44 BARBERRY FAMILY. 



1. ASIMINA, PAP AW of U. S. (Creole name.) Petals greenish oi 

 yellowish, becoming dark dull purple as they enlarge; the 3 inner small. 

 Pistils few in the centre of the globular head of anthers, making one or 

 more large, oblong, pulpy fruits, sweet and eatable when over-ripe in autumn. 

 Plowers in early spring preceding the leaves. 

 A. triloba, Common Pap aw (wholly different from the true Papaw of W. 



Ind.), is a shrub or small tree, wild W. & S. and sometimes planted, with obo- 



vate-lanceolate leaves, and banana-shaped fruit 3' - 4' long. 



A. parvifldra is a small-floworod, and A. grandifldra a large-flowered 



species of S. E. States, both small-fruited, and A. pygmsea is a dwarf one 



with nearly evergreen leaves far South. 



4. MENISPERMACE^, MOONSEED FAMILY. 



Woody or partly woody twiners, with small dioecious flowers; 

 their sepals and petals much alike, and one before the other (usu- 

 ally 6 petals before as many sepals) ; as many or 2 - 3 times as 

 many stamens ; and 2 — 6 pistils, ripening into 1-seeded little stone- 

 fruits or drupes ; the stone curved, commonly into a wrinkled or 

 ridged ring ; the embryo curved with the stone. Leaves palmate 

 or peltate : no stipules. Anthers commonly 4-lobed. 



1. COGCULUS. Sepals, petals, and stamens each 6. 



2. MENISPEEMUM. Sepals and petals C or 8. Stamens in sterile flowers 12 - 20. 



1. COCCULUS. (Name means a little berry.) Only one species in V. S. 



C. Carollnus, Carolina C. Somewhat downy ; leaves ovate or heart 

 shaped, entire or sinuate-lobed ; flowers greenish, in summer ; fruits red, as 

 large as peas. Prom Virginia S. & W. 



2. MENISPEEMUM, MOONSEED. (Name from the shape of the 

 stone of the fruit. ) Only one species, 



M. Canad^nse, Canadian Moonseed. Almost smooth ; leaves peltate 

 near the edge ; flowers white, in late summer ; fruits black, looking like small 

 grapes. 



5. BERBERIDACEiS, BARBERRY FAMILY. 



Known generally by the perfect flowers, having a petal before 

 each sepal, and a stamen before each petal, with anthers opening 

 by a pair of valves like trap-doors, hinged at the top (Lessons, 

 p. 103, fig. 308), and a single simple pistil. But No. 6 has nu- 

 merous stamens, 5 and 6 have more petals than sepals, and the 

 anthers of 2 and 6 open lengthwise, in the ordinary way. There 

 are commonly bracts or outer sepals behind the true ones. All blos- 

 som in spring, or the true Barberries in early summer. 

 * Shrubs or ihrubhy : ttamens 6 ; berry few-seeded, 

 1. BEBBERIS. Flowers yellow, in racemes : petals with two deep-colored spots 

 at the base. Leaves simple, or simply pinnate. Wood and inner bark yellow. 

 Leaves with sharp bristly or spiny teeth. 

 a. NANDINA. Flowtrs white, in panicles : anthers opening lengthwise. Leaves 

 twice or thrice pinnate. 



* * Perennial herbs. 

 *■ With one to three twice or thrice temaiely compound leaves. 

 8. EPIMEDIUM. Stamens 4. Petals 4 hollow spurs or hoods. Pod several 

 seeded. Leaflets with bristly teeth. 



