十大功劳Chinese Mahonia

常绿灌木，叶子是羽状复叶，每片小叶边缘都长着尖锐的硬刺，摸上去扎手——这是它最可靠的识别特征，也是它常被种作绿篱的原因。An evergreen shrub with pinnate (feather-like) compound leaves. Each leaflet is edged with sharp, stiff spines that prick when touched — its most reliable identifying feature, and the reason it is often planted as a hedge.

名字听起来夸张，来源却很实在：它的根、茎、叶在传统上都作药用，被认为「功劳」多，故称十大功劳。秋冬时节抽出成串下垂的黄色小花，在少花的季节里格外显眼，之后结出被白粉的蓝黑色浆果。The Chinese name, “ten great merits”, sounds grand but has a practical origin: its roots, stems and leaves have all been used in traditional medicine. In autumn and winter it produces drooping strings of small yellow flowers that stand out in a season with few blooms, followed by blue-black berries dusted with white bloom.