432 



BERBEUALES. [Hypogynous Exogenk 



Alliance XXXIII. BEBBEBALES.— The Berberal Alliance. 



Diagnosis —Hypogynous Exogens, with monodichlamydeous flowers, unsymmetrical in the 

 ovary, sutural, parietal, or axile placenta, definite stamens, and embryo inclosed in a 

 large quantity of fleshy albumen. 



The combination in the same Alliance of Epimedium and Vines, or of Fumitories and 

 Berberries, may at first appear paradoxical. But the sequence of affinities shows that 

 this association is truly natural. The Berberal Alliance is connected with the Banal 

 by means of Fumeworts, which are so nearly related to Poppy worts, that some 

 Botanists refuse to separate them as independent Orders. The affinity of Fumitories 

 and Epimedium with the plants generally associated with Fumeworts under the name 

 of Nandinese is obvious ; to the latter all Botanists ally the true uerbends. The pas- 

 sage from Berberids proper to Vines is by no means difficult to perceive, and thence 

 Vines may be regarded as passing into Pittosporads by means of the climbing fleshy- 

 fruited Billardieras in the latter Order. _ 



The characteristic marks of the Berberal Alliance are its unsymmetrical flowers, 

 definite number of stamens, and minute embryo, lying inclosed in hard horny albumen. 

 The only exception to this distinction is found in Berberis itself, whose embryo is 

 much larger than in the remainder of the Alliance, but in that genus the long radicle 

 and small cotyledons proclaim its relationship to be with the Orders characterised by the 

 large quantity of their albumen. From the Erical Alliance they differ in little except 

 the number of parts in the flower being unequal ; that is to say, although the stamens, 

 corolla, and calyx, may correspond in the number of their parts, yet the ovary is at 

 variance with them in that respect. For this reason the Sundews are stationed here, 

 although their habit is rather that of the Erical Alliance, to which they may be regarded 

 as a transition. The parietal placentae of Sundews are also in conformity with that por- 

 tion of the Berberals which constitute the Fumeworts. 



The true passage from Ranals is at once into Fumeworts ; but Sundews being as much 

 a modification of the structure of Poppyworts as Fumeworts themselves, the two Orders 

 stand on the same level, and in a lineal arrangement must necessarily interfere, by the 

 one taking a precedence to which it is not entitled. 



Natural Orders of Berberals. 



Flowers regular and symmetrical. Placenta: parietal. Stamewsj 15?> Droserace.e. 



alternate with the petals, or twice as many J 



Flowers itregular and unsymmetrical. Placenta; parietal, Stamens\ 158> j-umariacea;. 



opposite the petals J 



Floioers regular, symmetrical. Placenta: sutural. Stamens opposite 1 159> Berberidace.e. 



the petals. Anthers with recurved valves J 



Flowers regular, symmetrical. Placenta: axile. Stamens W-ligo. Vitace^e. 



site the petals. Anthers opening longitudinally J 



Flowers reqular, symmetrical. Placentae axile and parietal. Sta-l, 



mens alternate with the petals. Ovules ascending or horizontal. [• 1 6 1 . Pittosporace^. 



Corolla imbricated J 



Flowers regular, symmetrical. Placenta axile. Stamens alternate 1 162 . Olacace^e. 



with the petals. Ovules pendulous. Corolla valvate .... J 

 Flowers regular, symmetrical. Placenta axile. Stamens after- "J 



nate with the petals if equal to them in number. Ovules pendu- \ 163. Cyrillace.*.. 



lous. Corolla imbricated J 



