B. PINNATA (syn Mahonia facicularis).—­A native of Mexico, this species is of stout growth, with long leaves, that are thickly furnished with sharp spines.  The yellow flowers are produced abundantly, and being in large bunches render the plant very conspicuous.  It is, unfortunately, not very hardy, and requires wall protection to do it justice.

B. SINENSIS.—­China, 1815.  This is a really handsome and distinct species, with twiggy, deciduous branches, from the undersides of the arching shoots of which the flowers hang in great profusion.  They are greenish-yellow inside, but of a dark brownish-crimson without, while the leaves are small and round, and die off crimson in autumn.

B. STENOPHYLLA, a hybrid between B. Darwinii and B. empetrifolia, is one of the handsomest forms in cultivation, the wealth of golden-yellow flowers being remarkable, as is also the dark purple berries.  It is very hardy, and of the freest growth.

B. TRIFOLIOLATA (syn Mahonia trifoliolata).—­Mexico, 1839.  This is a very distinct and beautiful Mexican species that will only succeed around London as a wall plant.  It grows about a yard high, with leaves fully 3 inches long, having three terminal sessile leaflets, and slender leaf stalks often 2 inches long.  The ternate leaflets are of a glaucous blue colour, marbled with dull green, and very delicately veined.  Flowers small, bright yellow, and produced in few-flowered axillary racemes on short peduncles.  The berries are small, globular, and light red.

B. TRIFURCA (syn Mahonia trifurca).—­China, 1852.  This is a shrub of neat low growth, but it does not appear to be at all plentiful.

B. VULGARIS.—­Common Barberry.  This is a native species, with oblong leaves, and terminal, drooping racemes of yellow flowers.  It is chiefly valued for the great wealth of orange-scarlet fruit.  There are two very distinct forms, one bearing silvery and the other black fruit, and named respectively B. vulgaris fructo-albo and B. vulgaris fructo-nigro.

B. WALLICHIANA (syn B. Hookeri).—­Nepaul, 1820.  This is exceedingly ornamental, whether as regards the foliage, flowers, or fruit.  It is of dense, bushy growth, with large, dark green spiny leaves, and an abundance of clusters of clear yellow flowers.  The berries are deep violet-purple, and fully half-an-inch long.  Being perfectly hardy and of free growth it is well suited for extensive planting.

BERCHEMIA.

BERCHEMIA VOLUBILIS.—­Climbing Berchemia.  Carolina, 1714.  A rarely seen, deciduous climber, bearing rather inconspicuous greenish-yellow flowers, succeeded by attractive, violet-tinted berries.  The foliage is neat and pretty, the individual leaves being ovate in shape and slightly undulated or wavy.  It is a twining shrub that in this country, even under favourable circumstances, one rarely sees ascending to a greater height than about 12 feet.  Sandy peat and a shady site suits it best, and so placed it will soon cover a low-growing tree or bush much in the way that our common Honeysuckle does.  It is propagated from layers or cuttings.