Berberis aquifolium var. aquifolium

Common Name: BARBERRY FAMILY
Habit: Perennial herb, shrub, [tree], generally rhizomed, caudexed or not, glabrous, glaucous, or hairy. Stem: spreading to erect, branched or not. Leaf: simple, 1--3-ternate, or pinnately compound, basal and cauline, generally alternate, deciduous or evergreen, petioled, stipuled. Inflorescence: generally raceme, spike, or panicle, scapose, terminal, or axillary. Flower: generally bisexual, radial; sepals 6--18 or 0, generally in whorls of 3; petals generally 6, in 2 whorls of 3, or 0; stamens 6--12(13), free or fused at base, in 2 whorls or not, anthers dehiscent by flap-like valves or longitudinal slits; ovary superior, chamber 1, ovules generally 1--10, style 1 or 0, stigma flat or spheric. Fruit: berry, capsule, achene [follicle].
Genera In Family: 16 genera, +- 670 species: temperate, tropics worldwide; some cultivated (Berberis, Epimedium, Nandina (heavenly bamboo), Vancouveria). Note: Lower sepals sometimes called "bracteoles," inner petals "staminodes".
eFlora Treatment Author: Michael P. Williams
Scientific Editor: Thomas J. Rosatti.

Common Name: OREGON-GRAPE, BARBERRY
Habit: Shrub, generally rhizomed. Stem: spreading to erect, branched, spiny or not, vine-like or not; inner bark, wood generally bright yellow; over-wintering bud scales deciduous or not. Leaf: simple or pinnately compound, cauline, alternate, generally leathery, generally persistent; leaflets generally 3--11, +- round to lanceolate, generally spine-toothed. Inflorescence: raceme, axillary or terminal. Flower: sepals 9 in 3 whorls of 3; petals 6 in 2 whorls of 3, bases generally glandular; stamens 6; ovules 2--9, stigma +- spheric. Fruit: berry, spheric to elliptic, generally purple-black.
Etymology: (Latin: ancient Arabic name for barberry) Toxicity: Roots often TOXIC: spines may inject fungal spores into skin. Note: Contact with filament causes stamen to snap inward, possibly to deposit pollen on pollinator.
Reference: Kim 2004 J Pl Res 117:175--182
Unabridged Reference: Moran 1982 Phytologia 52:221--226, for relationship between Berberis, Mahonia.

Stem: spreading to erect, 0.1--2 m; bud scales generally deciduous. Leaf: cauline, not crowded, 8--24 cm; petiole generally 3--6 cm; leaflets 5--9, terminal 2--7.5 cm, 1.5--4.5 cm wide, +- round to elliptic, +- flat to strongly wavy, base +- lobed to wedge-shaped, tip acute to obtuse (except tooth), margin serrate, spines 6--24(40) per side, 1--5 mm. Inflorescence: 3--6 cm, dense; axis internodes 2--4 mm in flower, fruit. Fruit: 4--7 mm diam, ovoid to obovoid, glaucous, blue to purple. Seed: 4--5 mm.
Note: Varieties intergrade, need study; abaxial papillae on leaves evidently of no taxonomic value.
Unabridged Note: Presence or absence of abaxial papillae on leaves varies within, between populations and does not appear to provide a reliable taxonomic character.