3,521 bytes added
, 17:38, 10 October 2007
{{Taxobox
| color = lightgreen
| name = ''Mahonia''
| image = Holly1web.jpg
| image_width = 240px
| image_caption = ''Mahonia japonica'' fruit
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Magnoliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Ranunculales]]
| familia = [[Berberidaceae]]
| genus = '''''Mahonia'''''
| genus_authority = [[Thomas Nuttall|Nutt.]]
| subdivision_ranks = Species
| subdivision =
About 70 species
}}
'''''Mahonia''''' is a genus of about 70 species of [[evergreen]] [[shrub]]s in the family [[Berberidaceae]], native to eastern [[Asia]], the [[Himalaya]]s, [[North America]] and [[Central America]]. They are closely related to the genus ''[[Berberis]]''. Botanists disagree on the acceptability of the genus name Mahonia. Several authorities argue plants in this genus should be included in the genus Berberis because several species in both genera are able to hybridize, and because when the two genera are looked at as a whole, there is no definite morphological separation. For more information on this consult the ''Flora of North America''. Mahonia typically have large, pinnate [[leaf|leaves]] 10-50 cm long with 5-15 leaflets, and [[flower]]s in [[raceme]]s(5-20 cm long).
The genus name ''Mahonia'' honors the Philadelphia horticulturist Bernard M'Mahon who introduced the plant from materials collected by the Lewis and Clark Expedition.
The type species of the genus is ''Mahonia aquifolium'', ([[Oregon-grape]]) from the [[Pacific coast]] of North America. The species name aquifolium attributes the leaf to be holly like and means wet foliage.
Several species are popular [[garden]] shrubs, grown for their ornamental evergreen foliage, yellow flowers in winter/early spring, and blue-black [[Berry|berries]]. The berries are edible, and rich in [[vitamin C]], though with a very sharp flavor.
===Selected species===
{|
|- valign=top
|
;North and Central America
*''[[Oregon-grape|Mahonia aquifolium]]''
*''[[Mahonia arguta]]''
*''[[Mahonia dictyota]]''
*''[[Mahonia eutriphylla]]''
*''[[Mahonia fremontii]]''
*''[[Mahonia gracilis]]''
*''[[Mahonia haematocarpa]]''
*''[[Mahonia nervosa]]''
*''[[Mahonia nevinii]]''
*''[[Mahonia pinnata]]''
*''[[Mahonia pumila]]''
*''[[Mahonia repens]]''
*''[[Mahonia swaseyi]]''
*''[[Mahonia toluacensis]]''
*''[[Mahonia trifolia]]''
*''[[Mahonia trifoliolata]]''
|
;Asia
*''[[Mahonia bealei]]''
*''[[Mahonia bodinieri]]''
*''[[Mahonia bracteolata]]''
*''[[Mahonia breviracema]]''
*''[[Mahonia conferta]]''
*''[[Mahonia confusa]]''
*''[[Mahonia decipiens]]''
*''[[Mahonia duclouxiana]]''
*''[[Mahonia eurybracteata]]''
*''[[Mahonia fordii]]''
*''[[Mahonia fortunei]]''
*''[[Mahonia gracillipes]]''
*''[[Mahonia hancockiana]]''
*''[[Mahonia japonica]]''
*''[[Mahonia leptodonta]]''
*''[[Mahonia lomariifolia]]''
*''[[Mahonia longibracteata]]''
*''[[Mahonia mairei]]''
*''[[Mahonia monyulensis]]''
*''[[Mahonia napaulensis]]''
*''[[Mahonia nitens]]''
*''[[Mahonia oiwakensis]]''
*''[[Mahonia repens]]''
*''[[Mahonia setosa]]''
*''[[Mahonia sheniii]]''
*''[[Mahonia sheridaniana]]''
*''[[Mahonia siamensis]]''
*''[[Mahonia taroneasis]]''
*''[[Mahonia veitchiorum]]''
|}
== Hybrids and Cultivars: ==
<gallery>
Image:Mahonia media flowers.jpg|''[[Mahonia x media|Mahonia × media]]''<br>(Cultivar)
Image:Mahonia Golden Abundance 038.jpg|''[[Mahonia - Golden Abundance]]''
</gallery>
{{Commonscat|Mahonia}}
{{wikispecies|Mahonia}}
[[Category:Berberidaceae]]
[[Category:Fruit]]
{{Ranunculales-stub}}
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