522 WOODY PLANTS OF MASSACHUSETTS. 
yellow. But it is much sought for by turers, on the continent 
of Europe, on account of its unusual and beautiful color. ‘Ihe 
pith is white. 
The barberry is found growing in exposed situations, on the 
borders of woods and along road-sides, in gravelly soil, in many 
parts of Massachusetts and New England, along the coast; as 
also in Canada and Newfoundland. 
The remarkable irritability in the stamens of the common 
barberry, as well as in those of some other species, was first 
noticed by Kélreuter. ‘The stamens, when the filament is 
touched on the inside with the point of a pin, or any other hard 
instrument, bend forward towards the pistil, touch the stigma 
with the anther, remain curved for a short time, and then par- 
tially recover their erect position. This is best scen i warm, 
dry weather. After heavy rain, the phenomenon can scarcely 
be observed, owing, in all probability, to the springs of the fila- 
ments having been already set in motion by the dashing of the 
rain upon them, or to the flowers having been forcibly struck 
against each other. The cause of this curious action, like that 
of all other vital phenomena, is unknown. All that has been 
ascertained concerning it is this, that the irritability of the fila- 
ment is affected differently by different noxious substances. It 
has been found, by Messrs. Macaire and Marcet, that if a ber- 
berry is poisoned with any corrosive agent, such as arsenic or 
corrosive sublimate, the filaments become rigid and. brittle, and 
lose their irritability; while, on the other hand, if the poisoning 
be effected by any narcotic, such as prussic acid, opium, or bel- 
ladonna, the irritability is destroyed by the filaments becoming 
so relaxed and flaccid, that they can be easily bent in any direc- 
tion. It is difficult to draw from this curious fact any other 
inference than this, viz., that in plants, as well as in animals, 
there is something analogous to a nervous principle, which is 
more highly developed in some plants, or in some organs, than 
in others.’”—Lindley in Loud. Arb. 300. 
The barberry is found in most parts of America and Europe. 
In Poland, it is used to tan leather, which it at the same time 
dyes a fine yellow color. The tannin principle is found in the 
bark, and the coloring matter both in the bark and in the wood 
