Rubus trivialis
Rubus chamaemorus
southern dewberry
baked-apple-berry, chicouté, cloudberry, plaquebière
biennial, initially low-arching, then falling and creeping (or climbing through other vegetation), glabrous or moderately hairy, sparsely to densely short- to long-stipitate-glandular, not pruinose;
prickles moderate to dense, recurved, sometimes distally slender, 1–4 mm, broad-based;
bristles absent or sparse to dense, erect to retrorse, red to purple, rarely green, slender, weak, gland-tipped.
from rhizomes, erect, rarely woody basally, sparsely hairy, sparsely stipitate-glandular distally, not pruinose.
persistent or semipersistent, ternate to palmately compound, lustrous;
stipules filiform, linear, or lanceolate, 2–12(–15) mm;
leaflets 3–5, terminal narrowly elliptic or ovate to obovate, 2–8.5 × 0.7–4.5 cm, base rounded to cuneate, unlobed, margins moderately to coarsely serrate to doubly serrate, apex acute to acuminate, abaxial surfaces with hooked prickles on midvein, glabrous or sparsely to moderately hairy, eglandular or sparsely short-stipitate-glandular along central vein.
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.
terminal on short shoots, usually appearing axillary, 1(–3)-flowered.
1-flowered.
prickles and, often, bristles moderate to dense, recurved, moderately to densely hairy, sparsely to moderately sessile- to short-stipitate-glandular.
pubescent, sparsely to densely short- to long-stipitate-glandular.
bisexual;
petals white to pink, elliptic to obovate, 10–16(–25) mm;
filaments filiform;
ovaries glabrous.
unisexual;
petals white, obovate, (8–)10–15(–18) mm;
filaments filiform;
ovaries glabrous, styles filiform, glabrous.
black, globose to ovoid, 1–1.5(–2) cm;
drupelets 10–50, strongly coherent, separating with torus attached.
golden yellow to orange or reddish, globose, 1.2–1.5 cm;
drupelets (5–)10–20, moderately coherent, separating from torus.
= 14.
= 56.
Rubus trivialis
Rubus chamaemorus
Rubus trivialis is distinguished from other species of Rubus by its frequently glandular-bristly and generally creeping stems, abundant recurved prickles, and typically persistent or semipersistent, lustrous primocane leaves with relatively narrow leaflets. Although emerging primocanes typically reach to 30 cm above the ground, vigorous plants can have new primocanes standing erect to 70 cm that later fall to the ground or onto adjacent vegetation as they continue to enlarge. L. H. Bailey (1941–1945) believed that there was no clear separation between members of sect. Persistentes Fernald (referred to by Bailey as sect. Verotriviales [illegitimate sectional name for R. trivialis and associated species]) and sect. Procumbentes (by Bailey as sect. Flagellares; including R. flagellaris and related species). All characteristics that he recognized for distinguishing sect. Persistentes from sect. Procumbentes are often present in the latter, with the exception of hispid-setose stems, and glabrous plants of R. trivialis are difficult to distinguish from some plants of R. flagellaris; to include the latter species within the former would be reasonable.
Rubus ×inferior L. H. Bailey is a putative hybrid of R. trivialis and R. cuneifolius.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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.)
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