BERBERIS 
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usually (2 — 3), with 2 — 3 loculi, and axile placentae often projecting far 
into them ; ovules 00 , anatropous ; styles more or less free. The ovary 
is usually winged and the wings are persistent upon the capsular frt. 
Seeds without endosperm. 
Begoniaceae. Dicotyledons (Archichl. Parietales). 4 gen. with the 
characters of Begonia (y.z\). Placed in Passiflorinae by Warming, 
in Passiflorales by Benth. -Hooker. 
Beilschmiedia Nees. Lauraceae (11). 30 sp. trop., and Austr., and N.Z. 
Belamcanda Adans. Iridaceae (11). 1 sp. trop. E. As., Japan. 
Belle valia Lapeyr. = Hyacinthus Tourn. 
Beilis (Tourn.) Linn. Compositae (ill). 15 sp. Eur., Medit. B.perennis 
L. is the common daisy. It multiplies largely, and also hibernates, 
by means of short rhizomes. The ray florets are ? . The head closes 
at night and in wet weather. 
Bellium Linn. Compositae (ill). 6 sp. Medit. 
Bellucia Neck. Melastomaceae (1). 10 sp. trop. Am. Fruit edible. 
Belmontia E. Mey. Gentianaceae (1. 1). 15 sp. Afr., Madag. 
Beloperone Nees. Acanthaceae (iv. B). 45 sp. trop. Am., many in 
cultivation. 
Bencomia Webb, et Berth. Rosaceae (in. 9). 2 sp. Canaries, Madeira 
(p. 148). 
Benincasa Savi. Cucurbitaceae (111) . 2 sp. trop. As. The frt. of 
B. cerifera Savi. is eaten in curries. It has a thick coating of wax. 
Benthamia Lindl. (i83o) = Amsinckia Lehm.; (1833) = Cornus Tourn. 
Bentinckia Berry. Palmae (iv. 6). 2 sp. Ind. 
Benzoin Nees = Lindera Thunb. do. Hayne = Styrax Linn. 
Berberidaceae. Dicotyledons (Archichl. Ranales). 11 gen. with 135 
sp., N. temp. (Berberis in trop. Mts. and S. Am.). Perennial herbs 
or shrubs, in the former case usually with sympodial rhizome. Firs, 
in racemes, g , regular. The typical formula is P3 + 3 + 3 + 3* A 3 + 3, 
G 1 ; the flr. is sometimes 2-merous. Of the 4 outer whorls, the two 
outer are perianth proper, the two inner ‘ 4 honey-leaves ” usually with 
nectaries at the base (see Ranunculaceae). The former are often 
termed the calyx, the latter the corolla. The anthers are introrse, 
but in most cases open by two valves (cf. Lauraceae) at the back ; the 
valve with the pollen on it moves upwards and turns round so that 
the pollen faces towards the centre of the flr. Cpl. always 1, with 
one or many ovules, in the former case usually basal, in the latter 
ventral. Fruit a berry, or a dry fruit opening in various ways. 
Embryo straight in rich endosperm. Chief genera: Podophyllum, 
Epimedium, Leontice, Berberis. Placed in Polycarpicae by Eichler 
(Warming). See next art. [Monograph by Tischler in Engl . Bot . 
Jahrb . 31, p. 596.] 
Berberideae (Benth. -Hook.) includes preceding order and Lardiza- 
balaceae. Placed in coh. Ranales. 
Berberis (Tourn.) Linn. Berberidaceae. 100 sp. N. temp.,trops. Mts. 
S. Am. B. vulgaris L. (the barberry) in Brit. Shrubs. The genus is 
