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southern dewberry

boulder raspberry, delicious raspberry

Habit Shrubs, to 3(–7) dm, sometimes climbing higher through other vegetation, moderately to densely armed. Shrubs, 5–15(–20) dm, unarmed.
Stems

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.

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

Leaves

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 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.

Inflorescences

terminal on short shoots, usually appearing axillary, 1(–3)-flowered.

1-flowered.

Pedicels

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.

Flowers

bisexual;

petals white to pink, elliptic to obovate, 10–16(–25) mm;

filaments filiform;

ovaries glabrous.

bisexual;

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

filaments filiform;

ovaries glabrous, styles clavate, villous.

Fruits

black, globose to ovoid, 1–1.5(–2) cm;

drupelets 10–50, strongly coherent, separating with torus attached.

dark purple, hemispheric, to 1 cm;

drupelets 10–40, coherent, separating from torus.

2n

= 14.

= 14, 21.

Rubus trivialis

Rubus deliciosus

Phenology Flowering Jan–Jun. Flowering May–Aug.
Habitat Open woodlands, savannas, prairies, meadows, sand dunes, disturbed areas, dry to seasonally wet soil Rocky canyons, outcrops, stream banks
Elevation 0–200 m (0–700 ft) 1800–2900 m (5900–9500 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AL; AR; FL; GA; IL; KS; KY; LA; MO; MS; NC; OK; SC; TN; TX; VA; Mexico (Coahuila, Nuevo León, Tamaulipas)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CO; NM; OK; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

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 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.)

Source FNA vol. 9, p. 54. FNA vol. 9, p. 39.
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. spectabilis, R. ulmifolius, R. ursinus, R. vestitus
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
Synonyms R. agilis, R. continentalis, R. duplaris, R. ictus, R. lucidus, R. macvaughii, R. mirus, R. nessianus, R. riograndis, R. rubrisetus, R. sons, R. tallahasseanus R. medius, R. roezlii
Name authority Michaux: Fl. Bor.-Amer. 1: 296. (1803) Torrey: Ann. Lyceum Nat. Hist. New York 2: 196. (1827)
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