Berberis vulgaris, L.

Tutin, T. G., Heywood, V. H., Burges, N. A., Moore, D. M., Valentine, D. H., Walters, S. M. & Webb, D. A., 1964, Flora Europaea - Volume 1. Lycopodiaceae to Platanaceae, Cambridge University Press : 245

1. B. vulgaris L. , Sp. Pl. 330 (1753) .

1-5-3 m; branches mostly erect; twigs yellowish, ridged. Spines usually 3-fid; segments 6-18 mm, subequal, slender. Leaves 25-55 mm, exceeding the spines, elliptic-obovate, spinulose-serrate. Racemes 30-50 mm, pendent, with (12-) 15-30 flowers. Honey-leaves 5-6 mm, slightly exceeding inner perianth-segments. Berry 1 0x5 mm, oblong, bright orange-red; stigma quite sessile. 2n = 28. Most of continental Europe except the extreme north, but rare in the Mediterranean region. Al Au Be Bu Cz G a Ge G r He H o Hs Hu It Ju *Lu Po Rm Rs (B, C, W, K, E). [Br D a Fe Hb No Rs (N) Su Tu.]

The limits of this species as a native cannot be precisely determined. On the one hand, it has been extensively planted, originally for its edible fruit and more recently for ornament, and has become naturalized; on the other hand, in some regions attempts to extirpate it (as the intermediate host of Puccinia graminis ) have been more or less successful.