182 THE BOTANICAL MAGAZINE. [Vol. xxix. No. jhb. 



rescence of Berberis is a pleiochasial cyme 1 ' . The raceme-like 

 inflorescence of Mahonia must also have been derived from a 

 pleiochasial cyme. It often bears short pleiochasial branches at 

 the base of the main ' raceme '. Moreover, in some species of 

 Mahonia one or two bracteoles are present on the pedicel, and 

 the}' indicate that the pedicel was original lv the rhachis of a 

 small pleiochasium in their ancestral forms. 



The Systematic Position of the Genus Achlys. 



When describing Achlys triphylla in 1819 Smith (17, no. 5) 

 referred the plant to the genus Leontice, comparing its stamen 

 with that of Leontice leontopetalum. 



When establishing the genus Achlys in 1821 De Candolle 

 regarded it as belonging to Podophyllaceae (5, p. 35), instead 

 of Berberidaceae to which family Smith considered it to belong. 

 The point upon which De Candolle laid stress was the mode 

 of dehiscence of the anther, which, according to his statement, 

 is by a transverse slit, and not by an uplifting valve. 



Hooker (10, p. 30), on the other hand, after a careful ex- 

 amination of A. triphylla disagreed with De Candolle with 

 regard to the character of the stamen, and again referred the 

 genus to Berberidaceae placing it near Leontice. 



However, in 1862 Bentham again transferred the genus into 

 Podophylleae and placed it next to Podophyllum (2, p. 45). 



Ten years later, Baillon also considered that this genus 

 was one of the Podophylleae, but shifted it near Diphylleia (1, 

 pp. 60-61, 65-66). 



Prantl in 1888 practically follows Baillon with regard to 

 the arrangement of the Podophylleous genera and again places 

 Achlys near Diphylleia (16, p. 75). 



Soon afterwards, in 1892, Citerne arrived at the conclusion 

 that Achlys should belong to Epimedieae and transferred the 

 genus next to Jehersonia (6). 



Tischler in 1902 after a close examination of Berberidaceous 



1) Cf. Tischler (18). 



