Berberis canadensis
Berberis vulgaris
Allegheny barberry, American barberry
berbéris vulgaire, common barberry, common berberis, European barberry, jaundice berry, piprage, épine-vinette
of 2d-year stems purple or brown, glabrous.
of 2d-year stems gray, glabrous.
blade oblanceolate or sometimes narrowly elliptic, 1-veined from base, 1.8-7.5 × 0.8-3.3 cm, thin and flexible, base long-attenuate, margins plane, toothed, each with 3-12 teeth 0-1 mm high tipped with bristles to 0.2-1.2 × 0.1-0.15 mm, apex rounded or rounded-obtuse;
surfaces abaxially dull, smooth, adaxially dull, ± glaucous.
blade obovate to oblanceolate or almost elliptic, 1-veined from base, 2-6(-8) × 0.9-2.8 cm, thin and flexible, base short- to long-attenuate, margins plane, finely serrate, each with (8-)16-30 teeth 0-1 mm high tipped with spines or bristles to 0.6-1.4 × 0.1 mm, apex rounded or obtuse;
surfaces abaxially dull, smooth, adaxially dull, ± glaucous.
present, simple or 3(-7)-fid.
present, simple or 3-fid.
racemose, lax, 3-12-flowered, 2-5.5 cm;
bracteoles membranous, apex acuminate.
racemose, lax, 10-20-flowered, 2-6 cm;
bracteoles membranous, apex acute.
anther filaments without distal pair of recurved lateral teeth.
anther filaments without distal pair of recurved lateral teeth.
red, oblong-ellipsoid, 10 mm, juicy, solid.
red or purple, ellipsoid, 10-11 mm, juicy, solid.
scales 1-1.5 mm, deciduous.
scales 2-3 mm, deciduous.
= 28.
Berberis canadensis
Berberis vulgaris
Berberis canadensis is susceptible to infection by Puccinia graminis.
The Cherokee Indians used scraped bark of Berberis canadensis in infusions to treat diarrhea (D. E. Moermann 1986).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, Berberis vulgaris was very commonly cultivated in North America for thorn hedges and as a source of jam and yellow dye. It frequently escaped from cultivation and became naturalized over a wide area of eastern North America. It is susceptible to infection by Puccinia graminis. As the most important alternate host of this fungus, it has been the subject of vigorous eradication programs, and it is now infrequent or absent in many areas where it was once frequent (A. P. Roelfs 1982).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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