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boulder raspberry, delicious raspberry

arctic blackberry, arctic raspberry, dwarf nagoonberry, nagoonberry

Habit Shrubs, 5–15(–20) dm, unarmed. Herbs, 0.5–3 dm, unarmed.
Stems

decumbent to erect, glabrous or sparsely short-hairy, eglandular or sparsely stipitate-glandular, not pruinose.

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

Leaves

deciduous, simple;

stipules lanceolate to narrowly ovate, 5–8(–14) mm;

blade orbiculate to reniform, (1.5–)2–4(–5) × (2.5–)3–4.5(–7) cm, base shallowly cordate, 3–5(–7)-lobed, lobe apices broadly rounded to obtuse, margins doubly dentate, abaxial surfaces sparsely hairy, mostly along veins, sparsely stipitate-glandular.

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

bisexual;

petals white, obovate to ovate, 15–25(–30) mm;

filaments filiform;

ovaries glabrous, styles clavate, villous.

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

dark purple, hemispheric, to 1 cm;

drupelets 10–40, 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

= 14, 21.

Rubus deliciosus

Rubus arcticus

Phenology Flowering May–Aug.
Habitat Rocky canyons, outcrops, stream banks
Elevation 1800–2900 m (5900–9500 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CO; NM; OK; WY
[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 deliciosus is recognized by its decumbent to erect, unarmed stems, relatively small simple leaves with obtuse to broadly rounded lobes, shallowly cordate bases, sparsely hairy abaxial surfaces, large flowers, white petals, glabrous or sparsely hairy sepals, and densely villous clavate styles. The distinction between R. deliciosus and R. neomexicanus is not always clear, especially when the former has more narrowly obtuse lobes and denser leaf abaxial hairs. Rubus deliciosus is also similar to R. bartonianus of Idaho and Oregon, as well as the Mexican R. trilobus Seringe. It might be reasonable to recognize a broader concept of R. deliciosus, one containing multiple infraspecific. Rubus deliciosus and its close relatives require a revisionary study.

Rubus deliciosus has long been planted for its ornamental value because of its large, showy flowers.

(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. 39. 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. chamaemorus, R. cuneifolius, 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 R. medius, R. roezlii
Name authority Torrey: Ann. Lyceum Nat. Hist. New York 2: 196. (1827) Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 494. (1753)
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