BEBBEBIDAGEJE. 61 



Finally, Aclilijs 1 represents a reduced type of this group, wherein 

 the perianth has disappeared." The flower bears from six to eight 

 free stamens 3 with two-celled anthers ; the walls of two of the half- 

 cells 4 rise up into valves. The ovary, formed as in other Berberidacea', 

 is surmounted by a short style which swells into a large stigmatife- 

 rous head ; it contains a single ascending anatropous ovule, nearly 

 basilar. The fruit is dry one-seeded and dehiscent. Aclihjs con- 

 sists of two species of perennial herbs, one from the west of North 

 America, 5 the other from Eastern Asia." Their rhizome and bi- or 

 tripartite palmiveined leaves are as in Jeffersonia ; the flowers are 

 collected into a terminal pedunculate spike. 



The order Berberidacea thus includes at present sixteen genera. 

 It was founded in 1789 by A. J. de Jussiku, 7 under the name of 

 Ordre de Vinettiers (Berberides). With Berber is, Lruntice, and Epi- 

 medium he placed a large number of genera, s which he knew imper- 

 fectly, belonging to very different groups ; he classed in Podophyllum 

 Ranuncidacece? and Tiiunberg's genus Nandina among the genera 

 ineertoe sedis.™ Lardizabala of Ruiz & Pa von, known as early as 

 1797, was made by De Candolle," in IS18, the type of a tribe of the 

 order Menispermacea ; Decaisne thought right to make it a distinct 

 order in 1837, '" putting with it Akebia, Parvaiia, Slauntonia, and 

 Waujcii's genus Holbcettia.™ D%phylleia XA dates from 1803 ; De 

 Candolle placed among Podopliijllacece^ Barton's genus Jeffersonia 

 of the same date, and Ac/dp which he himself founded in 1818. To 

 Berberidacea Bentham & J. Hooker 10 united Lardhabalece as a 

 tribe thereof, to which J. Hooker & Thomson had added Becamiea 



1 DC, St/st., ii. 35; Prodr., \. 112. — Ekdl., 8 For instance, several Violariads, Hamamelis, 



Gen., n. 4805. — B. H., Gen., 45, n. 19. an Anacardiad, Corynocarpas, &c. 



'-' Around the base of the sexual organs the 9 Op. cit., 235. 



axis only bears a small projecting rim. 10 Op. cit., 429. 



3 The filaments are long-tapering towards the ll St/st., i. 509; Prodr., i. 95. 



base. 12 Mem. sv/r la Fam. des Lardizalalees . . . 



4 The two nearest the medium line of the pres. a I' Acad, des Sc. Seance du 4 Sept., 1837 

 anther. (in Arch. Mus., i. 143-213, t. 10-13). 



5 A. triphyUa DC, Syst., ii. 35.^Hook., Fl. Vi Tent. Fl. Nepal. (1802-1803). 

 Bor.-Am., i. 30, t. 12. — Leontke triphyUa Sm., 14 L. C Rich., in Michx. Fl. Bor.-Am., i. 

 in Bees Cycl., n. 5. (1803) 203. 



6 A.japonica Maxim. l5 Syst., ii. 31; Prodr., i. Ill, 



7 Gen., 286, Ord. 18. 16 Gen., i. 33, 40 (1862). 



