Berberis oiwakensis is a species of plant in the barberry family, Berberidaceae. It is native to Taiwan, China (Guizhou, Hong Kong, Sichuan, Xizang (Tibet) and Yunnan) and Myanmar, where it occurs at elevations of 600 to 3800 m.[2] It has recently been found naturalized in South Africa.[3]

Berberis oiwakensis
Habit
Flowers
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Ranunculales
Family: Berberidaceae
Genus: Berberis
Species:
B. oiwakensis
Binomial name
Berberis oiwakensis
Synonyms
Synonyms
  • Berberis caelicolor (S.Y.Bao) Laferr. (1997)
  • Berberis discolorifolia (Ahrendt) Laferr. (1997)
  • Berberis lomariifolia (Takeda) Laferr. (1997)
  • Berberis lomariifolia var. estylis (C.Y.Wu ex S.Y.Bao) Laferr. (1997)
  • Berberis puca Laferr. (1997)
  • Mahonia alexandri C.K.Schneid. (1917)
  • Mahonia caelicolor S.Y.Bao (1987)
  • Mahonia discolorifolia Ahrendt (1961)
  • Mahonia hainanensis C.M.Hu, Ze X.Li & F.W.Xing (1994)
  • Mahonia lomariifolia Takeda (1917)
  • Mahonia lomariifolia var. estylis C.Y.Wu ex S.Y.Bao (1987)
  • Mahonia morrisonensis Takeda (1917)
  • Mahonia oiwakensis Hayata (1916)
  • Mahonia oiwakensis subsp. lomariifolia (Takeda) J.M.H.Shaw (2011)
  • Mahonia oiwakensis var. tenuifoliola J.M.H.Shaw (2011)

Description edit

Berberis oiwakensis is a shrub or tree up to 7 m tall. Leaves are up to 45 cm long, compound with 12-20 pairs of leaflets plus a larger terminal one, dark green above, yellow-green below. The inflorescence is a fascicled raceme up to 25 cm long. The berries are egg-shaped, dark blue, sometimes almost black, up to 8 mm long.[2][4]

Taxonomy edit

Berberis oiwakensis was first scientifically described and named Mahonia oiwakensis by Bunzō Hayata in 1916.[5][4] One year later Hisayoshi Takeda described a species that he named Mahonia lomariifolia.[5][6] Under that name, it was considered to occur only in mainland China, while Mahonia oiwakensis was limited to Taiwan. Modern taxonomic sources unite the two as a single species with priority going to the first description.[5] Because of differences between the Taiwanese and mainland Chinese plants, Julian Shaw described them as separate subspecies of Mahonia oiwakensis in 2011.[5][7] However, this has not yet been accepted by the majority of botanists. In addition, there has been a longstanding disagreement on if Mahonia should be more properly classified as a synonym of Berberis. A paper was published by Joseph Edward Laferrière in 1997 summarized the arguments in favor of classification in Berberis and published a new name for the species, Berberis oiwakensis.[5][8] As of 2023, this is the most widely accepted classification.[5][9]

Hybrids edit

Berberis oiwakensis is one parent of the important garden hybrid Berberis × hortensis, which includes popular cultivars such as 'Charity', 'Winter Sun' and 'Lionel Fortescue' (the other parent is Berberis japonica).[10] It is also a parent of the cultivar 'Arthur Menzies', though with Berberis bealei as the other parent.[11] In the wild in Taiwan, Berberis oiwakensis appears to hybridize with wild Berberis japonica.[7]

Berberis oiwakensis subsp. lomariifolia has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.[12][13]

References edit

  1. ^ Pan, F.J. (1998). "Mahonia oiwakensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 1998: e.T34757A9887847. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.1998.RLTS.T34757A9887847.en. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
  2. ^ a b Flora of China v 19 p 774,
  3. ^ Jaca, T. P. 2017. Chinese hollygrape (Mahonia oiwakensis): newly detected weed. South African Plant Invaders Atlas (SAPIA) News 45:2-3. Last accessed February 15, 2018, from http://www.arc.agric.za/ARC%20Newsletters/SAPIA%20NEWS%20No.%2045,%20July%202017.pdf.
  4. ^ a b Hayata, Bunzo (1916). "Contributions to the Flora of Formosa". Icones Plantarum Formosanarum Nec non et Contributiones Ad Floram Formosanam. 6: 1–163 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  5. ^ a b c d e f "Berberis oiwakensis (Hayata) Laferr". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 16 November 2023.
  6. ^ Takeda, Hisayoshi (1917). "Contributions to the Knowledge of the Old World Species of the Genus Mahonia". Notes from the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh. 6 (29–30): 209–248 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  7. ^ a b Shaw, Julian (2011). "Developments in Mahonia" (PDF). The Plantsman. New Series. 10: 44–49.
  8. ^ Laferrière, Joseph Edward (1997). "Transfer of Specific and Infraspecific Taxa from Mahonia to Berberis (Berberidaceae)". Botanicheskii Zhurnal. 82 (9): 95–98. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
  9. ^ WFO (2023). "Berberis oiwakensis (Hayata) Laferr". World Flora Online. Retrieved 16 November 2023.
  10. ^ Brickell, C.D. (1979). "The hybrids between Mahonia japonica and M. lomariifolia". The Plantsman. 1: 12–20.
  11. ^ Witt, J.A. (1967). "Mahonia 'Arthur Menzies'". Arboretum Bulletin Washington. Spring: 14–15.
  12. ^ "RHS Plantfinder - Mahonia oiwakensis subsp. lomariifolia". Retrieved 1 April 2018.
  13. ^ "AGM Plants - Ornamental" (PDF). Royal Horticultural Society. July 2017. p. 62. Retrieved 25 March 2018.