Berberis vulgaris, 
THE COMMON BERBERRY. 
Synonymes. 
Berberis vulgaris, 
Epine vinette, 
Gemeine Berberitze, 
Berberi ordinario, Spino vinetto, 
E spina de majuelas, 
Berberry, Barberry, Pipperidge-Bush, 
( 
Linn.Us, Species Plantarum* 
De Candolle, Prodromus. 
\ Don, Miller's Dictionary. 
I Lotjdon, Arboretum Britannicum. 
( Torrey and Gray, Flora of North America. 
France. 
Germany. 
Italy. 
Spain. 
Britain and Anglo- America. 
thirty- 
much 
Engravings. Willdenow, BerlinischeBaumzucht, pi. 39; Loudon, Encyclopaedia of Plants, figure 4922 ; and the figures below 
Specific Characters. Spines 3-parted. Leaves somewhat obovate, ciliately serrated. Racemes many -flow 
ered, pendulous. Petals entire. Don, Miller's Diet. 
Description. 
HE Common Berberry, in its wild 
* state, is seldom found higher than 
six to ten feet, but when cul- 
tivated it may be grown to nearly 
feet in height. The stems are upright, and 
branched towards the top; smooth, slightly 
grooved, and covered with a whitish, or ash-coloured 
bark, which is of a bright yellow within. The main 
stem soon becomes so surrounded by side-suckers, as 
to be concealed by them; so that, even when the 
height of the plant is that of a tree, its character is 
still that of a bush. The blossoms are yellow, and, 
in general, are abundant, and produce a fine appear- 
ance in April, May, and June ; their odour is offensive 
when near, but not disagreeable at a short distance. 
The fruit is oblong-oval, which at first is green, and, 
when ripe, is red, white, yellow, purple, or black, 
according to the variety ; and it is so acid that birds 
seldom touch it. 
Varieties. These are numerous. Those recognized by Messrs. De Candoll* 
and Don, are as follows: 
1. B. v. alba. Fruit white. 
2. B. v. violacea. Fruit violet-coloured. 
3. B. v. purpurea. Fruit purple. 
4. B. v. nigra. Fruit black; leaves oblong ; ciliately serrated ; serratures few. 
5. B. v. dulcis. Fruit red, less acid than the common variety; leaves of a 
bright, shining green. Native of Austria. 
6. B. v. asperma. Fruit destitute of seeds, in old plants. It is said by Du 
Hamel, that this variety produces the best fruit for preserving; and it is from ii 
that the delicious confitures d 1 epine vinette, for which Rouen is so celebrated 
are made. 
Geography and History. The berberry is found wild in most parts of Europe 
and in many parts of Asia and America. In the warmer parts of the two last 
