The Berberidaceae are a family of 18 genera of flowering plants commonly called the barberry family. This family is in the order Ranunculales. The family contains about 700 known species, of which the majority are in Berberis. The species include trees, shrubs and perennial herbaceous plants.
The Berberidaceae consist of perennial trees, shrubs, or herbs. It is a family of shrubs or herbs (order Ranales) having the sepals and petals imbricated in several series and the fruit either a berry or a capsule.
These plants have been used in the preparation of various traditional and synthetic medicines since prehistoric times for wound healing, fever, eye disease, jaundice, vomiting during pregnancy, rheumatism, kidney and gallbladder stones, and several other illnesses.