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MANUAL OF POISONOUS PLANTS 



Berberis repens Lindl. Trailing Mahonia. 



A smooth, trailing shrub, 1-4 ft. high, leaves petioled, pinnate; leaflets 3-7, 

 ovate, acute ; flowers several in a raceme, yellow ; persistent bracts ; fruit globose, 

 bluish purple. 



Distribution. From Western Nebraska to Arizona, and British Columbia, 

 Northwest Pacific Coast from Washington to California. 



Berberis AquifoUum Pursh. Oregon Grape 



A low shrub 2-10 feet high, leaflets 5-9 oblong ovate, spinulose dentate above ; 

 -flowers yellow in racemes and terminal clusters ; fruit globose, dark in color. 



Distribution. Idaho to the Rocky Mountains. 



Poisonous properties. Both Berberis repens and B. AquifoUum contain the 

 alkaloids berberin, oxyacanthin C^gH^^NOg, and berbamin CjgHjgNO+2H20. 



Prof. Schaffner reports that the berries of the trailing Mahonia are in- 

 jurious to birds. When eaten fresh they are emetic and cathartic. 



Fig. 242. Oregon Grape {Berberis AquifoUum'). 

 Berries are said to be poisonous to birds. (Ada 

 Hayden). 



Meni SPERM ACEAE. Moonseed Family 



Woody plants with alternate lobed or entire leaves, climbing without stipules; 

 flowers small, dioecious, in panicled racemes or cymose clusters; sepals 4-12; 

 petals 6; fewer, or more; stamens of the same number or fewer; fruit a 1- 

 seedcd drupe; embryo long, curved endosperm scanty. About 300 species mainly 

 in the tropics. 



Aloonsccd (Menispermum canadcvse) is a beautiful native climber of the 

 North with black drupes and contains menispin. The Carolina moonseed (Coc- 

 cttlus carolinus) is common in the South. Fish poison made from Anamirta 



