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salmon berry

thimbleberry

Habit Shrubs, 10–40 dm, usually armed. Shrubs, 5–20(–30) dm, unarmed.
Stems

erect to arching, glabrate or sparsely to densely hairy, eglandular or sparsely short-stipitate-glandular, rarely densely long-stipitate-glandular, not pruinose;

bark usually papery with age, peeling (especially toward base);

prickles absent or sparse to dense, erect, slender, 1–5 mm, broad- to narrow-based.

biennial, erect, sparsely hairy, glabrescent, moderately stipitate-glandular, glands yellowish to reddish, not pruinose.

Leaves

deciduous, ternate;

stipules filiform to linear, 3–10 mm;

terminal leaflets ovate, 4–15 × 3.5–15 cm, base truncate, rounded to shallowly cordate, shallowly, sharply lobed, margins coarsely serrate to doubly serrate, apex acute to acuminate, abaxial surfaces unarmed or with erect prickles on midvein, moderately to densely hairy, eglandular, rarely stipitate-glandular along midvein.

deciduous, simple;

stipules lanceolate to ovate, 5–15 mm;

blade orbiculate to reniform, 5–20 × 5–25 cm, base cordate, palmately, shallowly to moderately deeply, (3–)5(–7)-lobed, margins coarsely, irregularly serrate to doubly serrate, apex shortly acuminate to obtuse, abaxial surfaces glabrate to densely hairy, sparsely to moderately stipitate-glandular, glands yellowish to reddish.

Inflorescences

terminal and axillary, 1–2-flowered.

terminal and axillary, (1–)3–7(–15), cymiform to thyrsiform.

Pedicels

unarmed or prickles sparse, erect, moderately to densely hairy, eglandular, rarely short-stipitate-glandular.

sparsely to moderately hairy, moderately to densely stipitate-glandular, glands yellowish to reddish.

Flowers

bisexual;

petals pink to magenta, broadly to narrowly obovate, 10–30 mm;

filaments laminar;

ovaries glabrous.

bisexual;

petals white, broadly obovate, (10–)14–22(–28) mm;

filaments filiform;

ovaries distally densely hairy, styles clavate, glabrous.

Fruits

yellow, orange, or red, globose to ovoid, 1–2 cm;

drupelets 20–80, strongly coherent, separating from torus.

red, hemispheric, 1–1.8 cm;

drupelets 50–60, coherent, separating from torus.

2n

= 14.

= 14.

Rubus spectabilis

Rubus nutkanus

Phenology Flowering (Feb–)Mar–Jul. Flowering May–Aug.
Habitat Woodlands, woodland edges, bogs, shorelines, roadsides, disturbed areas, moist to wet soil Moist areas, open woods, thickets, clearings, stream banks, canyons, grassy meadows, rocky cliffs, sand dunes, upper beaches, dry sandy areas, roadsides
Elevation 0–2000 m (0–6600 ft) 0–3000 m (0–9800 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AK; CA; ID; OR; WA; BC; e Asia (Japan) [Introduced in Europe]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AK; AZ; CA; CO; IA; ID; IL; MI; MN; MT; NM; NV; OR; SD; UT; WA; WI; WY; AB; BC; ON; Mexico (Chihuahua)
Discussion

Rubus spectabilis is a thicket-forming shrub that has relatively large and desirably edible fruit. The species is used as an ornamental primarily for its robust, showy flowers and is naturalized in parts of western Europe. It is sister to the Hawaiian endemic R. hawaiiensis A. Gray. See discussion under 36. R. ursinus for the uncertain application of the name R. menziesii Hooker.

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

Rubus nutkanus is distinguished from other flowering raspberries by its erect, unarmed stems, simple leaves, large flowers, white petals, glabrous, clavate styles, and yellowish to reddish stipitate glands covering most plant parts. A hybrid with R. odoratus (R. ×fraseri Rehder) is thought to occur in areas of overlap in northern Michigan (E. G. Voss 1972–1996, vol. 2). Varieties and forms have been described based on indument and glandularity of stems, leaves, petioles, pedicels, and sepals (for example, M. L. Fernald 1950). Different variants often occur mixed in the same population and generally do not correspond to definite geographic regions (N. C. Fassett 1941). Plants from coastal California (considered as var. velutinus) tend to have densely hairy leaf abaxial surfaces; this variation may be environmentally induced; other Rubus species show the same pattern (for example, R. spectabilis var. franciscanus) in that area. Wild thimbleberries are collected in Keweenaw Peninsula, Michigan, and are used in beverages and especially for jam.

Rubus nutkanus is typically associated with western North America but was originally described from plants at its eastern range limit in northern Michigan. The Great Lakes populations are disjunct from western mountain populations by around 600 miles.

The name Rubus parviflorus var. grandiflorus Farwell, which applies here, is illegitimate.

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

Source FNA vol. 9, p. 53. FNA vol. 9, p. 48.
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. 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. trivialis, R. ulmifolius, R. ursinus, R. vestitus
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. 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
Synonyms R. franciscanus, R. spectabilis var. franciscanus R. parviflorus
Name authority Pursh: Fl. Amer. Sept. 1: 348, plate 16. (1813) Mociño ex Seringe: in A. P. de Candolle and A. L. P. P. de Candolle, Prodr. 2: 566. (1825)
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