BERBERIS 251 



B. VERRUCULOSA, Hemsley and Wilson. WARTED BARBERRY. 



(Bot. Mag., t. 8454.) 



A sturdy, low, evergreen bush, 2 to 4 ft. high, very distinct on account of 

 its branches being covered with dense, dark brown, tiny excrescences, which 

 give the young bark a curiously rough surface. Stem-thorns very slender, 

 three-parted, to f in. long. Leaves dark lustrous green above, glaucous 

 beneath ; oval, tapering towards both ends ; to i ins. long, of leathery 

 texture, margins recurved and set with a few spiny teeth. They are densely 

 arranged in clusters or rosettes along the twigs. Flowers short-stalked, 

 solitary or in small fascicles, golden yellow, to f in. across. Berry black 

 covered with blue bloom, nearly \ in. long, rather bottle-shaped. 



Discovered by Wilson in W. China, and introduced by him in 1904. First 

 flowered in the Coombe Wood nursery in May, 1908. One of the most pleasing 

 of recent introductions from China, and evidently hardy near London. Useful 

 for the rock garden because of its neat, compact habit. 



B, VIRESCENS, Hooker fit. 

 (Bot. Mag., t. 7"6.) 



An elegant, deciduous shrub, 6 to 9 ft. high ; with smooth, reddish brown, 

 shining branches, armed at each leaf-tuft with a slender, three-parted, or single 

 spine up to f in. long. Leaves f to ij ins. long, obovate, thin, pale but 

 bright green ; the apex rounded or tipped with a small spine, the margins 

 toothed or entire. Flowers \ in. diameter, pale greenish or sulphur yellow, 

 and produced on slender, short stalks, either in panicles or short racemes. 

 Berries slender, nearly \ in. long, reddish, covered with bloom. 



Discovered by Sir Joseph Hooker, at an elevation of 9000 ft., in Sikkim, in 

 1849 and introduced to Kew about the same time ; this barberry was not given 

 specific rank until described forty years after in the place quoted above. 

 It is not one of the most attractive of barberries in regard to its flowers or 

 fruit, but its habit is elegant, and the red tinge of its stems is pleasing in 

 winter. There are two forms of the species at Kew, one, regarded as typical, 

 with red fruits ; the other, var. MACROCARPA, with large black fruits in. long. 



B. VULGARIS, LinnCBUS. COMMON BARBERRY. 



A deciduous shrub, usually seen from 6 to 10 ft. high, but occasionally 

 more than thrice as high ; producing a crowded mass of stems erect at the 

 base, branching and spreading outwards at the top into a graceful, arching, 

 or pendulous form ; branches greyish, and slightly grooved. Leaves in tufts 

 from the axils of three-parted spines ; thin, dull green, oval or obovate, 



1 to 2 ins. long, margined with fine teeth. Flowers in pendulous racemes 



2 to 3 ins. long, yellow. Berries egg-shaped, up to \ in. long, bright red. 



One of the best known of our native shrubs, the^common barberry is found 

 wild also over a large part of Europe, N. Africa, and Temperate Asia. It 

 was introduced to N. America, probably by early settlers, and is now 

 naturalised there, more common in many places than the real American 

 barberry (B. canadensis). It is one of the most attractive of all hardy shrubs, 

 beautiful in blossom in May ; perhaps even more so later in the year, when 

 laden with heavy masses of coral-like berries. The berries are too acid 

 to be palatable, even to birds, but at one time they were considered a 

 wholesome delicacy, candied or preserved in sugar. According to the 

 old herbalists the slightly acid leaves were once used to season meat with, 



