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Darwin's barberry, Darwin's berberis

holly-leaf Oregon-grape, mountain grape, Oregon-grape, shining Oregon-grape, tall Oregon-grape

Habit Shrubs, evergreen, 1-3 m. Stems dimorphic, with elongate primary and short axillary shoots. Shrubs, evergreen, 0.3-3(-4.5) m. Stems usually monomorphic, seldom with short axillary shoots.
Bark

of 2d-year stems brown, densely tomentose.

of 2d-year stems gray-brown or purplish, glabrous.

Leaves

blade obovate, 1-veined from base, 1.7-3 × 0.9-1.2 cm, thick and rigid, base acute or acuminate, margins reflexed, undulate, toothed or shallowly lobed, each with 2-4 teeth or lobes 1-3 mm high tipped with spines to 1.2-1.6 × 0.2-0.3 mm, apex obtuse or rounded;

surfaces abaxially glossy, smooth, adaxially glossy, green.

5-9-foliolate;

petioles 1-6 cm.

Leaflet

blades thin and flexible or rather rigid;

surfaces abaxially glossy, smooth, adaxially glossy, green;

terminal leaflet stalked, blade 5.1-8.7(-14.5) × 2.4-4.5(-5.5) cm, 1.7-2.5 times as long as wide;

lateral leaflet blades lance-ovate to lance-elliptic, 1(-3)-veined from base, base obtuse or truncate, rarely weakly cordate, margins plane or undulate, toothed, each with 5-21 teeth 0-2 mm tipped with spines to 0.8-2.2 × 0.2-0.3 mm, apex acute or sometimes obtuse or rounded.

Spines

present, pedately 5-9-fid.

absent.

Inflorescences

racemose, rather dense, 10-20-flowered, 3-4 cm;

bracteoles membranous, apex acuminate.

racemose, dense, 30-60-flowered, 3-9(-11) cm;

bracteoles membranous, apex rounded or obtuse, sometimes apiculate.

Flowers

anther filaments without distal pair of recurved lateral teeth.

anther filaments with distal pair of recurved lateral teeth.

Berries

dark purple, spheric, 6-7 mm, juicy, solid.

blue, glaucous, oblong-ovoid, 6-10 mm, juicy, solid.

Bud

scales 2-4 mm, deciduous.

scales 4-8(-14) mm, deciduous.

2n

= 28, 56.

Berberis darwinii

Berberis aquifolium

Phenology Flowering winter (Feb). Flowering winter–spring (Mar–Jun).
Habitat Humid areas near coast Open woods and shrublands
Elevation 0-20 m (0-100 ft) 0-2100 m (0-6900 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; OR; native; s South America [Introduced in North America]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; ID; MT; OR; WA; BC
[WildflowerSearch map]
Discussion

Berberis darwinii only rarely escapes from cultivation. It is resistant to infection by Puccinia graminis.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Berberis aquifolium is the state flower of Oregon. It is widely used as an ornamental and has been reported as an escape from cultivation in scattered localities across the continent (Ontario, Quebec, central California, Michigan, and Nevada).

Berberis aquifolium is resistant to infection by Puccinia graminis.

Medicinally, various root preparations of Berberis aquifolium were used by Native Americans for stomach trouble, hemorrhages, and tuberculosis; as a panacea, a tonic, a gargle, and an eye wash; and to purify blood. Leaves and roots were used in steam baths to treat yellow fever; karok was used as a poison; and the tips of stems were used to treat stomach aches (D. E. Moermann 1986).

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 3. FNA vol. 3.
Parent taxa Berberidaceae > Berberis Berberidaceae > Berberis
Sibling taxa
B. amplectens, B. aquifolium, B. bealei, B. canadensis, B. dictyota, B. fendleri, B. fremontii, B. haematocarpa, B. harrisoniana, B. higginsiae, B. nervosa, B. nevinii, B. pinnata, B. piperiana, B. pumila, B. repens, B. swaseyi, B. thunbergii, B. trifoliolata, B. vulgaris, B. wilcoxii
B. amplectens, B. bealei, B. canadensis, B. darwinii, B. dictyota, B. fendleri, B. fremontii, B. haematocarpa, B. harrisoniana, B. higginsiae, B. nervosa, B. nevinii, B. pinnata, B. piperiana, B. pumila, B. repens, B. swaseyi, B. thunbergii, B. trifoliolata, B. vulgaris, B. wilcoxii
Synonyms Mahonia aquifolium
Name authority Hooker: Icon. Pl. 7: 672. (1844) Pursh: Fl. Amer. Sept., 219. (1814)
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