154 THE FLOEA. 



1 B. vulga'ris. Gommon Barbemj-busTi. A well-known, bushy, handsome shrub, in 



hard soils. Grows 8-8f. high. Leaves oval, near 2' long, rounded-obtuse at 

 apex,- tapering to a petiole, with bristly serratures on the margin. Flowers 

 yellow, a dozen or more in oaoh hanging raceme, with entire petals. Stamens 

 irritable, springing against the stigma when touched. Berries red, very sour. 

 June'. . 



2 B. Aquifo'linin. JTolly-lemed B. Leaves pinnate, of 7-13 thick, spiny-toothed 



leaflets. Shrub 3-5f. high. Cal. t 



2. JEFFEESO'NIA. Twin-leaf. 



Sepals 4, colored, . caducous. Petals 8, spreading. Stamens 8, with 

 linear anthers. Pod on a short stipe, opening by a lid. — if Flowers and 

 baves from the root. Scape 1-flowered. (Figs. 375, 3T6.) 



J. diphyl'la. Twin-leaf. A very curious plant, acaulescent. Leaves each with two 

 blades, about If. high. Flowers same height, white. Koot-stock black, with 

 a thick mass of fibres, supposed good in rheumatism. M. "W. 



3. PODOPHYL'LUM. Mandrake. 



Sepals caducous. Petals 6-9, obovate, concave. Stamens 12-18, with, 

 linear anthers, the Ifds scarcely opening. Berry large, egg-shaped, l-ceUed, 

 crowned with the solitary stigma. — Low, -somewhat poisonous herbs, with 

 one or two leaves and one flower. 



P. pelta'tnm. May Apple. Wild Mandrake. A singular and interesting plant, in 

 wrfods and fields. Height about If. The barren plants bear but a single leaf, 

 which is 5-8' broad, 5-7-lobed, and centrally peltate. The flowering plants 

 have a pair of leaves, with the flower-at the fork of the two petioles— the leaves 

 not peltate, but with a deeply-hollowed base, about 7-lobed. Flower droop- 

 ing, white, about 2' across. Fruit yellowish, with the flavor of the Strawberry, 

 May. 



OpDER VIII.— NELTJMBIACE^. The Water-beans. 



Herbs aqua,tio, prostrate root-stock, and radical, peltate leaves, with 

 flowers large, solitary, on long, upright scapes, 4 or 5-sepaled ; 

 petals numerous, arranged in many rows, as are also the many stamens ; 

 ODfljries separate, each with a simple style and stigma, becoming in 

 fruit 1-seeded nuts, half sunk in the hollows of the very large'torus, the 

 seeds with a very large embryo and no albumen. 



