68 THE BAEBEERT TAMILX. 



cinalis liemg reserved for some of the garden Pseonies, which are however 

 mostly varieties produced by cultivation. The half-shrubby Moutan is a 

 very distinct species, from China. 



The Maffiiolias and Tulip-trees of our plantations belong to the Mag- 

 nolia family, which has no European representative. They have, hke the 

 RanunculacecB, several distinct sepals, petals, stamens, and pistils, but they 

 are always trees or shrubs, their leaf-buds are enclosed in membranous sti- 

 pules, and the carpels usually cohere in a kiud of cone. 



II. THE BARBERRY FAMILY. BERBEEIDEiE. 



Shrubs or herbs, with alternate or radical leaves, and no sti- 

 pules. Sepals and petals distinct, 2, 3, 4, 6, or 8 each, but 

 never 5. Stamens the same number as the petals, and op- 

 posite to them. Anthers opening by a valve or lid turned 

 upwards. Ovary of a single carpel, with two or more ovules 

 attached to the bottom or to. one side of the cavity. Seeds 

 albuminous. 



A small family, spread over the temperate regions or tropical mountains 

 of the globe. It is universally admitted by botanists, although the connec- 

 tion between the Barherry and the herbaceous genera associated with it ap- 

 pears at first sight rather artificial. There are however none of them British. 

 The Upimeclium alpinum (Eng. Bot. t. 438) has indeed been admitted into 

 our Floras as growing in some mountainous spots in the north of England, 

 but, as it is said, only where it had been planted. It is a native of south- 

 eastern Europe. A Japanese JEpimedkmi is also cultivated in our gardens. 



I. BARBERRV. BERBEEIS. 



Slirubs, with usually prickly leaves. Sepals, petals, and stamens, 6 each. 

 Fruit a berry. 



A rather numerous genus, cliiefly Asiatic and American. Many exotic 

 species are cultivated in our gardens, either with simple leaves, like our own, 

 or belonging to a section with pinnated leaves, sometimes considered as a 

 genus, under the name of Mahonia. 



1. Common Barberry. Berberis vulgaris, Linn. 



(Eng. Bot. t. 49.) 



A glabrous pale green shrub, attaining 6 or 8 feet, the branches arched 

 and hanging at the ends, armed with 3-lobed thorns at the base of the tufts 

 of leaves. Leaves alternate or clustered, ovate, rather stiff, sharply toothed. 

 Flowers yellow, in elegant drooping racemes, witli a disagreeable siuell. 

 Berries small, red, oval or oblong, containing two or three seeds. 



In hedges, thickets, and open woods, over the greater part of Em'ope and 

 temperate Asia, to the Himalaya. In Europe it extends northwards into 

 Scandinavia, but has been so frequently planted, that the real Umits of its 

 area cannot be ascertained. Scattered over Britam, but probably not really 

 indigenous. Fl: spring or early summer. 



