92 KEY AND FLORA 



III. BERBERIS L. 



Spiny shrubs with yellow wood. Leaves spinous-toothed, 

 jointed on the very short petiole, often reduced to 3-7-cleft 

 spines. Mowers in racemes, solitary or in pairs. Sepals 8-9, the 

 outer minute. Petals 6, each with 2 nectar glands at the base. 

 Stamens 6. Ovules few. Berry 1-2-seeded ; seeds bony-coated. 



1. B. vulgaris L. Common BXrberry. A shrub 4-6 ft. high. 

 Leaves obovEite, spinous-serrate ; those on the old shoots mere 

 spines. Flowers pale yellow, in drooping racemes. Stamens irritable, 

 closing quickly toward the center of the flower when touched. Berry 

 ^ in. long, nearly ellipsoidal in shape, scarlet or orange-scarlet, very 

 acid, eatable when cooked. Cultivated from Europe and .introduced 

 in eastern New England and locally in the upper Mississippi Valley. 



2. B. Thunbergii DC. A low shrub. Leaves entire, turning red 

 and remaining so for a considerable time in autumn. Flowers 

 solitary or in pairs. Berries bright red, remaining on the branches 

 all winter. Cultivated from Japan. 



35. MAGNOLIACEJE. Magnolia Family 



Trees or shrubs. Leaves alternate, not toothed or serrate. 

 Flowers solitary, large and showy. Floral envelopes and star 

 mens hypogynous. Calyx and corolla colored alike, the parts of 

 the perianth forming 3 or more circles of 3 parts each. Stamens 

 many. Carpels many, usually joined over the long receptacle 

 and forming a sort of cone-shaped fruit, which may be either 

 fleshy or dry. 



I. MAGNOLIA L. 



Aromatic trees or shrubs. Leaves alternate, often in clusters 

 at the ends of the branches, entire, usually thick and leathery j 

 stipules large, quickly deciduous. Flowers terminal, showy, 

 bisexual. Sepals 3, caducous. Petals 6-12, in 2-4 rows, con- 

 cave. Stamens numerous. Ovaries numerous, 1-celled, 2-seeded, 

 the mature follicles opening at the beak and the fleshy seeds 

 remaining for some time suspended by slender threads.* 



1. M. virginiana L. Sweet Bay. A small tree with light gray 

 bark. Leaves scattered on the branches, evergreen, thick and 

 leathery, oval or oblong, smooth and green above, white and with 



