Plant: Shrubs, to 3 m tall Leaves: odd-pinnate, 3-20 cm long; leaflets (3-)5-7, (if trifoliolate, then the ultimate leaflet stalked and the petiole jointed above base), thick, rigid, dull gray-green, very glaucous, narrowly oblong-ovate or oblong to lanceolate, sessile, 1.5-11 cm long; terminal leaflet longer than lateral ones, sessile or on a stalk up to 3 cm long; veins obscure; teeth of leaflet margin 2-4 pairs, 3-5 mm long, including a spine 1-2 mm long Inflorescence: openly umbellate-racemose, 5-7-flowered; pseudopedicels 1-2 cm long; bracts 1-3 mm long; bracteoles 2, 1-2 mm long, both appressed to the calyx, or one appressed to the calyx, the other 0.5-1.0 cm below it Flowers: sepals 9; outer sepals 4-6 mm long, broadly ovate; median and inner sepals 3-5 mm long, obovate; petals obovate, 2-4 mm long; stamens 3 mm long; filaments bearing two lateral teeth at apex Fruit: FRUITS berries, ovoid-globose, red, 7-8 mm long; SEEDS ellipsoid to clavate, purple, 3-4 mm long Misc: Slopes and mesas; 900-1500 (-2300) m (3000-5000 [-7500] ft); Feb-May REFERENCES: Laferrière, Joseph E. 2001. Berberidaceae. J. Ariz. – Nev. Acad. Sci. Volume 26(1).