Mahonia haematocarpa

Mahonia haematocarpa
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Magnoliopsida
Order:	Ranunculales
Family:	Berberidaceae
Genus:	Mahonia
Species:	M. haematocarpa
Binomial name
Mahonia haematocarpa (Woot.) Fedde
Synonyms
Berberis haematocarpa

Mahonia haematocarpa (syn. Berberis haematocarpa) is a species of barberry known by the common name red barberry. It is also sometimes called algerita,^[1] but that name is more often applied to its relative, Mahonia trifoliolata. It is native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, where it grows in desert chaparral and woodlands, such as in the Mojave Desert of California.

This is an erect evergreen shrub growing up to 4 meters (~12 ft.) tall. The leaves are several centimeters long and are each made up of a few thick, waxy, lance-shaped leaflets with spiny toothed edges.

The inflorescences bear 3 to 5 bright yellow flowers, each with nine sepals and six petals all arranged in whorls of three. The fruit is a juicy, edible yellow-orange or pink berry just under a centimeter wide.

References

1. ^ Flora of North America

External links

• Jepson Manual Treatment: Mahonia haematocarpa
• USDA Plants Profile
• Mahonia haematocarpa - U.C. Photo gallery