Berberis
Often deciduous shrubs with yellowish wood. Leaves alternate, ± clustered on short shoots, often subtended by simple or palmately divided spines (which are modified leaves of long shoots). Inflorescence a raceme, sometimes contracted and umbel-like. Sepals usually 6, in 2 whorls; petals 6–12 in 2 or 3 whorls, the inner 6 with basal nectaries; stamens 6, opposite the nectariferous petals. Fruit a 2-seeded berry.
About 500 species from Europe, northern Africa, southern Asia and America.
The yellow colour of the wood is due to the presence of the chemical berberine which is the source of a yellow dye.
Many species and hybrids of Berberis (including species of Mahonia, now included in Berberis) are cultivated and the berries are sometimes spread by birds. One such cultivated species, B. sargentiana C.K.Schneid., a native of China, was collected from weedy bushland in the Croydon area in 1984, but apparently hasn't naturalised further. It is a shrub to c. 3 m high, with glabrous, ovate leaves c. 4–8 cm long that have regular, forward-directed, spine-tipped teeth, and are produced in fascicles of 3–6, each fascicle subtended by 2 or 3 strong spines to c. 3 cm long. The yellow flowers are produced in crowded cymes on pedicels c. 1–2 cm long, and followed by dark blue, pruinose berries.
Walsh, N.G. (1996). Berberidaceae. In: Walsh, N.G.; Entwisle, T.J., Flora of Victoria Vol. 3, Dicotyledons Winteraceae to Myrtaceae, pp. 64–64. Inkata Press, Melbourne.
Spinning
