Single Record

Participant Info

Species
Berberis repens [Mahonia repens] [Berberis aquifolium var. repens] [Berberis nana] [Odostemon repens]
Family
Berberidaceae
CommonName
Oregon grape, creeping mahonia, creeping barbary
Presence
YES
Status
native
EarliestDate
1914
LatestDate
2017
Ecosystem
foothill, montane
Geobotanical
SSawatch, SSanjuans, Culebras, NCristos
Counties
Conejos, Costilla, Hinsdale, Mineral, Rio Grande, Saguache, Archuleta
Passes
La Manga, La Veta
WildlifePreserves
Great Sand Dunes
Other Localities
La Botica
Comments
In the Watershed Oregon grape is quite common, but only in the western mountain regions. The three exceptions come from La Veta Pass, and from foothills a few miles south of Poncha pass. Judging from New Mexico collections, the plant probably is present on down the Culebras. Berberis [Mahonia] repens is found in all USA states west of the Great Plains, with a few relict locations around the Great Lakes. It follows the Rio Grande drainage through all of New Mexico but not into Texas. Berberis repens prefers north-facing slopes, attracts bees, and has been used by Native American cultures for many ailments such as dysentery, scorpion bites, and (mixed with alcohol) bladder and kidney problems. Note that authorities are divided on the genus epithet. For a recent division of the world species, based on molecular analysis, that restricts Mahonia to M. repens alone, see Yu and Ching (2017).