472 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 Aquifolium 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. Aquifolium contain the 

 alkaloids berberin, oxyacanthin C 19 H 21 NO 3 , and berbamin C lg H 19 NO+2H 2 O. 



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 Aquifolium). 

 Berries are said to be poisonous to birds. (Ada 

 Hayden). 



MENISPERMACEAE. 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. 



Moonseed (Menispermum canadense} is a beautiful native climber of the 

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

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



