Berberis nervosa

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Dull Oregon-grape
Mahonia nervosa - Oregon grape.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Ranunculales
Family: Berberidaceae
Genus: Berberis
Species:
B. nervosa
Binomial name
Berberis nervosa
Synonyms [1]
  • Berberis glumacea Spreng.
  • Berberis nervosa var. mendocinensis Roof
  • Berberis pinnata Buch ex DC.
  • Mahonia nervosa (Pursh) Nutt.
  • Mahonia glumacea DC.
  • Mahonia nervosa var. mendocinensis (Roof) Roof
  • Odostemon nervosus (Pursh) Rydb.

Berberis nervosa, commonly known as dwarf Oregon-grape, Cascade barberry, Cascade Oregon-grape, or dull Oregon-grape, is a flowering plant native to the northwest coast of North America from southern British Columbia south to central California, with an isolated population inland in northern Idaho. [2] [3] [4] It is especially common in second growth, Douglas-fir [5] or western redcedar forests, making use of those pools of sunlight that intermittently reach the ground.

Contents

The plant was collected by Lewis and Clark during their famous expedition to the West before being described for western science by Frederick T. Pursh in 1813. [6] [7]

Description

Lower surface of leaf showing opposite arrangement on stem, palmately nerved with 3 to 8 veins Mahonia nervosa 5051.JPG
Lower surface of leaf showing opposite arrangement on stem, palmately nerved with 3 to 8 veins

It is an evergreen shrub with short vertical stems, mostly less than 24 in (61 cm), while the leaves reach higher, rarely up to 7 ft (2.1 m) tall on exceptional sites.

The leaves are compound and of opposite arrangement, with 9–19 leaflets; each leaflet is strongly toothed, reminiscent of holly, and somewhat shiny, but less so than tall Oregon-grape. The leaflets do not have a single central vein as in that species, but several veins arranged fan-like, branched from the leaflet base, hence the epithet nervosa.

The flowers bloom from early to late spring and are similar to those of other Oregon-grapes, forming small yellow flowers in erect clusters up to 8 inches (20 cm) in length. [8]

The fruits are dark-blue, globose berries of .3 inches (7.6 mm) in diameter which occur in clusters [8] and are tart-tasting. [7]

Taxonomy

Berberis nervosa was scientifically described and named by German-American botanist Frederick Traugott Pursh in 1813. [1] [9] In 1818 Thomas Nuttall placed it in the new genus Mahonia as Mahonia nervosa. [1] [10] A paper was published by Joseph Edward Laferrière in 1997 summarized the arguments in favor of Berberis as the correct classification. [11] [12] As of 2023 most botanists place the entire genus Mahonia within the genus Berberis [13] including Plants of the World Online (POWO) and World Flora Online. [1] [14]

Ecology

Berberis nervosa in bloom. Berberidaceae Mahonia nervosa1.JPG
Berberis nervosa in bloom.

Low Oregon-grape thrives in sun or shade and is a common or dominant species throughout the understories in montane, sub-montane, and mixed evergreen forests in the Pacific Northwest. It reaches greatest abundance on relatively dry and warm sites, but occurs in fairly moist environments as well. It grows in a variety of soil types. It is restricted to lower elevations, from sea level to 6,000 feet (1,800 m). [8]

Berberis nervosa can complete its life cycle even in the deep shade of dense hemlock-western redcedar forests, so it is a climax species in old-growth forests where it is often dominant. It also occurs in disturbed sites, usually reaching peak abundance from 4 to 10 years after fire or clearcutting. [8]

The plant can reproduce via seeds or by vegetative means, sprouting from rhizomes which extend laterally through the soil. [8]

Its foliage is browsed by black-tailed deer and Roosevelt elk in some areas, but is ignored in others. Various small mammals feed on the foliage extensively, and it is extremely important food source for the white-footed vole in the Coast Range of Oregon. The fruits are eaten by small birds and mammals, and by black-tailed deer in some areas. The nectar of the genus Berberis is favored by the Anna's hummingbird. [8]

Uses

Some Plateau Indian tribes drank an infusion of the root to treat rheumatism. [15] Modern medicine uses it against parasites, bacteria, viruses, diabetes, and high cholesterol. [7]

The Yana people dried and ground the fruits to make a mush. They can also be dried and eaten like raisins, or used for jelly. [7] [16]

The inner bark is colored yellow by the alkaloid berberine, and was used as a dye by native groups. [7]

The leaves are often used in floral arrangements. [7]

Related Research Articles

<i>Berberis aquifolium</i> Species of flowering plant

Berberis aquifolium, the Oregon grape or holly-leaved barberry, is a species of flowering plant in the family Berberidaceae, native to western North America. It is an evergreen shrub growing 1–3 meters tall and 1.5 m (5 ft) wide, with pinnate leaves consisting of spiny leaflets, and dense clusters of yellow flowers in early spring, followed by dark bluish-black berries.

<i>Mahonia</i> Genus of flowering plants belonging to the barberry family

Mahonia is a formerly accepted genus of approximately 70 species of shrubs or, rarely, small trees with evergreen leaves in the family Berberidaceae, native to eastern Asia, the Himalaya, North America, and Central America. They are closely related to the genus Berberis and as of 2023 the majority of botanical sources list it as a synonym for Berberis.

<i>Berberis</i> Genus of flowering plants representing the barberry family

Berberis, commonly known as barberry, is a large genus of deciduous and evergreen shrubs from 1–5 m (3.3–16.4 ft) tall, found throughout temperate and subtropical regions of the world. Species diversity is greatest in South America and Asia; Europe, Africa and North America have native species as well. The best-known Berberis species is the European barberry, Berberis vulgaris, which is common in Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, and central Asia, and has been widely introduced in North America. Many of the species have spines on the shoots and all along the margins of the leaves.

<i>Berberis pinnata</i> Species of shrub

Berberis pinnata is a species of shrub in the barberry family. Common names include California barberry, wavyleaf barberry, and shinyleaf mahonia. It is similar to the Oregon-grape, and is sometimes called the California Oregon-grape.

<i>Berberis repens</i> Species of flowering plant

Berberis repens commonly known as creeping mahonia, creeping Oregon grape, or creeping barberry, is a species of Berberis native to most of the western United States and two western provinces of Canada. It has found use as a xeric ornamental plant and has escaped from cultivation in areas beyond its native range.

<i>Berberis trifoliolata</i> Species of flowering plant

Berberis trifoliolata is a species of flowering plant in the family Berberidaceae, in southwestern North America. Common names include agarita, agrito, algerita, currant-of-Texas, wild currant, and chaparral berry. The name Agarita comes from the Spanish verb agarrar, which means "to grab". The ending "-ita" is often added to little things, so agarita means "grabs a little". This was probably said because the bush is a bit scratchy but does not have significant spines. Typical characteristics are grey-green to blue-grey leaves, yellow flowers in February to April and the red berries appearing in May. The most important harvest organ are the berries, though the roots and seeds can also be used.

<i>Berberis oiwakensis</i> Species of flowering plant

Berberis oiwakensis is a species of plant in the barberry family, Berberidaceae. It is native to Taiwan, China and Myanmar, where it occurs at elevations of 600 to 3800 m. It has recently been found naturalized in South Africa.

<i>Berberis nevinii</i> Species of shrub

Berberis nevinii, known by the common name Nevin's barberry, is a species of flowering shrub in the barberry family.

<i>Berberis fremontii</i> Berry and plant

Berberis fremontii is a species of barberry known by the common name Frémont's mahonia.

Berberis piperiana is a shrub native to the mountains of northern California and southwestern Oregon. It is found in open and wooded slopes at elevations of 900–1,700 m (3,000–5,600 ft).

<i>Berberis japonica</i> Species of flowering plant

Berberis japonica is a species of flowering plant in the family Berberidaceae, native to Taiwan. Despite the name, it is not native to Japan, though it has been known in cultivation there for centuries. The wild origins of this species have long puzzled botanists, but wild plants in Taiwan, previously known under the name Mahonia tikushiensis, appear most similar to the cultivated forms of B. japonica.

<i>Berberis fortunei</i> Species of shrub

Berberis fortunei is a species of shrub in the family Berberidaceae, the barberry family, described in 1846. It is endemic to China, found in the provinces of Chongqing, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, Sichuan, Taiwan, and Zhejiang. It is grown as an ornamental in many lands, with common names including Chinese mahonia, Fortune's mahonia, and holly grape.

Berberis chochoco is an evergreen shrub or small tree up to 9 m (30 ft) tall, in the genus Berberis, family Berberidaceae. It is native to mountainous regions of northeastern Mexico, in the states of Nuevo León, Veracruz, and San Luis Potosí.

<i>Berberis harrisoniana</i> Species of shrub

Berberis harrisoniana is a rare species of flowering plant in the barberry family, Berberidaceae. It is known by the common names Kofa barberry, Kofa Mountain barberry, Harrison's barberry, and red barberry.

Berberis swaseyi is a rare species of barberry endemic to the Edwards Plateau region of Texas. It grows in limestone ridges and canyons. The species is evergreen, with thick, rigid, 5-9-foliolate leaves. Berries are dry or juicy, white to red, about 9–16 mm in diam.

<i>Berberis haematocarpa</i> Species of shrub

Berberis haematocarpa, Woot. with the common names red barberry, red Mexican barbery, Colorado barberry and Mexican barberry, is a species in the Barberry family in southwestern North America. It is also sometimes called algerita, but that name is more often applied to its relative, Mahonia trifoliolata.

Berberis wilcoxii is a shrub native to Arizona, New Mexico and Sonora. It is up to 2 m tall, with pinnately compound leaves of 5-7 leaflets, densely clustered racemes and ovoid berries up to 10 mm long. It is generally found in rocky canyons in mountainous areas at an elevation of 1700–2500 m.

<i>Berberis higginsiae</i> Species of shrub

Berberis higginsiae is a shrub found only in a small region south and east of San Diego in southern California and northern Baja California. It grows in chaparral and woodland areas at elevations of 800–1,200 m (2,600–3,900 ft).

<i>Berberis amplectens</i> Species of plant

Berberis amplectens is a rare species of shrubs endemic to the Peninsular Ranges of southern California, east of San Diego.

<i>Berberis gracilis</i> Species of shrub

Berberis gracilis is a plant species native to the Mexico, widely distributed from Tamaulipas to Oaxaca.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Berberis nervosa Pursh". Plants of the World Online . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved 15 November 2023.
  2. ↑ Hickman, J. C. 1993. The Jepson Manual: Higher Plants of California 1–1400. University of California Press, Berkeley.
  3. ↑ Munz, P. A. & D. D. Keck. 1959. California Flora 1–1681. University of California Press, Berkeley.
  4. ↑ Hitchcock, C. H., A.J. Cronquist, F. M. Ownbey & J. W. Thompson. 1984. Salicaceae to Saxifragaceae. Part II: 1–597. In C. L. Hitchcock et al. Vascular Plants of the Pacific Northwest. University of Washington Press, Seattle.
  5. ↑ Pojar, Jim; MacKinnon, Andy, eds. (1994). Plants of Coastal British Columbia: including Washington, Oregon & Alaska, rev. ed. Vancouver: Lone Pine Publishing. p. 95. ISBN   978-1-55105-532-9.
  6. ↑ "Berberis nervosa". Germplasm Resources Information Network . Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture . Retrieved November 27, 2009.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Dull Oregon-grape -University of Puget Sound". www.pugetsound.edu. Retrieved 2021-05-06.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Mahonia nervosa". www.fs.fed.us. Retrieved 2021-05-06.
  9. ↑ Fl. Amer. Sept. (Pursh) 219. 1814 [Dec. 1813]. Collectors: M.Lewis, W.Clark s.n. "Plant Name Details for Berberis nervosa". IPNI . Retrieved November 27, 2009.
  10. ↑ Nuttall, Thomas (1818). The Genera of North American Plants, and a Catalogue of the Species, to the Year 1817. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Thomas Nuttall. pp. 211–212. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
  11. ↑ Laferrière, Joseph Edward (1997). "Transfer of Specific and Infraspecific Taxa from Mahonia to Berberis (Berberidaceae)". Botanicheskii Zhurnal. 82 (9): 95–98. Retrieved 8 November 2023.
  12. ↑ Marroquín, Jorge S., & Joseph E. Laferrière. 1997. Transfer of specific and infraspecific taxa from Mahonia to Berberis. Journal of the Arizona-Nevada Academy of Science 30(1):53–55.
  13. ↑ Loconte, H., & J. R. Estes. 1989. Phylogenetic systematics of Berberidaceae and Ranunculales (Magnoliidae). Systematic Botany 14:565–579.
  14. ↑ WFO (2023). "Berberis nervosa Pursh". World Flora Online. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
  15. ↑ Hunn, Eugene S. (1990). Nch'i-Wana, "The Big River": Mid-Columbia Indians and Their Land. University of Washington Press. p. 352. ISBN   0-295-97119-3.
  16. ↑ Nyerges, Christopher (2017). Foraging Washington: Finding, Identifying, and Preparing Edible Wild Foods. Guilford, CT: Falcon Guides. ISBN   978-1-4930-2534-3. OCLC   965922681.
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