in search of honey pushes itself or its proboscis 

 into the flower, sets the stamens in action, and, becoming itself smeared 



