Qualitative and quantitative data are presented for 21 collections of Berberis and one each of Epimedium, Jeffersonia, and Nandina. Most species of Berberis have large numbers of narrow vessels ~ixed with vasicentric tracheids. Scalariform perforation plates are reported here only for Epimedium, m wh1ch they are occasional. Berberidaceae have living fibers (Berberis), fiber-tracheids plus livin...

Woodlots are forest islands embedded within an urban matrix, and often represent the only natural areas remaining in suburban areas. Woodlots represent critical conservation areas for native plants, and are important habitat for wildlife in urban areas. Invasion by non-indigenous (NIS) plants can alter ecological structure and function, and may be especially severe in remnant forests where NIS ...

Petaloid organs are a major component of the floral diversity observed across nearly all major clades of angiosperms. The variable morphology and development of these organs has led to the hypothesis that they are not homologous but, rather, have evolved multiple times. A particularly notable example of petal diversity, and potential homoplasy, is found within the order Ranunculales, exemplifie...

Due to some common or similar features (e.g., small leaf, spurless, yellow flower), three Chinese species of the genus Epimedium (Berberidaceae), E. ecalcaratum, E. platypetalum, and E. campanulatum, are controversial based on morphological characteristics. In the present study, the descriptions of morphological characteristics for the three species were revised based on extensive studies and o...

Mahonia bealei (Berberidaceae) is a frequently-used traditional Chinese medicinal plant with efficient anti-inflammatory ability. This plant is one of the sources of berberine, a new cholesterol-lowering drug with anti-diabetic activity. We have sequenced the complete nucleotide sequence of the chloroplast (cp) genome of M. bealei. The complete cp genome of M. bealei is 164,792 bp in length, an...

The new rank and combination Berberis extensiflora (Ahrendt) Bh.Adhikari & Harber is proposed based on morphological molecular studies of the Himalayan species (Berberidaceae). Morphologically, differs from B. concinna Hook.f. by its much longer (3–4 cm) inflorescence with 2 or 3 flowers in umbels (vs < cm long solitary flowers) 10- to 13-seeded berries 5- 9-seeded berries). A detailed t...