Vol. 48 No. 10 
BULLETIN 
TORREY BOTANICAL CLUB 
OCTOBER, 1921 
a, 
Distribution of Berberis vulgaris in Pennsylvania* 
FRANK D. KERN 
During the war extensive campaigns of barberry eradication 
were inaugurated in the North Middle States because of the part 
it was believed the barberry played there in the spread of black 
stem rust of cereals. Later more or less systematic attempts were 
made to gather facts regarding the barberry and the spread of 
rust in other parts of the United States. In this work the Office 
of Cereal Investigations, U. S. Department of Agriculture, co- 
operated with pathologists and botanists in various states. In 
Pennsylvania, where the writer assisted in an investigation of the 
situation, aid was furnished by the Office of Cereal Investigations 
during the summer of 1919 in the form of expenses for travel, and 
in the assignment of Mr. Creighton F. Murphy, a special appointee 
of that office, for work in this state. To the organizing ability 
and untiring activity of Mr. Murphy is due a large part of any 
success attained. 
One of the first things necessary was to obtain information 
regarding the prevalence of the barberry in the region. The 
arberry, Berberis vulgaris, is not a native of America but was 
introduced, doubtless from Europe, cultured either as an orna- 
mental shrub for its fruit, which has been more or less prized 
for culinary purposes, or as a medicinal plant. It has escaped 
from cultivation and in some localities in the United States is 
* Contribution from the Department of Botany, The Pennsylvania State College, 
No. 32. Read at the Chicago meeting of the Botanical Society of America, before 
the Systematic Section, December 29, 1920. 
[THe BULLETIN for September (48: 241-262) was issued December 13, 1921-] 
