Berberis laurina
Berberis laurina
Safety & Hazards
All parts of the plant contain the alkaloid berberine - this is most concentrated in the roots, stems and inner bark, and least concentrated in the fruits. In small quantities berberine has a range of effective medicinal applications but, in excess, can cause vomiting, lowered blood pressure, reduced heart rate, lethargy, and other ill-effects. The fruit of most, if not all, members of this genus are more or less edible and can be eaten in quantity since the levels of berberine in the fruit are very low.
Botanical Description
Berberis laurina is a spiny shrub growing up to 2 metres tall. The plant is sometimes gathered from the wild for food, medicine and dyestuff. An ornamental plant, especially when its hanging flowers are in bloom[[ 503 Title Flora Parana Publication Author Website http://www.chaua.org.br/pagina/floraparana-catalogo-plantas-nativas-do-parana Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Not quite a flora, but an on-line listing of many of the plants of Parana in southern Brazil. Good photographs, plus descriptions and details of plant uses. ].