72 ENGLISH BOTANY. 
spines, into which they become transformed in succeeding years. 
Racemes produced from the fascicles of secondary leaves, pendulous, 
shortly-stalked, exceeding the leaves. Bracts much shorter than 
the pedicels, triangular, acute, keeled. Flowers about } inch across. 
Sepals ovate, in 8 whorls alternate with each other; those in the 
outermost whorl (bracteoles ?) acute ; in the second, about twice as 
long and obtuse ; in the innermost of all the longest, about equal 
to the petals. Petals concave, connivent, obovate, yellow, with 2 
orange glands at the base. Stamens lying in the concavity of the 
petals until the the filament is touched on the inner side, when they 
instantly spring up and take a position closely applied to the pistil. 
Anthers with 2 circular valves, which open upwards, and when in 
this state resemble auricles at the top of the anther. Pistil with a 
large discoid stigma, broader than the ovary. Berries } inch long, 
oblong, very slightly curved, orange with one side red, or entirely 
red. 
A smooth, bushy shrub, with pale-green, thin, deciduous leaves. 
Flowers with a faint pleasant odour. ‘The fruit and also the leaves 
have an agreeable acid flavour. 
Common Barberry. 
French, Eipine Vinette. German, Sauerdorn. 
Berberys is the Arabic name of the fruit, and SepBepu (berberu) in Greek signifies a 
pearl-oyster. Many authors believe the name is derived from this word, because the 
leaves are glossy, like an oyster shell; and Bochart says the same word is derived from a 
Pheenician word, barar, which expresses the brilliancy of a shell, alluding to their shining 
leaves. The leaves of the Barberry are pleasantly acid, and the flowers, although not 
of an agreeable scent when very near, are by no means offensive at a distance. The 
berries are very aeid, so much so that birds will not eat them ; when boiled with sugar, 
however, they form a very agreeable preserve, and as a garnish, when ripe, they are much 
admired for their bright colour and delicate form. Their sensibly astringent properties 
were sure to secure for them a medicinal reputation, in an age when remedies were mul- 
tiplied for every disorder, and faith was still unshaken in the power of medicine. We are 
informed that the Egyptians still employ them in pestilential fevers, and Simon Paulli 
relates that he was cured of a malignant fever by using these berries macerated in 
water and drinking it. Woodville, in his “ Medical Botany,” recommends an infusion 
of Barberries as a beneficial drink in fevers; but it is very certain that they have no 
virtue beyond that of any acid fruit, whose sharpness communicated to the water 
renders it a pleasant beverage. Gerarde recommends the leaves “to season meat with, 
and instead of a salad.” ‘The roots are bitter and astringent, and if boiled in lye will 
dye wool yellow. In Poland, leather is dyed of a beautiful yellow colour in this way. 
An infusion of the roots in wine or beer is purgative, and is said to be good in the 
jaundice. In many parts of Europe a certain injurious property is attributed to this 
shrub, which, however, is not substantiated by recent observations. Farmers and 
others have asserted that wheat planted near a Barberry-bush seldom arrives at 
perfection or fills in the ear. Its influence in this respect is supposed to extend to 
some three or four hundred yards, The villazye of Rollesby, in Norfolk, where Bar- 
berries abound, and wheat seldom succeeds, is known by the appellation of Mildew 
