Berberis pinnata
Berberis pinnata is a North American species of shrub in the barberry family. Common names include California barberry, California Oregon-grape, wavyleaf barberry, and shinyleaf mahonia.
Description
Berberis pinnata is a dark green bush which resembles holly with its serrated leaves. There are 7–11 leaflets up to in length.It has one to two inch long clusters of small yellow flowers. The fruit is a bluish-purple waxy berry about in size.
It is similar to the Oregon-grape, lending it the common name California Oregon-grape.
Taxonomy
Berberis pinnata was given its first scientific description and named by Mariano Lagasca in 1816. As part of the botanical debate over the correct classification of species it was placed in Mahonia by Friedrich Karl [Georg Fedde] as Mahonia pinnata in 1901. Though scientific disagreement continues, as of 2023 the majority of botanical sources list this species in Berberis.Etymology
Mahonia is named for Bernard McMahon, an American horticulturist. Pinnata means 'set in two opposite rows' or 'pinnate', and is a reference in this case to the arrangement of the leaflets.Distribution and habitat
It is native to the west coast of North America from British Columbia to Baja California.It occurs in coastal, forest, woodland, chaparral, and other habitats.