Shrub, 1.5-4 m tall, glabrous. Leaves imparipinnate, large, with 5-9 pairs of opposite leaflets, lowest pair smallest and almost at the base of leaf, leaflets variable in size, mostly oblong-ovate, 2.5-10 cm long, 1.5-4 cm broad, acute, distantly 4-8 spinose-serrate, usually dull grey-green above. Spicate racemes cylindric, (5-) 8-12 (-20) cm long in fruit, fascicled, 4-9 together with thick, striated axis. Flowers c. 8 mm across, yellowish; pedicels 2.5 - 4 mm long in fruit, with a small disc-shaped apex with fruit seated on it; bracts 3-5 mm long, 1-1.5 mm broad, often slightly exceeding the pedicels. Berries 5-8 mm long, c. 5 mm broad (excluding 1-2 mm long style), globose to ovoid, pruinose, blue, 2-4-seeded.

Fl.Per.: April-May.

Type: Kashmir, Royle (K, LIV).

Sparingly cultivated in northern hilly parts (Abbottabad etc.).

Distribution: Himalayas, in forest undergrowths, mostly east of Kashmir.

A segregate from Mahonia nepalensis DC. Berries sometimes used in dysentry and roots yield alkaloids, unbellatine and neprotine. A variety of this species (var. parryi), from Assam, yields a yellow dye from its sap.