Family: Berberidaceae

Berberis vulgaris
Berberis vulgaris   L.  -  Common Barberry

Photo © by Peter Nelson
Taken at Lake Mohonk, NY, 1987.

By Science Staff

Not peer reviewed

Last Modified 04/29/2013

Key to the genera of Berberidaceae

1. Leaves simple...Berberis
1. Leaves compound...Mahonia

List of Berberidaceae Genera

References to Berberidaceae

  • Adachi, J.; Kosuge, K.; Watanabe, K. 1995. Evolutionary relationships of the Berberidaceae: based on the partial sequences of the gapA. Pl. Syst. Evol. 9 suppl.: 351-3.
  • Ahrendt, L. W. A. 1961. Berberis and Mahonia: a taxonomic revision. J. Linn. Soc. Bot. 57: 1-410.
  • Ambler, M. A. 1965. Seven alien plant species. William L. Hutcheson Memorial For. Bull. 2: 1-8.
  • Angelo, R.; Boufford, D. E. 2010. Atlas of the flora of New England: Magnoliidae and Hamamelidae. Rhodora 112: 244-326.
  • Baillon, H. 1871. Monographie des Menispermacees et des Berberidacees. Hist. Pl. 3: 1-76. (In French; see English trans. by H.H. Hartog, Nat. Hist. Pl. 3:1-75. 1874.)
  • Baskin, J. M.; Baskin, C. C. 1989. Seed germination ecophysiology of Jeffersonia diphylla a perennial herb of mesic deciduous forests. Amer. J. Bot. 76: 1073-1080.
  • Boynton, K. R. 1926. Berberis thunbergii. Addisonia 10: 59.
  • Brett, J. F. 1981. The morphology and taxonomy of Caulophyllum thalictroides (L.) Michx. (Berberidaceae). M.S. Thesis Univ. of Guelph,
  • Bruckner, C. 2000. Clarification of the carpel number in Papaverales, Capparales, and Berberidaceae. Bot. Rev. 66: 155-307.
  • Carlquist, S. 1995. Wood anatomy of Berberidaceae: ecological and phylogenetic considerations. Aliso 14: 85-103.
  • Cassidy, T. M.; Fownes, J. H.; Harrington, R. A. 2004. Nitrogen limits an invasive perennial shrub in forest understory. Biological Invasions 6: 113-121.
  • Chang, K. T.; Wang, P. L. 1983. Study on the pollen morphology of the family Berberidaceae. Acta Phytotax. Sin. 21(2): 130-42. (In Chinese; English summary)
  • Chapman, M. 1936. Carpel anatomy of the Berberidaceae. Amer. J. Bot. 23: 340-8.
  • Davis, O. H. 1927. Germination and early growth of Cornus florida, Sambucus canadensis, and Berberis thunbergii. Bot. Gaz. 84: 225-63.
  • Decker, S. R. et.al. 1991. Nutritional evaluation of winter foods of wild turkeys. Canad. J. Zoology 69: 2128-2132.
  • Demaggio, A. E.; Wilson, C. L. 1986. Floral structure and organogenesis in Podophyllum peltatum Berberidaceae. Amer. J. Bot. 73: 21-32.
  • Dermen, H. 1931. A study of chromosome number in two genera of the Berberidaceae: Mahonia and Berberis. J. Arnold Arbor. 12: 281-7.
  • Ehrenfeld, J. G. 1997. Invasion of deciduous forest preserves in the New York metropolitan region by Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii DC.). J. Torrey Bot. Soc. 124: 210-5.
  • Ehrenfeld, J. G. 1999. Structure and dynamics of populations of Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii DC.) in deciduous forests of New Jersey. Biological Invasions 1: 203-213.
  • Ehrenfeld, J. G.; Kourtev, P. S.; Huang, W. Z. 2001. Changes in soil functions following invasions of exotic understory plants in deciduous forests. Ecol. Applic. 11: 1287-1300.
  • Ernst, W. R. 1964. The genera of Berberidaceae, Lardizabalaceae, and Menispermaceae in the southeastern United States. J. Arnold Arbor. 45: 1-35.
  • Flora of North America Editorial Committee. 1997. Flora of North America, Volume 3. Magnoliophyta: Magnoliidae and Hamamelidae. Oxford University Press, New York. , 590 pages.
  • Freeman, C. C. et.al. 1998. Vascular plants new to Kansas. Sida 18: 593-604.
  • Fulling, E. H. 1943. Plant life and the law of man. Barberry, currant, gooseberry and cedar control. Bot. Rev. (Lancaster) 9: 483-592.
  • Glenn, Steven D. 1995. honeybees (Apis sp.) and bumblebees (Bombus sp.) visiting Berberis thunbergii DC. flowers.
  • Griffin, M. H. 1937. The chromosome numbers of Berberis. Trans. Roy. Soc. South Africa 24: 203-6.
  • Hannan, G. L.; Prucher, H. A. 1996. Reproductive biology of Caulophyllum thalictroides (Berberidaceae), an early flowering perennial of eastern North America. Amer. Midl. Naturalist 136: 267-277.
  • Harrington, R. A.; Fownes, J. H.; Cassidy, T. M. 2004. Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii) in forest understory: leaf and whole plant responses to nitrogen availability. Amer. Midl. Naturalist 151: 206-216.
  • Heit, C. E. 1968. Thirty-five years' testing of tree and shrub seed. J. Forest. 66(8): 632-3.
  • Herron, P.M. et.al. 2007. Invasive plants and their ecological strategies: prediction and explanation of woody plant invasion in New England. Diversity and Distributions 13: 633-644.
  • Himmelbaur, W. 1914. Die Berberidaceen und ihre Stellung im System. Akad. Wiss. Wien, Math.-Naturwiss. Kl., Denkschr. 89: 733-96.
  • Hunter, J. C.; Mattice, J. A. 2002. The spread of woody exotics into the forests of a northeastern landscape, 1938-1999. J. Torrey Bot. Soc. 129: 220-227.
  • Hussey, J. S. 1974. Some useful plants of early New England. Econ. Bot. 28(3): 311-37.
  • Jensen, U.; Kadereit, J. W. (eds.) (1995): 1995. Systematics and evolution of the Ranunculiflorae. Springer-Verlag, Vienna, New York. , 361 pages. (Plant Systematics and Evolution / Supplement 9)
  • Jones, C. S.; Watson, M. A. 2001. Heterblasty and preformation in mayapple, Podophyllum peltatum (Berberidaceae): developmental flexibility and morphologcial constraint. Amer. J. Bot. 88: 1340-1358.
  • Kern, F. D. 1921. Observations on the dissemination of barberry. Ecology 2(3): 211-4.
  • Kim, Y. D. et.al. 2004. Phylogeny of Berberidaceae based on sequences of the chloroplast gene ndhF. Biochem. Syst. Ecol. 32: 291-301.
  • Kim, Y. D.; Jansen, R. K. 1994. Characterization and phylogenetic distribution of a chloroplast DNA rearrangement in the Berberidaceae. Pl. Syst. Evol. 193: 107-14. (Other families/genera discussed)
  • Kim, Y. D.; Jansen, R. K. 1997. Phylogenetic implications of rbcL and ITS sequence variation in the Berberidaceae Syst. Bot. 21: 381-96. (Also Ranunculaceae, Menispermaceae, Lardizabalaceae & Papaveraceae)
  • Kim, Y. D.; Jansen, R. K. 1998. Chloroplast DNA restriction site variation and phylogeny of the Berberidaceae. Amer. J. Bot. 85: 1766-1778. (Also Lardizabalaceae and Ranunculaceae)
  • Kosenko, V. N. 1980. Comparative palynomorphological study of the family Berberidaceae: 1. Morphology of pollen grains of the genera Diphylleia, Podophyllum, Nandina, Berberis, Mahonia, Ranzania. Bot. Zhurn. (Moscow & Lenengrad) 65(2): 198-205. (In Russian; English summary)
  • Kourtev, P. S.; Ehrenfeld, J. G.; Huang, W. Z. 1998. Effects of exotic plant species on soil properties in hardwood forests of New Jersey. Water Air Soil Pollut. 105: 493-501.
  • Kumazawa, M. 1936. Pollen grain morphology in Ranunclaceae, Lardizabalaceae, and Berberidaceae. Jap. J. Bot. 8: 19-46.
  • Kumazawa, M. 1937. Comparative studies on the vernation of Ranunculaceae and Berberidaceae. (In Japanese). Jap. J. Bot. 13: 573-86.
  • Kumazawa, M. 1938. Systematic and phylogenetic consideration of Ranunculaceae and Berberidaceae. Bot. Mag. (Tokyo) 52: 9-15.
  • Kumazawa, M. 1938. On the ovular structure of Ranunculaceae and Berberidaceae. Jap. J. Bot. 14: 10-25.
  • Langlet, O. 1928. Einige Beobachtungen uber die Zytologie der Berberidaceen. Svensk Bot. Tidskr. 22: 169-84. (In German)
  • Laverty, T. M. 1992. Plant interactions for pollinator visitors, a test of the magnet species effect. Oecologia 89: 502-508.
  • Laverty, T. M.; Plowright, R. C. 1988. Fruit and seed set in mayapple Podophyllum peltatum influenceof intraspecific factors and local enhancement near Pedicularis canadensis. Canad. J. Bot. 66: 173-178.
  • Leavitt, R. G. 1900. Reversions in Berberis and Sagittaria. Rhodora 2: 149-55.
  • Lebuhn, G.; Anderson, G. J. 1994. Anther tripping and pollen dispersing in Berberis thunbergii. Amer. Midl. Naturalist 131: 257-65.
  • Lehrer, J. M. et.al. 2006. Seedling populations produced by colored-leaf genotypes of Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii DC.) contain seddlings with green leaf phenotype. J. Environ. Hort. 24: 133-136.
  • Leinfallner, W. 1956. Zur Morphologie des Gynezeums von Berberis. Oesterr. Bot. Z. 103: 600-12. (In German)
  • Li, H. L. 1952. Floristic relationships between eastern Asia and eastern North America. Trans. Amer. Philos. Soc. 42: 371-429.
  • Loconte, H. 1993. Berberidaceae. In: The Families and Genera of Flowering Plants. Vol. 2. Berlin. , 147-52 pages.
  • Loconte, H.; Blackwell, W. H. 1984. Berberidaceae of Ohio. Castanea 49: 39-43.
  • Loconte, H.; Blackwell, W. H. 1985. Intrageneric taxonomy of Caulophyllum (Berberidaceae). Rhodora 87: 463-469.
  • Loconte, H.; Estes, J. R. 1989. Phylogenetic systematics of Berberidaceae and Ranunculales (Magnoliidae). Syst. Bot. 14(4): 565-79.
  • Lubell, J. D. et.al. 2008. Detecting the influence of ornamental Berberis thunbergii var. atropurpurea in invasive populations of Berberis thunbergii (Berberidaceae) using AFLP. Amer. J. Bot. 95: 700-705.
  • Lubell, J. D.; Brand, M. H. 2011. Germination, growth and survival of Berberis thunbergii DC. (Berberidaceae) and Berberis thunbergii var. atropurpurea in five natural environments. Biological Invasions 13: 135-141.
  • Lumis, G. P.; Hofstra, G.; Hall, R. 1973. Sensitivity of roadside trees and shrubs to aerial drift of deicing salt. Hortscience 8: 475-7.
  • Lumis, G. P.; Hofstra, G.; Hall, R. 1975. Salt damage to roadside plants. J. Arboric. 1(1): 14-6.
  • Lundgren, M. R. 2004. Influence of land use and site characteristics on invasive plant abundance in the Quinebaug Highlands of southern New England. Northeastern Naturalist 11: 313-332.
  • Mack, R. N. 1991. The commercial seed trade: an early disperser of weeds in the United States. Econ. Bot. 45: 257-273.
  • Mack, R. N. 2003. Plant naturalizations and invasions in the eastern United States: 1634-1860. Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 90: 77-90.
  • Mauritzon, J. 1936. Zur Embryologie der Berberidaceen. Acta Horti Gotob. 11: 1-17.
  • Meacham, C. A. 1980. Phylogeny of the Berberidaceae with an evaluation of classifications. Syst. Bot. 5(2): 149-72.
  • Mitchell, R. S. (eds.) (1983): 1983. Berberidaceae through Fumariaceae of New York State. Vol. NY State Museum Bull. 451. Univ. of the state of NY, Albany, NY. , 66 pages.
  • Miyaji, Y. 1930. Beitroge zur Chromosomenphylogenie der Berberidaceen. Planta 11: 650-9. (In German)
  • Moore, R. J. 1963. Karyotype evolution in Caulophyllum. Canad. J. Genet. Cytol. 5: 384-388.
  • Moraes, R. M. et.al. 2000. The American mayapple revisited-Podophyllum peltatum: Still a potential cash crop? Econ. Bot. 54: 471-476.
  • Nickol, M. G. 1995. Phylogeny and inflorescences of Berberidaceae- a morphological study. Pl. Syst. Evol. 9 suppl.: 327-40.
  • Norwicke, J. W.; Skvarla, J. J. 1981. Pollen morphology and phylogenetic relationships of the Berberidaceae. Smithsonian Contrib. Bot. 50: 1-83.
  • Nowicke, J.; Skvarla, J. 1981. Pollen morphology and phylogenetic relationships of the Berberidaceae. Smithsonian Contrib. Bot. 50: 1-83.
  • Nuzzo, V. A. et.al. 2009. Earthworm invasion as the driving force behind plant invasion and community change in northeastern North American forests. Conserv. Biol. 23: 966-974.
  • Oganezova, G. G. 1978. Comparative anatomy of vegetative shoots of representatives of Berberidaceae family in the connection with the taxonomy of the family. Bot. Zhurn. (Moscow & Lenengrad) 63(3): 419-23. (In Russian)
  • Oganezova, G. G. 1974. Anatomical structure of leaf in Berberidaceae s.l. related to the taxonomy of the family. Bot. Zhurn. (Moscow & Lenengrad) 59: 1780-1793. (In Russian)
  • Payer, J. 1857. Traite d'organogenie comparee de la fleur. Paris. , 748 pages. (In French)
  • Ro, K. E.; Keener, C. S.; McPheron, B. A. 1997. Molecular phylogenetic study of the Ranunculaceae: utility of the nuclear 26S ribosomal DNA in inferring intrafamilial relationships. Molec. Phylogenet. Evol. 8: 117-27.
  • Robertson, C. 1896. Flowers and insects. XVII. Bot. Gaz. 22: 154-65.
  • Rust, R. W.; Roth, R. R. 1981. Seed production and seedling establishment in the mayapple Podophyllum peltatum. Amer. Midl. Naturalist 105: 51-60.
  • Sargent, C. S. 1889. New or little known plants. Berberis thunbergii. Gard. & Forest 2: 52.
  • Schmidt, E. 1928. Untersuchungen uber Berberidaceen. Beih. Bot. Centralbl. 45: 329-396. (In German)
  • Schneider, C. 1923. Notes on hybrid Berberis and some other garden forms. J. Arnold Arbor. 4: 193-231.
  • Schneider, C. K. 1904. Die Gattung Berberis (Euberberis). Bull. Herb. Boissier 5: 33-48, 133-48, 391-403, 655-70, 800-31.
  • Silander, J. A.; Klepeis, D. M. 1999. The Invasion Ecology of Japanese Barberry (Berberis thunbergii) in the New England Landscape. Biological Invasions 1: 189-201.
  • Singh, V.; Jain, D. K.; Sharma, M. 1978. Leaf architecture in Berberidaceae and its bearing on the circumscription of the family. J. Indian Bot. Soc. 57(3): 272-80.
  • Smith, B. H. et.al. 1989. Frequency-dependent seed dispersal by ants of two deciduous forest herbs. Ecology 70: 1645-1648.
  • Smith, B. H. et.al. 1986. Reproductive ecology of Jeffersonia diphylla Berberidaceae. Amer. J. Bot. 73: 1416-1426.
  • Swanson, S. D.; Sohmer, S. H. 1976. The biology of Podophyllum peltatum L. (Berberidaceae, the may apple. II. The transfer of pollen and success of sexual reproduction. Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 103: 223-226.
  • Terebayashi, S. 1978. Studies in morphology and systematics of Berberidaceae II. Floral anatomy of Mahonia japonica (Thunb.) DC. and Berberis thunbergii DC. Acta Phytotax. Geobot. 29: 106-18.
  • Terebayashi, S. 1987. Seedling morphology of the Berberidaceae. Acta Phytotax. Geobot. 38: 63-74. (In Japanese: English summary)
  • Terebayashi, S. 1985. The comparative floral anatomy and systematics of the Berberidaceae: 2. Systematic considerations. Acta Phytotax. Geobot. 36(1-3): 1-13.
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