Berberis aetnensis, C. Presi

Tutin, T. G., Heywood, V. H., Burges, N. A., Moore, D. M., Valentine, D. H., Walters, S. M. & Webb, D. A., 1964, Flora Europaea - Volume 1. Lycopodiaceae to Platanaceae, Cambridge University Press : 245

2. B. aetnensis C. Presi , Fl. Sic. 1: 28 (1826).

30-60 cm; branches spreading and tortuous. Spines usually 3-fid; segments 13-25 mm, stout. Leaves 15-40 mm, usually narrowly elliptical, spinulose-serrate at least in apical half. Racemes 20-30 mm, with 3-14 flowers. Honey-leaves 3-4 mm, shorter than the inner perianth-segments. Berry dark red; stigma very shortly stipitate. 2zz = 28. ® Mountains o f C. Mediterranean region. Co It?Ju Sa Si.

Sometimes regarded as a subspecies of 1; plants with intermediate characters are found in the Alps and S. France and have been described as B. vulgaris var. alpestris Rikli. On the other hand some authors distinguish from typical B. aetnensis (of Italy and Sicilia) the plants from Corse and Sardegna as B. boissieri C. K. Schneider , Bull. Herb. Boiss. ser. 2, 5: 660 (1905), which is said to have leaves with less prominent veins and teeth, and shorter racemes. These differences, however, seem scarcely constant enough even for subspecific distinction.