0593 



BARBERRY 



Family: BERBER1DACEAE. 



Reproductive system: HEXANDRY, MONOGYNY. 



The common barberry, Berberis vulgaris, LINN., is planted in groves and in 

 ornamental gardens. It's also used to make protective hedges. The fruit, tart and 

 refreshing, is preserved with sugar. The stem is upright, branchy, and covered with gray 

 bark. The leaves have very sharp ternate spines where they insert into the stem. Grouped 

 in clusters, they're alternate, oval, narrow at the base, bright green, and finely denticulated 

 on the margins. The yellow flowers are arranged in pendent axillary clusters. The calyx 

 has six rounded leaflets that have three bracts on the outer side of their base. The corolla 

 has six petals that have two glands on the inner side of their base. The six stamens 

 terminate in anthers that open from bottom to top. They're unusually sensitive and fold 

 back onto the pistil when touched with the point of a pin. The ovary is free; it's topped by 

 a wide sessile persistent stigma. 



VARIETIES. 



There are several known varieties of this species: 1 st , one with fruit that has no pit. 

 2" , one with white fruit. 3 r , one with purple fruit. 4 n , Allegheny barberry. 5 , barberry 

 from China. 



FLOWERS: in April and May. 



RANGE: hedgerows in France and in a part of Europe. 



NOMENCLATURE. German, der sauerdorn, saurach. English, the berberry. 

 Spanish, espino. Russian, barbariss. Polish, ciernie biale. Hungarian, leany-som. 

 Commonly, I'epine-vinette. 



