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flowering raspberry, purple flowering raspberry, ronce odorante

Habit Shrubs, 10–20 dm, unarmed.
Stems

erect, sparsely to moderately hairy, moderately to densely stipitate-glandular, glands dark purple, not pruinose.

Leaves

deciduous, simple;

stipules lanceolate to ovate, 5–15 mm;

blade subrotund to reniform, 9–20(–30) × (10–)15–25(–30) cm, base cordate, palmately, ± deeply, (3–)5-lobed, margins finely, irregularly serrate to doubly serrate, apex acute to acuminate, abaxial surfaces sparsely to moderately hairy, sparsely to densely stipitate-glandular, glands dark purple.

Inflorescences

terminal and axillary, 4–7(–22)-flowered, cymiform to thyrsiform.

Pedicels

pubescent, moderately to densely stipitate-glandular, glands dark purple.

Flowers

bisexual;

petals usually magenta, rarely white, broadly obovate to suborbiculate, (12–)17–25(–30) mm;

filaments filiform;

ovaries distally densely hairy, styles clavate, glabrous.

Fruits

pale to dark red, hemispheric, 0.7–1.5 cm;

drupelets 30–60, coherent, separating from torus.

2n

= 14.

Rubus odoratus

Phenology Flowering May–Jul.
Habitat Moist shady sites in deciduous forests, margins of woods, rocky slopes, wooded talus, stream banks, roadsides
Elevation 10–1500 m (0–4900 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AL; CT; DC; DE; GA; IL; IN; KY; MA; MD; ME; MI; MO; NC; NH; NJ; NY; OH; PA; RI; TN; VA; VT; WA; WI; WV; NB; ON; QC [Introduced in Europe]
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[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Rubus odoratus is introduced in Washington State. The species is distinguished from other flowering raspberries by its erect, unarmed stems, simple leaves, large flowers, magenta petals, glabrous, clavate styles, and purple stipitate glands densely covering most plant parts. A hybrid with R. nutkanus (R. ×fraseri Rehder) is thought to occur in areas of overlap in northern Michigan (E. G. Voss 1972–1996, vol. 2).

The Cherokee used leaf infusions for labor pains and the Iroquois used plant infusions for miscarriage (P. Bergner 1997). Rubus odoratus is grown as an ornamental for its relatively large flowers and magenta petals and its edible fruits that are somewhat dry and insipid.

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

Source FNA vol. 9, p. 47.
Parent taxa 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. 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. 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
Synonyms Rubacer odoratum, R. odoratus var. albidus, R. odoratus var. columbianus
Name authority Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 494. (1753)
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