BRITISH WILD FLOWERS. 
20 
the filament, at the end of which is the anther, forming a distinct oblong case, usually divided into two cells, 
which contain the pollen. In most cases, as soon as the pollen is ripe, the sides of the cells split open, and the 
powder escapes. In the Berberry tribe, however, there are no distinct anthers ; but the filaments are broad and 
leaf-like, with a cell on each side near the top ; and when the pollen is ripe, the epidermis that covers the cell 
becomes detached at the base, and curls upwards. The stamens are always of the same number as the petals, 
and placed exactly opposite to them ; and this peculiarity, with the recurved valves of the anthers, constitute the 
characteristics of the Berberry tribe. This tribe is, however, a very small one; as it consists of only three 
genera : viz., the Berberry, the Mahonia or Ash-Berberry, and the Epimedium or Barrenwort ; and even the 
Berberry and the Mahonia, (which is a native of North America,) are both included in the genus Berberis 
by Dr. Lindley. 
GENUS I. 
THE BERBERRY. (Berberis, Lin .) 
Lin. Syst. HEXANDRIA MONOGYNIA. 
Generic Character. —Sepals 6, in a double row, externally scaly, i 2-3 seeded. Shrubs with spiny stems and leaves, and yellow racemose 
Petals 6, with two glands at the base of each. Fruit fleshy, one-celled> | flowers. ( Lindley .) 
Description, &c.— Besides the curious construction of the anthers, which is common to all the Berberry 
tribe, the genus Berberis is remarkable for the extraordinary irritability of its stamens. The flowers consist of 
six concave sepals, lined with six concave petals, in each of which lies a stamen pressed closely back. Now if 
one of these stamens be touched at the base by a pin, or any hard substance, it rises gently up till it touches the 
stigma. If the pollen should be ripe it is discharged by this movement, and the stamen then loses its elasticity ; 
but if the pollen be not ripe, the stamen remains bending over the stigma for a short time, and then sinks 
gradually back again. The stamens, however, lose their ix-ritability if the plant be poisoned with any noxious 
fluid. If the Berberry be watered with a solution of arsenic or any corrosive poison, the filaments become rigid 
and brittle and incapable of moving ; while, on the contrary, if the Berberry be watered with any narcotic 
poison, such as a solution of opium or deadly nightshade, the filaments become flaccid and lose their power of 
motion. There are many species of Berberry, but only one is a native of Britain. Berberis is the Arabic name 
of the plant, and is said to signify a shell, in allusion to the concave form of the petals and sepals. 
1.—THE COMMON BERBERRY. (Berberis vulgaris, Lin.) 
Engravings. —Eng. Bot., t. 49 ; 2d ed., t. 462 ; and our figs. 1 Specific Character. —Thorns three-cleft. Clusters pendulous, 
and 2, in PL 4. I Leaves obovate-oblong, with bristly serratures. Petals entire. {Smith.) 
Description, &c. —The common Berberry is found abundantly in hedges and coppices in various parts of 
England. It grows most luxuriantly, however, on calcareous soils ; and it is equally ornamental in flowers and 
in fruit. The flowers are of a delicate yellow, and hang down in drooping racemes; their parts are all in 
sixes : for example, there are six petals, six sepals, and six stamens. The fruit is of a brilliant scarlet, and 
as it is so acid that no bird will eat it, it remains on the tree nearly all the winter; it is, however, used in 
cookery, both preserved with sugar, and pickled with salt and vinegar. The thorns of the common Berberry 
will be found on examination to be quite different from the prickles of the rose ; they are, in fact, abortive 
leaves, and they are furnished with the rudiments of a stem clasping petiole, which may be easily traced when 
