SPERMATOPHYTA RANUNCULACEAE 



469 



BERBERIDACEAE. Barberry Family 



Shrubs or herbs, with alternate leaves ; stipulate or exstipulate flowers either 

 solitary or in racemes, perfect; stamens as many as petals and opposite them, 

 hypogynous; fruit a berry or capsule. A small family of about 20 genera and 

 105 species, widely distributed in the North Temperate region, also in Temperate 

 South America and Asia. Some of our North American species are weedy, 

 others woody and several are more or less poisonous. A few like the common 



Fig. 240a. Single flower, s, stamen; a, 

 anther; p, pistil; n, nectar gland. 



Fig. 240. Common Bar- 

 berry (Berberis vulgaris). 

 The spines often inflict 

 mechanical injuries while 

 the leaves and wood are 

 more or less poisonous. 

 (Ada Hayden). 



barberry (Berberis vulgaris}, blue cohosh or pappoose root (Caulophyllum 

 thalictroides} , the twinleaf ( Jeffersonia diphylla), and mandrake (Podophyl- 

 lum peltatum) are used in medicine. The root of Berberis aristata and B. vulgar- 

 is sometimes used as a fish poison. Probably some other members of this order 

 are poisonous. The blue cohosh (Caulophyllum} contains saponin. This plant is 

 said to be extremely bitter to ..the taste, but is not, however, common. 



Key for genera 



Herbs with simple large leaves 1. Podophyllum. 



Shrubs with unifoliate leaves 2. Berberis 



1. Podophyllum L. Mandrake; May-apple 



Perennial herbs with simple, smooth, erect, stem; creeping rootstocks and 

 thick fibrous roots; stems bearing 2 leaves with large flowers; flower buds 

 with 3 green bractlets, 6 fugacious sepals; petals 6-9; stamens twice as many 



