Berberis holstii Engl. Berberidaceae

Abstract

Botany and Ecology Berberis holstii Engl.: Glabrous shrub up to 3 m tall, branches purplish when young, sulcate, with 3-partite spines up to 4 cm long. Leaves usually clustered on short lateral shoots, almost sessile, apparently simple but in reality 3-foliolate with a normal, terminal leaflet articulated at its base and a petiole of about 1 mm long bearing 2 subulate lateral leaflets 1-3 mm long at its apex. The petioles and subulate leaflets are characteristically persistent on the short shoots, lamina of terminal leaflet up to 6 Â 2.7 cm, coriaceous, oblong or oblanceolate to obovate, midrib produced as a short prickle, margin prickly dentate or more rarely entire, purplish when young