On the Histological Distribution of Alkaloids in the Himalayan Berberes

✍ Scribed by Chatterjee, R.

• Publisher: Elsevier
• Year: 1943
• Weight: 742 KB
• Volume: 32
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0095-9553
• DOI: 10.1002/jps.3030320101

✦ Synopsis

For the past hundred years, the members of the genus Berberis have interested both chemists and horticulturists. The interest of the former rests on the fact that the Berberis plants when subjected to chemical investigations yield a number of alkaloids (1); while the latter's interest rests on the fact that on account of their wellorganized internal system, these plants offer interesting studies in hybridization (2, 3).

Although the plants of the Himalayan Berberes may differ in their external characteristics, they may, nevertheless, be recognized (a) by the thorn grouping in the joints of the stem, (b) by their more or less spinous toothed leaves, (c) by the yellow color of the scraped bark and stem, (d) by their yellow flowers. The leaves of the species under consideration, vk., B . arislam DC., B. insignis Hook. f., B. lycium Royle, B. nepalensis, Spreng, B. Walluhiana DC., and B. WaUkhiana DC. var. latifolia, externally exhibit great variations in various features, e. g., shape, size, etc. (4). B. aristata has nearly evergreen leaves, entirely oblong; the leaves of B.