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| Characters | Berberis aristata | Berberis asiatica | Berberis chitria | Berberis lycium |
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| 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 |
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