Taxon Report

Berberis harrisoniana Kearney & Peebles

Kofa Mountain barberry

Print Report


Taxon Summary

Berberis harrisoniana, commonly known as Kofa Mountain barberry, is a perennial evergreen shrub in the Berberidaceae that is found in California and elsewhere. It occurs within Chaparral, and Mojavean desert scrub, growing at elevations from 780 to 840 meters. Berberis harrisoniana is ranked 1B.2, Plants Rare, Threatened or Endangered in California and Elsewhere; Moderately threatened in California.


  Classification

Scientific Name:
Berberis harrisoniana Kearney & Peebles
Common Name:
Kofa Mountain barberry
Family: Berberidaceae
Element Code: PDBER02030
USDA Plants Symbol: BEHA2
Synonyms/Other Names:

Ecology and Life History

Lifeform: perennial evergreen shrub
Blooming Period: Jan-Mar Jan-Mar
Elevation: 780-840 (2560-2755)
General Habitats: Chaparral, Mojavean desert scrub
Microhabitat: Slopes, Talus, Volcanic (sometimes)
Microhabitat Details: usually north-facing talus slopes, sometimes volcanic (breccia)

Conservation Status

CA Rare Plant Rank: 1B.2
Global Rank: G2
State Rank:
S1
State List: None
Fed List: None
Other Status: BLM_S; SB_CalBG/RSABG; SB_USDA
CRPR Changes:
  • added to 1B.2 on 2005-12-15

Occurrence Data from the CNDDB

Total Occurrences: 1
Element Occurrence Ranks:
   Excellent (A) 0
   Good (B) 1
   Fair (C) 0
   Poor (D) 0
   None (X) 0
   Unknown (U) 0
California Endemic:  False
California Counties and Islands: Name (Code)
San Bernardino (SBD)
Quads: Name (Quad Code)
Whipple Wash (3411433)

Threat List Data from the CNDDB

Threat List Total: 3
EOs with Threat Listed: Total EOs % of EOs
1 100 %
Erosion/runoff 1 100%
Foot traffic/trampling 1 100%
Road/trail construction/maint. 1 100%

Notes

Potentially threatened by rock fall, erosion, trail maintenance, and foot traffic. Distinguishing characters include trifoliolate leaves and blue-black berries. See Journal of the Washington Academy of Sciences 29:477 (1939) for original description, Journal of the Arizona-Nevada Academy of Science 26:2-4 (1992) for taxonomic treatment, and MadroƱo 51(4):395 (2004) for information on the first CA record.
Threats:
Taxonomy:

Selected References

Proposed Addition to CRPR 1B, G1G2 / S1.3 (2005)
Citation California Native Plant Society, Rare Plant Program. 2025. Rare Plant Inventory (online edition, v9.5.1). Website https://www.rareplants.cnps.org [accessed 27 January 2025].