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{{Taxobox
| color = lightgreen
| name = ''Berberis''
| image = Berberis darwinii shoot.jpg
| image_width = 240px
| image_caption = ''Berberis darwinii'' shoot with flowers
| image2 = Berberis thunb frt.jpg
| image2_width = 240px
| image2_caption = ''Berberis thunbergii'' shoot with fruit
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[Flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Magnoliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Ranunculales]]
| familia = [[Berberidaceae]]
| genus = '''''Berberis'''''
| genus_authority = [[Carolus Linnaeus|L.]]
| subdivision_ranks = Species
| subdivision =
About 450-500; see text
}}
'''''Berberis''''' (''[[Syllable stress of Botanical Latin|Bér-be-ris]]'', '''barberry''', '''pepperidge bush''') a [[genus]] of about 450-500 species of [[deciduous]] and [[evergreen]] [[shrub]]s from 1-5 m tall with thorny shoots, native to the temperate and subtropical regions of [[Europe]], [[Asia]], [[Africa]], [[North America]] and [[South America]]. They are closely related to the genus ''[[Mahonia]]'', which is included within ''Berberis'' by some [[botanist]]s.

The genus is characterised by dimorphic shoots, with long shoots which form the structure of the plant, and short shoots only 1-2 mm long. The [[leaf|leaves]] on long shoots are non-photosynthetic, developed into three-spined [[Spine (biology)|thorn]]s 3-30 mm long; the bud in the axil of each thorn-leaf then develops a short shoot with several normal, photosynthetic leaves. These leaves are 1-10 cm long, simple, and either entire, or with spiny margins. Only on young seedlings do leaves develop on the long shoots, with the adult foliage style developing after the young plant is 1-2 years old.

The deciduous species (e.g. ''Berberis thunbergii, B. vulgaris'') are noted for good autumn colour, the leaves turning pink or red before falling. In some evergreen species from [[China]] (e.g. ''B. candidula, B. verruculosa''), the leaves are brilliant white beneath, making them particularly attractive.

The [[flower]]s are produced singly or in [[raceme]]s of up to 20 on a single flower-head. They are yellow or orange, 3-6 mm long, with six [[sepal]]s and six [[petal]]s in alternating whorls of three, the sepals usually coloured like the petals. The [[fruit]] is a small [[berry]] 5-15 mm long, ripening red or dark blue, often with a pink or violet waxy surface bloom; they may be either long and narrow (like a bar, hence 'barberry') or in other species, spherical.

The berries are edible, and rich in [[vitamin C]], though with a very sharp flavour; the thorny shrubs make harvesting them difficult, so in most places they are not widely consumed. They are an important food for many small [[bird]]s, which disperse the [[seed]]s in their droppings. In [[Iran]], the dried fruits, known as ''[[zereshk]]'', are more widely used, imparting a tart flavor to chicken dishes. In Ukraine, they are used as the flavouring in a popular candy of the same name.<!--Of what name? "Zereshk"?-->

''Berberis'' species are used as food plants by the [[larva]]e of some [[Lepidoptera]] species including [[Mottled Pug]].

Several are popular [[garden]] shrubs, grown for their ornamental leaves, yellow flowers, and red or blue-black berries. They are also valued for crime prevention; being very dense, viciously spiny shrubs, they make very effective barriers impenetrable to burglars. For this reason they are often planted below potentially vulnerable windows, and used as hedges and other barriers.

''Berberis buxifolia'' ('''Calafate''') and ''Berberis darwinii'' ('''Michay''') are two species found in [[Patagonia]] in [[Argentina]] and [[Chile]]. Their edible purple fruits are used for jams and infusions; anyone who tries a berry is said to be certain to return to Patagonia. The calafate and michay are symbols of Patagonia.

''Berberis vulgaris'' ('''European Barberry''') is the alternate host species of the [[Rust (fungus)|wheat rust]] ''Puccinia graminis'', a serious [[fungus|fungal]] [[disease]] of [[wheat]]. For this reason, cultivation of this species is prohibited in many areas.

Some ''Berberis'' have become [[invasive species]] when planted outside of their native ranges, including ''B. glaucocarpa'' and ''B. darwinii'' in [[New Zealand]] (where it is now banned from sale and propagation), and ''B. thunbergii'' in some parts of North America.

===Selected species===
{|
|- valign=top
|
;Europe & Asia, deciduous
*''[[Berberis aemulans]]''
*''[[Berberis aetnensis]]''
*''[[Berberis aggregata]]''
*''[[Berberis amurensis]]''
*''[[Berberis angulosa]]''
*''[[Berberis aristata]]''
*''[[Berberis beaniana]]''
*''[[Berberis capillaris]]''
*''[[Berberis chinensis]]''
*''[[Berberis circumserrata]]''
*''[[Berberis cretica]]''
*''[[Berberis dasystachya]]''
*''[[Berberis diaphana]]''
*''[[Berberis dictyoneura]]''
*''[[Berberis dictyophylla]]''
*''[[Berberis dielsiana]]''
*''[[Berberis edgeworthiana]]''
*''[[Berberis floribunda]]''
*''[[Berberis forrestii]]''
*''[[Berberis francisci-ferdinandii]]''
*''[[Berberis gilgiana]]''
*''[[Berberis giraldii]]''
*''[[Berberis graminea]]''
*''[[Berberis gyalaica]]''
*''[[Berberis heteropoda]]''
*''[[Berberis hispanica]]''
*''[[Berberis jamesiana]]''
*''[[Berberis koreana]]''
*''[[Berberis lycium]]''
*''[[Berberis mitifolia]]''
*''[[Berberis morrisonensis]]''
*''[[Berberis mucrifolia]]''
*''[[Berberis oblonga]]''
*''[[Berberis parisepala]]''
*''[[Berberis poiretii]]''
*''[[Berberis prattii]]''
*''[[Berberis sherriffii]]''
*''[[Berberis sieboldii]]''
*''[[Berberis sikkimensis]]''
*''[[Berberis silva-taroucana]]''
*''[[Berberis temolaica]]''
*''[[Berberis thunbergii]]''
*''[[Berberis vernae]]''
*''[[Berberis virescens]]''
*''[[Berberis virgetorum]]''
*''[[Berberis vulgaris]]''
*''[[Berberis wilsoniae]]''
*''[[Berberis yunnanensis]]''
*''[[Berberis zabeliana]]''
|
;Europe & Asia, evergreen
*''[[Berberis asiatica]]''
*''[[Berberis atrocarpa]]''
*''[[Berberis bergmannii]]''
*''[[Berberis calliantha]]''
*''[[Berberis candidula]]''
*''[[Berberis centiflora]]''
*''[[Berberis chrysosphaera]]''
*''[[Berberis concinna]]''
*''[[Berberis coriaria]]''
*''[[Berberis coxii]]''
*''[[Berberis dumicola]]''
*''[[Berberis gagnepainii]]''
*''[[Berberis glaucocarpa]]''
*''[[Berberis hookeri]]''
*''[[Berberis hypokerina]]''
*''[[Berberis insignis]]''
*''[[Berberis julianae]]''
*''[[Berberis kawakamii]]''
*''[[Berberis lycioides]]''
*''[[Berberis manipuriana]]''
*''[[Berberis panlanensis]]''
*''[[Berberis potaninii]]''
*''[[Berberis pruinosa]]''
*''[[Berberis replicata]]''
*''[[Berberis sargentiana]]''
*''[[Berberis soulieana]]''
*''[[Berberis sublevis]]''
*''[[Berberis taliensis]]''
*''[[Berberis tsangpoensis]]''
*''[[Berberis umbellata]]''
*''[[Berberis veitchii]]''
*''[[Berberis verruculosa]]''
|
;North America, deciduous
*''[[Berberis canadensis]]''
*''[[Berberis fendleri]]''

;South America, deciduous
*''[[Berberis cabrerae]]''
*''[[Berberis chillanensis]]''
*''[[Berberis montana]]''

;South America, evergreen
*''[[Berberis actinacantha]]''
*''[[Berberis buxifolia]]''
*''[[Berberis comberi]]''
*''[[Berberis darwinii]]''
*''[[Berberis empetrifolia]]''
*''[[Berberis hakeoides]]''
*''[[Berberis heterophylla]]''
*''[[Berberis ilicifolia]]''
*''[[Berberis linearifolia]]''
*''[[Berberis negeriana]]''
*''[[Berberis trigona]]''
*''[[Berberis valdiviana]]''
|}

==Zereshk==
'''Zereshk''' (زرشک) is the [[Persian language|Persian]] name for the dried [[fruit]] of [[Berberis|barberries]], which are widely cultivated in [[Iran]]. Iran is the largest producer of ''zereshk'' and [[saffron]] in the world. ''Zereshk'' is the fruit of a type of barberry bush.<!--which species?--> ''Zereshk'' and saffron are produced on the same land and the [[harvest]] is at the same time. The southern part of [[Khorasan]] is the main area of ''zereshk'' production. A garden of ''zereshk'' is called ''zereshk-[[-stan|estan]]''. It has a [[Basic taste#Sourness|sour taste]] and is often used in dishes involving [[chicken]]. It is usually cooked with [[rice]] and provides a nice meal with chicken. ''Zereshk'' jam<sup>[http://www.niavaran.ir/ja.barberry%20jam.jpg photo]</sup>, ''zereshk'' juice<sup>[http://www.flickr.com/photos/marsopolitan/16945788/ photo]</sup>, and ''zereshk'' fruit rolls<sup>[http://sadaf.com/store/media/56-6807.JPG photo]</sup> are also produced in Iran.

In colloquial Persian, ''zereshk'' is used as a term for showing dissent or disagreement, similar the to usage of "[[blowing a raspberry]]" in English. Although not a vulgar term in that context, it is not used in polite speech.

== Gallery ==
<gallery>
Image:Berberis gagnepainii thorn.jpg|''Berberis gagnepainii'' three-spined thorn (modified long shoot leaf) with leafy short shoot. Each thorn is 20 mm long.
Image:Berberis verruculosa leaves.jpg|''Berberis verruculosa'' upper side of shoot above, lower side below.
Image:Berberis gagnepainii flowers.jpg|''Berberis gagnepainii'' flower detail (flowers 7 mm diameter).
Image:Berberis gagnepainii fruit.jpg|''Berberis gagnepainii'' fruit.
Image:Berberis-thunbergii.JPG|''Berberis thunbergii'' shrub.
Image:Berberis-aggregata.JPG
Image:Berberis-vulgaris-flowers.jpg
</gallery>

==References==
{{reflist|1}}
{{refbegin}}
<!-- add references below -->
* {{cite web
| last =Murrills
| first =Angela
| authorlink =
| coauthors =
| title =Best Eating: Check, please
| work =
| publisher =Straight.com
| date =November 24, 2005
| url =http://www.straight.com/node/10692
| format =
| doi =
| accessdate =2007-05-02}}

* {{cite web
| last =Wilkinson
| first =Bobbie
| authorlink =
| coauthors =Tom Wilkinson
| title =It's an Adventure in Persian Cuisine at Darya Kabob
| work =
| publisher =The Washington Post
|date=August 15, 2004
| url =http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A64091-2004Aug13?language=printer
| format =
| doi =
| accessdate =2007-05-02}}

* {{cite web
| last =Arellano
| first =Gustavo
| authorlink =
| coauthors =
| title =Naan & Kabob
| work =
| publisher =Orange County Weekly
| date =March 18, 2004
| url =http://www.ocweekly.com/columns/this-hole-in-the-wall-life/naan-kabob/15514/
| format =
| doi =
| accessdate =2007-05-02}}

*[http://www.rnzih.org.nz/pages/berberisglaucocarpa.htm Royal New Zealand Institute of horticulture. ''Berberis glaucocarpa'']
{{refend}}

==External link==
{{commons|Berberis|Berberis}}
*[http://lakecounty.typepad.com/life_in_lake_county/2007/05/berberine_thoug.html Berberine Thoughts] - Informative but non-scholarly essay on Barberry & Berberis (Culture, History and Etymology).

==See Also==
*[[Berberine]]

===Zereshk===
*[http://waynesword.palomar.edu/images/berber2b.jpg Picture of packaged Berberis fruit] ([[Zereshk]]) as sold in Iran.
*[http://www.ghormeh-sabzi.com/english/rice/Zereshk-Polow.htm Rice (Polow) With Zereshk Recipe]
*[http://waynesword.palomar.edu/images/berber2b.jpg Picture of bag of Zereshk]

[[Category:Berberidaceae]]
[[Category:Fruit]]

[[be-x-old:Барбарыс]]
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