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baked-apple-berry, chicouté, cloudberry, plaquebière

arctic blackberry, arctic raspberry, dwarf nagoonberry, nagoonberry

Habit Herbs, (0.5–)1–2.5(–3) dm, unarmed. Herbs, 0.5–3 dm, unarmed.
Stems

from rhizomes, erect, rarely woody basally, sparsely hairy, sparsely stipitate-glandular distally, not pruinose.

erect, thin, weak, ± woody basally, glabrous or sparsely hairy, eglandular, not pruinose.

Leaves

deciduous, simple;

stipules broadly ovate to oblong, 3–6 mm;

blade reniform or orbiculate, 2.5–6 × (3–)5–8(–12) cm, base cordate, 3–7-lobed, lobe apices rounded, margins finely doubly serrate or dentate, abaxial surfaces sparsely hairy, sparsely to moderately stipitate-glandular along veins.

deciduous, simple and usually 3-lobed or ternate;

stipules ovate to lanceolate, 4–8 mm;

blade margins dentate, serrate, or doubly serrate, abaxial surfaces sparsely to moderately pubescent, eglandular.

Inflorescences

1-flowered.

axillary, 1–3-flowered.

Pedicels

pubescent, sparsely to densely short- to long-stipitate-glandular.

glabrous or sparsely to moderately pubescent, eglandular or stipitate-glandular.

Flowers

unisexual;

petals white, obovate, (8–)10–15(–18) mm;

filaments filiform;

ovaries glabrous, styles filiform, glabrous.

bisexual;

petals pink to rose or magenta, obovate to oblanceolate, 8–25 mm;

outer filaments dilated basally, inner filiform;

ovaries glabrous or sparsely hairy, styles filiform.

Fruits

golden yellow to orange or reddish, globose, 1.2–1.5 cm;

drupelets (5–)10–20, moderately coherent, separating from torus.

reddish to dark purple, globose, to 1 cm diam., rarely larger;

drupelets (10–)15–30, weakly coherent, separating with torus attached.

2n

= 56.

Rubus chamaemorus

Rubus arcticus

Phenology Flowering May–Aug.
Habitat Bogs, muskeg, wet meadows, mossy woods, boreal forests, peaty tundra, lichen peat polygons, exposed sandy areas, lakesides, gravelly stream beds, rock outcrops
Elevation 0–1300 m (0–4300 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AK; ME; MN; NH; NY; AB; BC; MB; NB; NL; NS; NT; NU; ON; PE; QC; SK; YT; SPM; Greenland; Eurasia
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AK; CO; ME; MI; MN; MT; OR; WA; WY; AB; BC; MB; NT; NU; ON; QC; SK; YT; Eurasia
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Rubus chamaemorus is circumboreal; it is presumed to be extirpated from New York, where it was known only from a single population on Long Island, far removed from the next southernmost localities in northern New Hampshire.

Rubus chamaemorus is defined by its unarmed stems, simple, coriaceous, and plicate leaves, unisexual flowers, and golden yellow to reddish fruits. Rubus chamaemorus is likely an ancient allopolyploid (K. V. Ambrose 2006).

The edible fruits of Rubus chamaemorus are highly valued in northern regions for consumption fresh and in yogurt, jams, syrups, and juices. An alcoholic beverage is made from the fruits and sold commercially in Newfoundland, Quebec, and Finland.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Subspecies 3 (3 in the flora).

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Key
1. Leaves simple, usually 3-lobed.
subsp. stellatus
1. Leaves usually ternate
→ 2
2. Central leaflets ovate to rhombic, bases rounded to attenuate, not cuneate, apices usually acute; flowers 1–3; petals obovate, apex entire or slightly emarginate.
subsp. arcticus
2. Central leaflets ovate to obovate, bases cuneate, apices usually rounded; flowers solitary; petals oblanceolate to obovate, apex slightly to strongly emarginate.
subsp. acaulis
Source FNA vol. 9, p. 38. FNA vol. 9, p. 35.
Parent taxa Rosaceae > subfam. Rosoideae > tribe Rubeae > Rubus Rosaceae > subfam. Rosoideae > tribe Rubeae > Rubus
Sibling taxa
R. allegheniensis, R. arcticus, R. bartonianus, R. bifrons, R. caesius, R. canadensis, R. cuneifolius, R. deliciosus, R. flagellaris, R. glaucifolius, R. hispidus, R. idaeus, R. illecebrosus, R. laciniatus, R. lasiococcus, R. leucodermis, R. neomexicanus, R. nivalis, R. niveus, R. nutkanus, R. occidentalis, R. odoratus, R. parviflorus, R. parvifolius, R. pascuus, R. pedatus, R. pensilvanicus, R. phoenicolasius, R. pubescens, R. repens, R. saxatilis, R. setosus, R. spectabilis, R. trivialis, R. ulmifolius, R. ursinus, R. vestitus
R. allegheniensis, R. bartonianus, R. bifrons, R. caesius, R. canadensis, R. chamaemorus, R. cuneifolius, R. deliciosus, R. flagellaris, R. glaucifolius, R. hispidus, R. idaeus, R. illecebrosus, R. laciniatus, R. lasiococcus, R. leucodermis, R. neomexicanus, R. nivalis, R. niveus, R. nutkanus, R. occidentalis, R. odoratus, R. parviflorus, R. parvifolius, R. pascuus, R. pedatus, R. pensilvanicus, R. phoenicolasius, R. pubescens, R. repens, R. saxatilis, R. setosus, R. spectabilis, R. trivialis, R. ulmifolius, R. ursinus, R. vestitus
Subordinate taxa
R. arcticus subsp. acaulis, R. arcticus subsp. arcticus, R. arcticus subsp. stellatus
Synonyms Chamaemorus anglica, C. norwegica
Name authority Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 494. (1753) Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 494. (1753)
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