214 ORDER VI. BERBERIDACE^. 



at the summit. Pistillate flowers^ sometimes with 6 abortive 

 stamens. Ovaries 3 — 6. Drupes 1 — 6. 



1. C. Cakoli'nus, (D. C.) Stem slender, sarmentose, minutely pubes- 

 cent. Leaves variable, cordate or ovate, or nearly orbicular, commonly 

 with several obtuse lobes, mucronate, pubescent underneath, frequently 

 coriaceous when mature. Petals with two inflexed auricles at the base 

 of each. Drupe compressed, red ; nut curved, forming nearly a ring — 

 White. "^ . June. Geo. to Mississippi. 



Genus. II.— MENISPER'MUM. L. 20—12. 



(From the Greek mejie, the moon, &r\dspe)'ma, seed; in allusion to the crescent shape 

 of the seed.) 



Floivers dioecious. Sepals 4 — 8, in a double series. Petals 

 4 — 8, sometimes none. Stamens numerous, distinct ; anthers 

 4-lobed, 2-celled, adnate. Ovaries 2 — 4 ; drupes usually soli- 

 tary, nut woody, globose, reniform. Racemes axillary. Stam- 

 inate and pistillate flowers often dissimilar. 



1. M. Caxaden'se, (Lin.) Stem climbing, slender, herbaceous or suf- 

 fructicose. Leaves with 3 — 5 lobes, peltate, petiole obtusely angled, 

 inserted near the base. Flowers small, sterile ones in paniculate supra- 

 axillary compound racemes. Sepals 4 — 7, larger than the petals, obo- 

 vate. Petals 6 — 7, orbicular, obtusely cuneate. Drupe black, when 

 mature, curved so that the style is brought near the base ; nut com- 

 pound, forming nearly a ring. Greenish yellow. Common on banks of 

 streams. 8 — 12 feet. Moonseed. 



2. M. Lyo'xVI, (Pursh.) Stem climbing. Jjenves large, long-petioled, 

 peltate, 3 — 5-lobed, cordate, lobes acuminate, hirsute on the veins be- 

 nea'th. Sepals 6, obovate, oblong, obtuse. Staminate Jlovjers with 12 

 stamens, shorter than the sepals, cells of the anthers linear-oblong, fil- 

 aments compressed. Pistillate flowers witli 6 abortive stamens, stig- 

 mas sessile, fimbriate. Drupe oval, compressed, nut excavated in front, 

 convex on the Ijack. U. July. linear ^ew Orleans. 



Oj^dek VL— BERBERIDA'CE^. Vent. 



Sepah in two rows, 3 — 4 — 6, deciduous, often surrounded 

 by petaloid scales. Petals liypogynous, equal or double the 

 number of sepals, and opposite them, generally with an append- 

 age at the base. Stamens equal or double the number of petals, 

 and opposite them. Ovarium solitary, 1 -celled, style lateral, 

 stigma orbicular. Fruit baccate or capsular. Seeds 1 — 2—3, 

 attached to the bottom of the cell, or numerous, attached to the 

 ventral suture. * 



ANALYSIS. 



1. Sepals 3 2 



Sepals moro than 3 \\',, 8 



2. Flowers solitary Podpphyllum. 5 



Flowers in a terminal cyme Diphyllia. S 



8. Sepals 6 4 



Sepals 4—5 5 



