62 AS CALIFORNIA FLOWERS GROW 



Barberry might have unwelcome visitors who would 

 devour her, body and all. To guard against this, 

 she makes her leaves tough and leathery, curves 

 their edges, and places a spine at each turn. Then 

 she sets each leaf close to the stem and crowds them 

 thick together. Woe to a hungry cow or a greedy 

 goat who tackles the Barberry. The leaves of the 

 Barberry resemble those of the European Holly in 

 shape and in texture, though not in color. Of late 

 years, the florists have commercialized this passing 

 resemblance by combining the leaves of the Bar- 

 berry with the berries of the California Holly for 

 Christmas decorations. 



The fruit of the Barberry is, as one would sus- 

 pect from the name, a berry, and it is as handsome 

 as the flower clusters and the leaves. How do the 

 seeds get carried about? With such an armed 

 base, is it likely an animal will approach them? 

 The fruit has given the genus its name, Berberis, 

 which is from the Arabian for its berry, Berberys. 

 The species is pinnata, from the arrangement of the 

 leaves. The fruit is said to make good jelly and 

 preserves, but it is somewhat bitter. The Indians 

 used to dry it for winter. They used the root also, 

 making a yellow dye from it. In fact, every part 

 of the Barberry can be commercialized if we regard 

 the plant simply for its use to man. If, however, 

 we regard it for the pleasure its beauty gives us, we 



