Berberidaceae FAMILY

Mahonia napaulensis

Edibility

4/5

Medicinal

2/5

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

Mahonia napaulensis is an evergreen shrub or a small tree that can grow from 1 - 7 metres tall[ 266 Title Flora of China Publication Author Website http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/ Publisher Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis. Year 1994 ISBN Description An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available. ]. The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and a medicine. It is grown as an ornamental in gardens.

Habitat & Origin

Origintemperate

Native RangeE. Asia - southwest China, Nepal, Bhutan, northwest India

HabitatDense wet oak and rhododendron forests; at elevations up to 2,900 metres[ 51 Title Flowers of the Himalayas. Publication Author Polunin. O. and Stainton. A. Publisher Oxford Universtiy Press Year 1984 ISBN - Description A very readable and good pocket guide (if you have a very large pocket!) to many of the wild plants in the Himalayas. Gives many examples of plant uses. , 184 Title Shrubs. Publication Author Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Publisher Pan Books Year 1989 ISBN 0-330-30258-2 Description Excellent photographs and a terse description of 1,900 species and cultivars. ]. Forests, forest margins, thickets; at elevations from 1,200 - 3,000 metres[ 266 Title Flora of China Publication Author Website http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/ Publisher Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis. Year 1994 ISBN Description An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available. ].