Berberis repens

Lindley

Bot. Reg., plate 1176. 1828.

EndemicIllustrated
Synonyms: Berberis aquifolium var. repens (Lindley) Scoggan Berberis sonnei (Abrams) McMinn Mahonia repens (Lindley) G. Don Mahonia sonnei Abrams
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 3.

Shrubs, evergreen, 0.02-0.2 (-0.6) m. Stems monomorphic, usually without short axillary shoots. Bark of 2d-year stems grayish or purplish brown, glabrous. Bud-scales 3-8 mm, deciduous. Spines absent. Leaves (3-) 5-7-foliolate; petioles (1-) 3-9 cm. Leaflet blades thin and flexible; surfaces abaxially dull, papillose, adaxially dull, rarely glossy, somewhat glaucous; terminal leaflet stalked, blade 3.2-9.5 × 2.3-6 cm, 1.2-2.2 (-2.5) times as long as wide; lateral leaflets ovate or elliptic, 1 (-3) -veined from base, base rounded to obtuse or truncate, margins plane, toothed, with 6-24 teeth 0.5-3 mm tipped with spines to 0.6-2.8 × 0.1-0.25 mm, apex rounded, rarely obtuse or even broadly acute. Inflorescences racemose, dense, 25-50-flowered, 3-10 cm; bracteoles membranous, apex rounded to obtuse or broadly acute. Anther-filaments with distal pair of recurved lateral teeth. Berries blue, glaucous, oblong-ovoid, 6-10 mm, juicy, solid. 2n = 28.


Phenology: Flowering spring (Apr–Jun).
Habitat: Open forest, shrubland, and grassland
Elevation: 200-3000 m

Distribution

V3 600-distribution-map.gif

Alta., B.C., Ariz., Calif., Colo., Idaho, Minn., Mont., Nebr., Nev., N.Mex., N.Dak., Oreg., S.Dak., Tex., Utah, Wash., Wyo.

Discussion

Berberis sonnei was described based on plants with relatively narrow, rather shiny leaflets collected by Sonne in Truckee, California. Subsequent collections from this population show the morphology typical of B. repens; Sonne's collections evidently are an aberrant form of this species.

Berberis repens is resistant to infection by Puccinia graminis.

Various Native American tribes used preparations of the roots of Berberis repens to treat stomach troubles, to prevent bloody dysentary, and as a blood purifier; mixed with whiskey, it was used for bladder problems, venereal diseases, general aches, and kidney problems; and preparations made from the entire plant served as a cure-all and as a lotion for scorpion bites (D. E. Moermann 1986).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.

"thin" is not a number.

... more about "Berberis repens"
rounded;obtuse or broadly acute +
Alan T. Whittemore +
Lindley +
purplish brown +  and grayish +
rounded;obtuse or truncate +
Mahonia +
oblong-ovoid +
0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br /> (1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br />) +
1.2-2.2(-2.5) +
3.2 cm32 mm <br />0.032 m <br /> (9.5 cm95 mm <br />0.095 m <br />) +
obovate +, oblanceolate +  and elliptic +
1.2 cm12 mm <br />0.012 m <br /> (7.5 cm75 mm <br />0.075 m <br />) +
2.3 cm23 mm <br />0.023 m <br /> (6 cm60 mm <br />0.06 m <br />) +
scale-like +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (0.8 cm8 mm <br />0.008 m <br />) +
Alta. +, B.C. +, Ariz. +, Calif. +, Colo. +, Idaho +, Minn. +, Mont. +, Nebr. +, Nev. +, N.Mex. +, N.Dak. +, Oreg. +, S.Dak. +, Tex. +, Utah +, Wash. +  and Wyo. +
200-3000 m +
small +  and large +
showy +  and inconspicuous +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (?) +  and 0.8 cm8 mm <br />0.008 m <br /> (?) +
compound +  and simple +
spheric +  and cylindric-ovoid or ellipsoid +
Open forest, shrubland, and grassland +
axillary +  and terminal +
3 cm30 mm <br />0.03 m <br /> (10 cm100 mm <br />0.1 m <br />) +
(3-)5-7-foliolate +
reduced +
toothed;plane +
1-carpellate +
basal +  and superior +
club--shaped +
3-merous +  and 2-merous +
nectariferous +
distinct +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (3 cm30 mm <br />0.03 m <br />) +
3 cm30 mm <br />0.03 m <br /> (9 cm90 mm <br />0.09 m <br />) +
Flowering spring (Apr–Jun). +
Bot. Reg., plate +
not nodose +
tan +  and redbrown or black +
1 +  and 10 +
distinct +
elongate +
Endemic +  and Illustrated +
0.6mm;2.8mm +
0.01 cm0.1 mm <br />1.0e-4 m <br /> (0.025 cm0.25 mm <br />2.5e-4 m <br />) +
elongating +
monomorphic +
with elongate primary-stems and short axillary spur shoots +  and elongate +
palmate +  and pinnate +
persistent +
glossy +  and dull +
papillose +
Berberis aquifolium var. repens +, Berberis sonnei +, Mahonia repens +  and Mahonia sonnei +
Berberis repens +
Berberis +
species +
0.05 cm0.5 mm <br />5.0e-4 m <br /> (0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br />) +
20 cm200 mm <br />0.2 m <br /> (60 cm600 mm <br />0.6 m <br />) +
glabrous +  and with tomentose stems +