Table 1.

Comparative botanical analysis of the roots of four Berberis species.

Characters	Berberis aristata	Berberis asiatica	Berberis chitria	Berberis lycium
Macroscopic	Outer surface of the bark, creamish brown, and the inner surface attached to wood is yellowish brown. Bark 2 mm thick, knotty and brittle. Cut surface of the wood is bright yellow. Fracture hard, odourless and bitter in taste. Fine longitudinal ridges and flakes are present	Outer surface creamish brown but inner surface is muddy yellow. Bark 2 mm thick, friable separated out immediately from woody part. Cut surface of the wood lemon yellow. Fracture very hard, odour phenolic and very bitter in taste	Outer surface light brown, grooved with transverse marks, bark not easily detachable. Bark upto 5 mm thick, split longitudinally. Cut surface bright yellow. Fracture hard, odour faintly phenolic and very bitter in taste	Outer surface grayish brown with shinnings. Bark up to 3 mm thick, brittle, warty and easily detachable. Cut surface deep yellow Fracture hard, odour phenolic and bitter in taste
Cork cells	Brown, 10–20 layered	Brown, 12–15 layered	Dark brown, 8–10 layered	Dark brown, 8–11 layered
Cork Cambium	2 or 3 layered	1 or 2 layered	1 or 2 layered	2 or 3 layered
Cortical zone	30–35 layered, outer 4 to 6 layers compressed, devoid of stone cells	18–20 layered	12–20 layered	17–22 layered
Sclereids	Solitary or in group of 2 to 10	Rarely solitary but in group of 2 to 12, comparatively more than other three species	2 to 4 in groups	2 to 4 in groups
Pericyclic fibres	Mostly solitary but sometimes in groups of 2 to 10	Interrupted with stone cells	Frequently present comparatively lesser than B. aristata and B. asiatica	Frequently present comparatively lesser than other three species
Vessels	Solitary or in group of 2 or 3	Solitary or in group of 2 or 5	Solitary or in group of 2 or 3	Solitary or in group of 3 or 4
Medullary Rays	2 to 4 cells broad	2 to 3 cells broad	2 to 4 cells broad	2 to 5 cells broad