Shrub with pale yellow stems, shoots puberulous, becoming subglabrous or glabrous on maturity; internodes c. 2 cm long; spines 1-2 cm long. Leaves oblong-obovate, 3-4.5 cm long, c. 1.5 cm broad, subsessile to shortly petioled, usually with 1-4 spinules towards the apex, subcoriaceous, reticulately veined, pruinose grey and papillose below. Racemes 3-6 cm long, 10-18-flowered, sometimes compound below, including peduncle c. 1 cm long. Flowers c. 1 cm across; pedicels 5-10 mm long. Bracts c. 2 mm long. Inner sepals and entire petals almost equal, c. 6 mm long. Ovary ovate-oblong, 1-2-ovuled, with ovules shortly stipi¬tate; style distinct (in flower). Fruit not known.

Type: Kashmir, Huegel 4030 (W).

Distribution: Known from the type gathering only.

Ahrendt's (l.c. 83) key separates it out as fruit 12 mm long and style 0.5 mm long (although fruit not described in the description). However, it resembles Berberis lyceum in stem and to some extent in leaf characters, but with only 1-2 ovules, inflorescence racemose-paniculate and berries red (according to Ahrendt's key).

Another species, Berberis afghanica Schneid. (based on Griffith 121 from Afghanistan), with similar stem and (smaller) leaves, but subfascicled racemes, only 1-2 cm long, and ovules 3, sessile, may also be found within our area on the Pak-Afghan border.