Flora of North America species comparison

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Berberis nervosa

Berberis amplectens

Cascade Oregon-grape, dull Oregon-grape, dwarf Oregon-grape, Oregon grape
Habit Shrubs, evergreen, 0.1-0.8(-2) m. Shrubs, evergreen, 0.2-1.2 m.
Stems

monomorphic, without short axillary shoots.

monomorphic, without short axillary shoots.
Bark

of 2d-year stems brown or yellow-brown, glabrous.

of 2d-year stems purple, glabrous.
Leaves

9-21-foliolate;

petioles 2-11 cm.

5-7-foliolate;

petioles 1.5-5 cm.
Leaflet

blades thin and ± flexible;

surfaces abaxially rather dull, smooth, adaxially dull, somewhat glaucous;

terminal leaflet stalked, blade 2.9-8.4 × 1.2-4.8 cm, 1.8-3.2 times as long as wide;

lateral leaflet blades lance-ovate to ovate, 4-6-veined from base, base rounded to cordate, margins plane, toothed, each with 6-13 teeth 1-2(-3) mm tipped with spines to 1-2.4 × 0.1-0.2 mm, apex acute or broadly acuminate.

blades thick and rigid;

surfaces abaxially dull, papillose, adaxially dull, ± glaucous;

terminal leaflet stalked, blade 4.4-5.5 × 3.1-4.6 cm, 1.1-1.4 times as long as wide;

lateral leaflet blades oblong or circular, 1-5-veined from base, base truncate or cordate, margins undulate or crispate, toothed, each with 9-15 teeth 1-3 mm tipped with spines to 1.4-2.4 × 0.2-0.4 mm, apex truncate or broadly rounded.
Spines

absent.

absent.
Inflorescences

racemose, dense, 30-70-flowered, 6-17 cm;

bracteoles membranous, apex acute, obtuse, or rounded.

racemose, dense, 25-35-flowered, 3-6 cm;

bracteoles membranous, apex obtuse or rounded.
Flowers

anther filaments without distal pair of recurved lateral teeth.

anther filaments distally with pair of recurved teeth: author had no data available.
Berries

blue, glaucous, oblong-ovoid or globose, 8-11 mm, juicy, solid.

dark blue, glaucous, ovoid to elliptic, 7-9 mm, juicy, solid.
Bud

scales (13-)20-44 mm, persistent.

scales 3-6 mm, deciduous.
2n

= 56.

= 28.

Berberis nervosa

Berberis amplectens
Phenology Flowering winter–spring (Mar–Jun). Flowering spring (Apr–May).
Habitat Open or shaded woods, often in rocky areas Rocky slopes in chaparral and open forest
Elevation 0-1800 m (0-5900 ft) 900-1900 m (3000-6200 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; ID; OR; WA; BC
[WildflowerSearch map]
from FNA
CA
Discussion

Plants of Berberis nervosa are usually very low (commonly 0.1-0.3 m), but occasional plants may be considerably taller (to 2 m). One such population from north of Westport, California, has been separated as B. nervosa var. mendocinensis. Similar populations occur sporadically throughout the range of B. nervosa, so the form should not be recognized taxonomically.

Berberis nervosa is resistant to infection by Puccinia graminis.

The Skagit tribe used Berberis nervosa medicinally in a root preparation to treat venereal disease (D. E. Moermann 1986).

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

Of conservation concern.

Berberis amplectens is endemic to the Peninsular Ranges of southern California. It is resistant to infection by Puccinia graminis.

(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. darwinii, B. dictyota, B. fendleri, B. fremontii, B. haematocarpa, B. harrisoniana, B. higginsiae, B. nevinii, B. pinnata, B. piperiana, B. pumila, B. repens, B. swaseyi, B. thunbergii, B. trifoliolata, B. vulgaris, B. wilcoxii
B. aquifolium, 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 B. nervosa var. mendocinensis, Mahonia nervosa, Mahonia nervosa var. mendocinensis Mahonia amplectens
Name authority Pursh: Fl. Amer. Sept., 219. (1814) (Eastwood) L. C. Wheeler: Rhodora 39: 376. (1937)
Web links 
Unless otherwise noted, all data comes from the online version of the Flora of North America, who have made most of their content available via a Creative Commons license (CC BY 4.0).



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