Berberis chitria Buch.-Ham. ex Lindl.

The var. occidentalis, which includes Kashmir plants also and is said to have smaller, entire leaves (2-4.5 cm long) and broader fruits (12 x 6 mm), is not different from it.

Shrub, 3-4 m tall, almost deciduous; stem and shoots terete, dark reddish-brown, finely pubescent to subglabrous; internodes 2.5-5 cm long; spines (1-) 3-fid, 1-2(-3) cm long. Leaves obovate to elliptic, 2-6(-10) cm long, 1.5-2.5 (-4) cm broad, dull to pale green, subsessile, finely reticulate, usually 3-9 spinulose at the margin, sometimes almost entire. Inflorescence (5-) 8-12(-17) cm long, 10-20-flowered, loosely corymbose-paniculate, with flowers usually in groups of three, including peduncle (1.5-)4-6(-8) cm long, drooping. Flowers 12-18 mm across, yellow, often tinged with red; pedicels 8-15 mm long, glabrous. Prophylls c. 1.5 mm long, appressed, at middle of pedicel or the base of flower. Sepals obovate, outer 6-7 mm long, inner 9-10 mm long, Petals 8-9 mm long, broadly elliptic, emarginate and subacute at the apex. Stamens 7 mm long, subapiculate at the apex. Ovules 4-5, with longer stipes. Berries dark red-brown, 10-12 mm long, 4-6 mm broad, narrowly ovoid or oblong-ellipsoid, epruinose, excluding 1-1.5 mm long style.

Himalaya (Kashmir to Bhutan).

Distribution: Almost throughout the Himalayas.

2000-3700 m

Fl. Per.: May June.