Berberis fremontii
Berry and plant
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Berberis fremontii is a species of barberry known by the common name Frémont's mahonia (after John C. Frémont).
| Berberis fremontii | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Ranunculales |
| Family: | Berberidaceae |
| Genus: | Berberis |
| Species: | B. fremontii |
| Binomial name | |
| Berberis fremontii | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
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Description
Berberis fremontii is an erect evergreen shrub growing up to 4.5 meters tall. The leaves are several centimeters long and are made up of several holly-leaf-shaped leaflets, each most often 1–2.6 centimeters long and edged with spiny teeth.[2] The leaves are purplish when new, green when mature, and greenish blue when aged.
The abundant inflorescences each bear 8 to 12 bright yellow flowers, blooming in the spring.[2] Each flower is made up of nine sepals and six petals all arranged in whorls of three. The fruit is a berry up to 1.5 centimeters wide, ranging in color from yellowish to purple to nearly black.[2]
Taxonomy
Berberis fremontii was scientifically described and named by John Torrey.[1] For many years it has been part of the controversy on if parts of the Berberis genus should be classified as Mahonia.[1][3] Friedrich Karl Georg Fedde classified it as Mahonia fremontii in 1901. However, as of 2023 Plants of the World Online (POWO) classifies it as part of Berberis.[1]
Names
The plant was named in honor of John C. Frémont.[4]
Distribution and habitat
Berberis fremontii is native to mountainous regions of the US states of Arizona, Nevada, California, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah. It grows in desert grassland and pinyon-juniper woodland.[4]
Uses
The Zuni people use the crushed berries as a purple coloring for the skin and for objects employed in ceremonies.[5]
