Stems dark-red, lustrous, subsulcate, glabrous, with 1.5-2.5 (-4) cm long inter-nodes; spines absent to simple or 3-fid, weak, 3-10 (-15) mm long. Leaves 2-4 (-7) cm long, 1-3 (-4) cm broad, excluding petiole 5-20 mm long, obovate, entire to 8-15-spinulose at margin, dull on both surfaces, apex obtuse, mucronate, venation open but hardly reticulate. Inflorescence umbellate-racemose, 3-6-flowered, 2.5-4 cm long. Flowers 9-10 mm across; pedicels 1-1.5 cm long. Ovules 4-5, sessile. Berries obovoid red, firm, 9-10 mm long, 6-7 mm broad, estylose, epruinose.
Type: Punjab Himalaya, Narkanda, fr. 1876, Brandis 1229 (K).
Distribution: Pakistan, Kashmir and W. Himalaya.
Differs from Berberis pachyacantha Koehne primarily by its 4 -5-ovuled ovary. Some forms are very close to Berberis orthobotrys Aitch. ex Koehne, but the leaves are broader, and the berries are larger and obovoid.
