Flora of North America species comparison

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Berberis nervosa

Berberis aquifolium

Cascade Oregon-grape, dull Oregon-grape, dwarf Oregon-grape, Oregon grape

holly-leaf Oregon-grape, mountain grape, Oregon-grape, shining Oregon-grape, tall Oregon-grape
Habit Shrubs, evergreen, 0.1-0.8(-2) m. Shrubs, evergreen, 0.3-3(-4.5) m.
Stems

monomorphic, without short axillary shoots.

usually monomorphic, seldom with short axillary shoots.
Bark

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

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

9-21-foliolate;

petioles 2-11 cm.

5-9-foliolate;

petioles 1-6 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 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

absent.

absent.
Inflorescences

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

bracteoles membranous, apex acute, obtuse, or rounded.

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

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

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

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

scales 4-8(-14) mm, deciduous.
2n

= 56.

= 28, 56.

Berberis nervosa

Berberis aquifolium
Phenology Flowering winter–spring (Mar–Jun). Flowering winter–spring (Mar–Jun).
Habitat Open or shaded woods, often in rocky areas Open woods and shrublands
Elevation 0-1800 m (0-5900 ft) 0-2100 m (0-6900 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; ID; OR; WA; BC
[WildflowerSearch map]
from FNA
CA; ID; MT; OR; WA; BC
[WildflowerSearch map]
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.)

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. 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. 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 B. nervosa var. mendocinensis, Mahonia nervosa, Mahonia nervosa var. mendocinensis Mahonia aquifolium
Name authority Pursh: Fl. Amer. Sept., 219. (1814) Pursh: Fl. Amer. Sept., 219. (1814)
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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