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Berberis vulgaris subsp. australis

Berberis vulgaris subsp. australis
Photo: Javier martin, Public domain
Family
Berberidaceae (Barberry family)
Grows as
Shrub
Edible
Yes, some parts

About

Berberis vulgaris subsp. australis, synonym Berberis hispanica, is a shrub belonging to the family Berberidaceae and the genus Berberis (pronounced bẽr’ber-is). It is a woody plant and parts of the plant are considered toxic, although the berries are edible and juicy.

Where it grows

Berberis vulgaris subsp. australis is native southern Spain, Morocco and Algeria. It appears from 1000 m or up to 2000 m in elevation. It is found on hedges of mountains overlooking the Mediterranean.

Uses

The root and flowers have been used to extract yellow dyes. The fruits are sweet and sour tastes. The fruits have been used to produce syrups and soft drinks. The fruits are rich in Vitamin C. The bark contains an alkaloid, Berberine. It stimulates the uterus and the intestine. It may cause liver complaints, rheumatism and sciatica. Some species of the genus Berberis are used as ornamental plants. Barberry is often parasitized by the fungus Puccinia graminis and becoming part of the life cycle of the fungus. For this reason, barberry was removed from many places.

Other Berberis plants

Berberis actinacantha · Berberis aemulans · Berberis aetnensis · Salmon barberry · Berberis agricola · Berberis ahrendtii · Berberis alpicola · Berberis amabilis · Berberis amoena · Amur Barberry · Berberis angustifolia · Berberis argentinensis

Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Berberis vulgaris subsp. australis by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts are shared under the same licence.

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