- Mahonia nervosa
-
Dwarf Oregon-grape 
Scientific classification Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Ranunculales Family: Berberidaceae Genus: Mahonia Species: M. nervosa Binomial name Mahonia nervosa
(Pursh) Nutt.Synonyms Berberis nervosa Pursh
Mahonia nervosa, commonly known as Dwarf Oregon-grape, Cascade Oregon-grape, or Dull Oregon-grape, is a flowering plant native to the northwest coast of North America from southern British Columbia south to central California, with an isolated population inland in northern Idaho. It is especially common in second growth, Douglas-fir[1] or Western Redcedar forests, making use of those pools of sunlight that intermittently reach the ground. Some authors place the genus Mahonia within the genus Berberis.
The plant was collected by Lewis and Clark during their famous expedition to the West before being described for science in 1813.[2][3]
Contents
Description
Lower surface of leaf, palmately nerved with 3 to 8 veins
It is an evergreen shrub with short vertical stems, mostly under 30 cm (12 in), while the leaves reach higher, rarely up to 2 m (6 ft 7 in) tall. The leaves are compound, with 9-19 leaflets; each leaflet is strongly toothed, reminiscent of holly, and somewhat shiny, but less so than Tall Oregon-grape. The leaflets do not have a single central vein as in that species, but several veins arranged fan-like, branched from the leaflet base, hence the epithet nervosa. The flowers and fruit are like those of other Oregon-grapes; like them they are edible but just as sour.
Uses
Some Plateau Indian tribes drank an infusion of the root to treat rheumatism.[4]
References
- ^ Pojar, Jim; MacKinnon, Andy, eds (1994). Plants of Coastal British Columbia: including Washington, Oregon & Alaska, rev. ed.. Vancouver: Lone Pine Publishing. p. 95. ISBN 978-1-55105-532-9.
- ^ Fl. Amer. Sept. (Pursh) 219. 1814 [Dec. 1813]. Collectors: M.Lewis, W.Clark s.n. "Plant Name Details for Berberis nervosa". IPNI. http://www.ipni.org:80/ipni/idPlantNameSearch.do?id=31492-2. Retrieved November 27, 2009.
- ^ GRIN (November 10, 2005). "Berberis nervosa information from NPGS/GRIN". Taxonomy for Plants. National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland: USDA, ARS, National Genetic Resources Program. http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/taxon.pl?411554. Retrieved November 27, 2009.
- ^ Hunn, Eugene S. (1990). Nch'i-Wana, "The Big River": Mid-Columbia Indians and Their Land. University of Washington Press. p. 352. ISBN 0-295-97119-3.
External links
Categories:- Mahonia
- Flora of the West Coast of the United States
- Flora of the Northwestern United States
- Flora of British Columbia
- Flora of California
- Flora of Oregon
- Flora of Idaho
- Plants described in 1813
- Traditional Native American medical plants
- Garden plants of North America
- Bird food plants
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