Berberis glaucocarpa
| Berberis glaucocarpa | |
|---|---|
| B. glaucocarpa in Tasman, New Zealand | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Ranunculales |
| Family: | Berberidaceae |
| Genus: | Berberis |
| Species: | B. glaucocarpa
|
| Binomial name | |
| Berberis glaucocarpa | |
Berberis glaucocarpa, sometimes called common barberry[1] or simply barberry,[2] is a species of flowering plant, a barberry, native to the western Himalaya in central Asia, to west central Nepal.[3] It is considered invasive in New Zealand, where it is found in the North and South Island.[4][5][2] It has also been introduced to Great Britain.[3] The species is listed as banned in South Africa.[6]
Description
This species is glabrous, evergreen, woody,[4] and has thorns. It can grow to up to 7m in height. The leaves have a short petiole. The flowers are yellow and foetid. The berries are reddish-black or purple with white powder on them, with dark red juice. It flowers from October to November in New Zealand,[7] and fruits until February.[2] In Pakistan, it fruits from September through October.[8]
In New Zealand, this species can be distinguished from Darwin's barberry, which has dark purple berries, and European barberry, which has red.[4] The tripartite spines that grow up to 2.5cm long, and the large spiny leaves and the very large possible height are also useful characteristics.[2]
Range and habitat
This barberry can be found in disturbed sights and on forest margins.[4]
The plant was naturalized in New Zealand in 1916, originally as an ornamental plant.[2] It has also been found in Kashmir in Pakistan.[9]
Ecology
This plant is sometimes used as a hedge plant,[4] although it has the potential to spread into fields and deter livestock, and although it may inhibit growth of native plants.[10]
The fruits are spread by birds and mammals,[2] including brush-tailed possums[10] and rodents.[11][6] The birds which most often spread this plant in New Zealand are themselves exotic frugivores, namely Silvereyes (which self-introduced from Australia), Song Thrush, Common Blackbird, and Common Starling.[10] New Zealand Bellbirds ignore barberry fruits.[12]
Puccinia graminis, a rust fungus, has also been found on this species, during a study to determine fungal pathogens that could be used to control barberry spread in New Zealand.[13]
Goats will eat the plant, if it is up to 2m in height.[14]
Humans in Pakistan also eat the fruit, but only in passing.[8]
References
- ^ "Common barberry". Environment Canterbury. Retrieved 10 October 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f "Berberis glaucocarpa". New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. Retrieved 10 October 2025.
- ^ a b "Berberis glaucocarpa Stapf | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 10 October 2025.
- ^ a b c d e "RNZIH - Horticulture Pages - Weeds - Berberis glaucocarpa - barberry". www.rnzih.org.nz. Retrieved 10 October 2025.
- ^ "Berberis glaucocarpa Stapf - Flora of New Zealand Series". Flora of New Zealand Series. Retrieved 11 October 2025.
- ^ a b Keet, J (2015). The invasion potential of selected Berberis species in South Africa [Doctoral dissertation]. University of the Free State.
- ^ "Flora of New Zealand | Taxon Profile | Berberis glaucocarpa". www.nzflora.info. Retrieved 10 October 2025.
- ^ a b Ijaz, Shabir; Perveen, Anjum; Ashraf, Saima; Abid, Roohi; Kousar, Shazia; Abbas, Zaheer; Arslan, Muhammad (11 April 2022). "Traditional Knowledge of Wild Edible Plants Used by the People of Lawat, District Neelum, Azad Jammu & Kshmir, Pakistan". Ethnobotany Research and Applications. 23: 1–16. doi:10.32859/era.23.24.1-16. ISSN 1547-3465.
- ^ ur Rahman, Saeed; Khan, Shujaul Mulk; Zafar, Muhammad; Ahmad, Mushtaq; Khan, Raees; Hussain, Sajad; Khalid, Muhammad; Kayani, Sadaf-Ilyas (September 2019). "Pollen morphological variation of Berberis L. from Pakistan and its systematic importance". Microscopy Research and Technique. 82 (9): 1593–1600. doi:10.1002/jemt.23325. ISSN 1059-910X. PMID 31245889.
- ^ a b c MacFarlane, Archie E.T.; Briskie, James V.; Kelly, Dave (7 April 2025). "Dispersal of invasive Berberis glaucocarpa in secondary forest occurs mainly by exotic frugivores". Notornis. 72 (2): 91. doi:10.63172/140475fiycia. ISSN 1177-7680.
- ^ WILLIAMS, PETER A.; KARL, BRIAN J.; BANNISTER, PETER; LEE, WILLIAM G. (October 2000). "Small mammals as potential seed dispersers in New Zealand". Austral Ecology. 25 (5): 523–532. doi:10.1111/j.1442-9993.2000.tb00057.x. ISSN 1442-9985.
- ^ MacFarlane, Archie; Kelly, Dave; Briskie, James (2016). "Introduced blackbirds and song thrushes: useful substitutes for lost mid-sized native frugivores, or weed vectors?". New Zealand Journal of Ecology. 40 (1): 80–87. Bibcode:2016NZJE...40...80M. doi:10.20417/nzjecol.40.9.
- ^ Waipara, N. W.; Smith, L. A.; Gianotti, A. F.; Wilkie, J. P.; Winks, C. J.; McKenzie, E. H. C. (2005). "A survey of fungal plant pathogens associated with weed infestations of barberry (Berberisspp.) in New Zealand and their biocontrol potential". Australasian Plant Pathology. 34 (3): 369. Bibcode:2005AuPP...34..369W. doi:10.1071/ap05049. ISSN 0815-3191.
- ^ Rolston, M.P.; Clark, D.A.; Lambert, M.G. (1983). "Scrub and coarse weed control by goats and sheep: Ballantrae trial". Proceedings, Ruakura Farmers Conference, 1983.