Bramble

Brambles are deciduous or semi-evergreen shrubs (3) that are in leaf from March to November (6). Unusually, the ripe fruits can be seen on the plants at the same time as the flowers (7). It flowers from May to September, with the seeds ripening from July to October (6). Blackberry seeds were discovered in the stomach of a Neolithic human dug up on the Essex coast, indicating that the berries have been enjoyed by humans for thousands of years (8). Blackberrying is one of the most widespread foraging activities to continue today, and they have been picked commercially in many areas (4). As well as their many culinary uses, blackberries have been used to obtain a purple dye. A fibre can be obtained from the stem and the leaves can be dried and used as a substitute for tea (6). The leaves and roots have been used to treat diarrhoea, dysentery, and cystitis, and can be made into a gargle for sore throats mouth ulcers and other sores (6).

Conservation action is not required for this species at present.

Brambles form a complex group known as Rubus fruticosus agg. (short for aggregate), containing around 320 individual 'species' known as microspecies (3). These varieties are very difficult to tell apart (1). All brambles are sprawling shrubs, with thick prickly stems that are able to take root at their tips (2). The leaves have toothed edges and bear prickles on their undersides (2). The flowers tend to be creamy white with splashes of pink, and the unmistakable blackberries are a deep purplish-black when ripe (4). Microspecies differ on the basis of certain morphological features, including the density and arrangement of the prickles, and general growth form (5).

Found in woods, scrub, hedgerows, heaths, waste ground, and on banks, thriving best on acidic soils (3).

Brambles are found throughout the British Isles to altitudes of up to 490 m (3). At least 28 micro-species are considered to be rare, with a further 30 being decidedly scarce (5).

not threatened (3).

This species is not threatened.

In Great Britain and/or Ireland:
Foodplant / open feeder
hypophyllous Acalitus essigi grazes on live leaf of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Remarks: season: Spring-

Plant / epiphyte
fruitbody of Aleurodiscus apricans grows on dead stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.

Plant / epiphyte
fruitbody of Aleurodiscus aurantius grows on dead stem (woody) of Rubus fruticosus agg.

Foodplant / saprobe
immersed, usually grouped, under clypeus perithecium of Anthostomella appendiculosa is saprobic on dead stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Remarks: season: 9-5
Other: sole host/prey

Foodplant / saprobe
immersed, solitary or grouped, clypeate perithecium of Anthostomella clypeoides is saprobic on dead stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Remarks: season: 10-5
Other: minor host/prey

Foodplant / saprobe
immersed, usually grouped, under clypeus perithecium of Anthostomella rubicola is saprobic on dead stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Remarks: season: (2-)4(-10)
Other: sole host/prey

Foodplant / saprobe
immersed, clypeate perithecium of Anthostomella tomicoides is saprobic on dead stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Other: minor host/prey

Foodplant / saprobe
effuse colony of Anungitea dematiaceous anamorph of Anungitea heterospora is saprobic on dead stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.

Foodplant / parasite
cleistocarp of Appendiculella calostroma parasitises live leaf of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Remarks: season: 3-5

Foodplant / spot causer
scattered, immersed, minute pycnidium of Ascochyta coelomycetous anamorph of Ascochyta pallor causes spots on live shoot of Rubus fruticosus agg.

Foodplant / saprobe
erumpent from immersed, bulb-like base apothecium of Bulbomollisia radiata is saprobic on dead stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Remarks: season: 6

Foodplant / feeds on
adult of Byturus tomentosus feeds on live flower of Rubus fruticosus agg.

Foodplant / saprobe
erumpent, subsessile apothecium of Calycellina populina is saprobic on dead, fallen leaf of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Remarks: season: 9-3

Foodplant / saprobe
immersed or erumpent pycnidium of Camposporium coelomycetous anamorph of Camarosporium rubicolum is saprobic on dead stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Remarks: season: 2-5

Plant / epiphyte
epiphyllous thallus of Cephaleuros endophyticus grows on dead stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.

Foodplant / saprobe
Cercosporula anamorph of Cercosporula crassiuscula is saprobic on dead Rubus fruticosus agg.

Foodplant / saprobe
basidiome of Chaetocalathus craterellus is saprobic on dead stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.

Foodplant / saprobe
Codinaea dematiaceous anamorph of Chaetosphaeria callimorpha is saprobic on dead stem (esp. near base) of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Remarks: season: 10-5

Foodplant / saprobe
effuse colony of Chalara dematiaceous anamorph of Chalara kendrickii is saprobic on dead stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Remarks: season: 12

Foodplant / saprobe
immersed, single or paired, beneath clypeus perthecium of Clypeosphaeria mamillana is saprobic on dead stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Remarks: season: (1)2-3

Foodplant / saprobe
fruitbody of Crepidotus luteolus is saprobic on dead stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.

Foodplant / saprobe
usually clustered,immersed, breaking through perithecium of Cryptodiaporthe vepris is saprobic on dead petiole of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Remarks: season: 1-5

Foodplant / saprobe
apothecium of Dematioscypha richonis var. richonis is saprobic on dead stem (near base) of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Remarks: season: 11

Foodplant / saprobe
fruitbody of Dendrothele commixta is saprobic on dead, attached twig of Rubus fruticosus agg.

Foodplant / saprobe
immersed, scattered or in small groups perithecium of Diaporthe rostellata is saprobic on dead stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Remarks: season: 1-12
Other: minor host/prey

Foodplant / saprobe
immersed pseudothecium of Didymosphaeria oblitescens is saprobic on dead stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Remarks: season: 12-1

Foodplant / saprobe
immersed pseudothecium of Didymosphaeria rubicola is saprobic on dead stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Remarks: season: 5

Foodplant / saprobe
immersed pycnidium of Diplodia coelomycetous anamorph of Diplodia rubi is saprobic on dead stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Remarks: season: 3-5

Foodplant / spot causer
epiphyllous, few, brownish-black pycnidium of Septoria coelomycetous anamorph of Discostroma corticola causes spots on fading (esp overwintering) leaf of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Remarks: season: 2-4
Other: major host/prey

Foodplant / internal feeder
larva of Dryophilus anobioides feeds within stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.

Foodplant / saprobe
sessile apothecium of Echinula asteriadiformis is saprobic on dead leaf of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Remarks: season: 4-7

Foodplant / spot causer
acervulus of Sphaceloma coelomycetous anamorph of Elsino causes spots on live stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Remarks: season: 5-10

Foodplant / saprobe
fruitbody of Endoperplexa enodulosa is saprobic on decayed Rubus fruticosus agg.

Foodplant / saprobe
effuse colony of Endophragmiella dematiaceous anamorph of Endophragmiella boothii is saprobic on dead, decorticate stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Remarks: season: 10-4

Foodplant / saprobe
effuse colony of Endophragmiella dematiaceous anamorph of Endophragmiella lignicola is saprobic on dead stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.

Foodplant / saprobe
effuse colony of Fusichalara dematiaceous anamorph of Fusichalara clavatispora is saprobic on dead stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.

Foodplant / saprobe
hysterothecium of Gloniopsis praelonga is saprobic on old, dead stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Remarks: season: 1-12
Other: major host/prey

Foodplant / saprobe
immersed, single or in small groups perithecium of Gnomoniella rubicola is saprobic on dead leaf of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Remarks: season: 3-12

Foodplant / gall
immersed pycnidium of Hapalosphaeria coelomycetous anamorph of Hapalosphaeria deformans causes gall of live inflorescence of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Remarks: Other: uncertain
Other: unusual host/prey

Foodplant / saprobe
Helicogloea vestita is saprobic on dead stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Other: unusual host/prey

Foodplant / saprobe
effuse colony of Hemibeltrania dematiaceous anamorph of Hemibeltrania echinulata is saprobic on dead stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Remarks: season: 4

Foodplant / saprobe
fruitbody of Hemimycena delectabilis is saprobic on dead stem (woody) of Rubus fruticosus agg.

Foodplant / saprobe
fruitbody of Hemimycena mauretanica is saprobic on dead, fallen leaf of Rubus fruticosus agg.

Foodplant / saprobe
effuse colony of Henicospora dematiaceous anamorph of Henicospora minor is saprobic on dead stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Remarks: season: 9-11

Foodplant / saprobe
erumpent pseudothecium of Herpotrichia herpotrichoides is saprobic on dead stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Remarks: season: 2-6

Foodplant / saprobe
apothecium of Hyaloscypha albohyalina var. albohyalina is saprobic on dead stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Remarks: season: 11-1

Foodplant / saprobe
hypophyllous apothecium of Hyaloscypha carpinacea is saprobic on dead leaf of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Remarks: season: 7

Foodplant / saprobe
gregarious apothecium of Hyaloscypha hyalina is saprobic on dead stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Remarks: season: 9-3

Foodplant / feeds on
imago of Hylobius abietis feeds on leaf of Rubus fruticosus agg.

Foodplant / parasite
fruitbody of Hymenochaete corrugata parasitises live wood of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Other: minor host/prey

Foodplant / saprobe
fruitbody of Hyphodermella corrugata is saprobic on dead stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.

Foodplant / saprobe
epiphyllous, subcuticular conidioma of Leptothyrina coelomycetous anamorph of Hypoderma rubi is saprobic on dead, fallen, locally bleached leaf of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Remarks: season: 1-2

Foodplant / saprobe
subepidermal, then exposed by raising or lifting off little lids apothecium of Hysterostegiella dumeti is saprobic on dead stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Remarks: season: 3-5
Other: uncertain

Foodplant / saprobe
subsessile apothecium of Incrupila melatheja is saprobic on damp, dead stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Remarks: season: 3

Foodplant / parasite
uredium of Kuehneola uredinis parasitises live petiole of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Remarks: season: 4-5 onwards

Foodplant / saprobe
sessile or subsessile, hypophyllous apothecium of Lachnum dumorum is saprobic on dead, fallen leaf of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Remarks: season: 3-11

Foodplant / saprobe
long stalked apothecium of Lachnum virgineum is saprobic on dead stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Remarks: season: 3-9
Other: major host/prey

Foodplant / internal feeder
caterpillar of Lampronia rubiella feeds within live bud of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Other: major host/prey

Foodplant / saprobe
fruitbody of Lepidomyces subcalceus is saprobic on dead, decayed stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.

Plant / associate
fruitbody of Lepiota coxheadii is associated with Rubus fruticosus agg.

Foodplant / pathogen
Coniothyrium coelomycetous anamorph of Leptosphaeria coniothyrium infects and damages live stem (fruiting, at soil level) of Rubus fruticosus agg.

Foodplant / saprobe
partly immersed pseudothecium of Lophiostoma fuckelii var. fuckelii is saprobic on dead stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Remarks: season: 3-10

Foodplant / saprobe
partly immersed pseudothecium of Lophiostoma fuckelii var. pulveraceum is saprobic on dead stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Remarks: season: 2-10

Foodplant / saprobe
immersed pseudothecium of Lophiostoma viridarium is saprobic on dead stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Remarks: season: 4-5

Plant / associate
adult of Macrolophus rubi is associated with Rubus fruticosus agg.
Remarks: season: 7-8

Foodplant / saprobe
fruitbody of Marasmiellus candidus is saprobic on dead stem (woody) of Rubus fruticosus agg.

Foodplant / saprobe
fruitbody of Marasmiellus ramealis is saprobic on dead, fallen twig of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Other: major host/prey

Foodplant / miner
larva of Metallus albipes mines leaf of Rubus fruticosus agg.

Foodplant / miner
larva of Metallus pumilus mines leaf of Rubus fruticosus agg.

Foodplant / saprobe
superficial thyriothecium of Microthyrium versicolor is saprobic on dead stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Remarks: season: 4-11

Foodplant / saprobe
effuse colony of Mirandina dematiaceous anamorph of Mirandina corticola is saprobic on stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Remarks: season: 4-10

Foodplant / saprobe
sessile apothecium of Mollisia clavata is saprobic on dead stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Remarks: season: 4-11
Other: major host/prey

Foodplant / saprobe
embedded stroma of Mollisia stromatica is saprobic on dead branch of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Remarks: season: 12

Foodplant / saprobe
sessile, hypophyllous apothecium of Mollisina rubi is saprobic on dead, fallen leaf of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Remarks: season: 1-12
Other: major host/prey

Foodplant / saprobe
apothecium of Mollisiopsis lanceolata is saprobic on dead stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Remarks: season: 5-8

Foodplant / open feeder
larva of Monophadnoides ruficruris grazes on leaf of Rubus fruticosus agg.

Foodplant / saprobe
thyriothecium of Morenoina clarkii is saprobic on dead stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Remarks: season: 3-10

Foodplant / saprobe
fruitbody of Mycena adscendens is saprobic on dead stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.

Foodplant / saprobe
fruitbody of Mycena dasypus is saprobic on dead, decayed stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.

Foodplant / saprobe
fruitbody of Mycena rorida is saprobic on dead, decaying stem of debris of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Other: major host/prey

Foodplant / saprobe
toadstool of Mycena smithiana is saprobic on dead, fallen, decaying leaf of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Remarks: Other: uncertain
Other: unusual host/prey

Foodplant / spot causer
epiphyllous colony of Pseudocercospora dematiaceous anamorph of Mycosphaerella confusa causes spots on leaf of Rubus fruticosus agg.

Plant / associate
extensive, velvety colony of Cladosporium dematiaceous anamorph of Mycosphaerella tulasnei is associated with rotten stigma of Rubus fruticosus agg.

Foodplant / saprobe
perithecium of Nectria mammoidea var. rubi is saprobic on stem-root junction of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Remarks: season: 7-8

Foodplant / saprobe
fruitbody of Oliveonia fibrillosa is saprobic on dead stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.

Foodplant / saprobe
fruitbody of Oliveonia pauxilla is saprobic on dead stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.

Foodplant / saprobe
immersed, some with clypeus perithecium of Paradidymella clarkii is saprobic on dead stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Remarks: season: 10

Foodplant / saprobe
superficial, subicular pycnothyrium of Peltasterinostroma coelomycetous anamorph of Peltasterinostroma rubi is saprobic on dead stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Remarks: season: 5

Foodplant / saprobe
fruitbody of Peniophora violaceolivida is saprobic on dead bark of Rubus fruticosus agg.

Foodplant / parasite
effuse, hypophyllous colony of Peronospora rubi parasitises leaf of Rubus fruticosus agg.

Foodplant / saprobe
erumpent apothecium of Pezicula rubi is saprobic on dead stem (rather thick) of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Remarks: season: 7-1

Foodplant / saprobe
immersed then erupting apothecium of Phacidium pusillum is saprobic on dead stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Other: sole host/prey

Foodplant / saprobe
fruitbody of Phanerochaete martelliana is saprobic on dead, decayed stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.

Foodplant / saprobe
swarming, subsessile apothecium of Phialina separabilis is saprobic on dead stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Remarks: season: 9-1

Foodplant / saprobe
fruitbody of Phlebiella albida is saprobic on dead stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.

Foodplant / saprobe
fruitbody of Phlebiella bourdotii is saprobic on dead stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.

Foodplant / saprobe
fruitbody of Phlebiella fibrillosa is saprobic on dead leaf of Rubus fruticosus agg.

Foodplant / saprobe
fruitbody of Phlebiella filicina is saprobic on dead stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Other: unusual host/prey

Foodplant / saprobe
fruitbody of Phlebiopsis ravenelii is saprobic on dead stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Other: minor host/prey

Foodplant / saprobe
covered pycnidium of Phomopsis coelomycetous anamorph of Phomopsis corticis is saprobic on dead stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Remarks: season: 1-4

Foodplant / saprobe
immersed pycnidium of Phomopsis coelomycetous anamorph of Phomopsis muelleri is saprobic on dead stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Remarks: season: 2-3

Foodplant / parasite
caeomoid, scattered or confluent aecium of Phragmidium violaceum parasitises live midrib of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Remarks: season: 5
Other: major host/prey

Foodplant / spot causer
epiphyllous, 2-4 per spot pycnidium of Phyllosticta coelomycetous anamorph of Phyllosticta ruborum causes spots on live leaf of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Remarks: season: 8

Foodplant / saprobe
erumpent apothecium of Ploettnera exigua is saprobic on dead leaf of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Remarks: season: 7-1

Foodplant / saprobe
fruitbody of Pluteus phlebophorus is saprobic on dead, decayed stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Other: unusual host/prey

Fungus / parasite
Podosphaera aphanis parasitises live Rubus fruticosus agg.

Foodplant / saprobe
fruitbody of Pterula multifida is saprobic on dead, damp, decayed stem (woody) of Rubus fruticosus agg.

Foodplant / saprobe
erumpent apothecium of Pyrenopeziza escharodes is saprobic on dead stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Remarks: season: 2-10

Foodplant / saprobe
scattered, suberumpent apothecium of Pyrenopeziza maculata is saprobic on dead leaf of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Remarks: season: 6

Plant / associate
fruitbody of Ramariopsis pulchella is associated with Rubus fruticosus agg.

Foodplant / saprobe
fruitbody of Resupinatus applicatus is saprobic on dead, decayed stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Other: unusual host/prey

Foodplant / pathogen
Rubus Stunt phytoplasma infects and damages short, feeble canes (new) of Rubus fruticosus agg.

Foodplant / saprobe
short, fat-stalked apothecium of Rutstroemia fruticeti is saprobic on dead stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Remarks: season: 2-4

Foodplant / saprobe
apothecium of Rutstroemia rubi is saprobic on dead stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Remarks: season: 3-4

Foodplant / saprobe
immersed, in rows pseudothecium of Saccothecium sepincola is saprobic on dead stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Remarks: season: 2-4

Foodplant / spot causer
usually linearly arranged, immersed, then splitting epidermis pycnidium of Septocyta coelomycetous anamorph of Septocyta ruborum causes spots on live stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Remarks: season: 4-5

Foodplant / saprobe
fruitbody of Simocybe haustellaris is saprobic on dead stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Other: minor host/prey

Foodplant / saprobe
fruitbody of Sistotrema coroniferum is saprobic on dead stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.

Foodplant / saprobe
fruitbody of Sistotrema efibulatum is saprobic on dead, decayed stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.

Foodplant / saprobe
fruitbody of Sistotrema octosporum is saprobic on dead woody stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Other: major host/prey

Foodplant / saprobe
fruitbody of Sistotrema pyrosporum is saprobic on dead, fallen, decayed leaf of Rubus fruticosus agg.

Foodplant / saprobe
effuse colony of Sporidesmiella dematiaceous anamorph of Sporidesmiella claviformis is saprobic on dead stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.

Foodplant / saprobe
effuse colony of Sporidesmiella dematiaceous anamorph of Sporidesmiella parva is saprobic on dead stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Remarks: season: 9

Foodplant / saprobe
effuse colony of Sporidesmium dematiaceous anamorph of Sporidesmium clarkii is saprobic on dead stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Remarks: season: 4

Foodplant / saprobe
effuse colony of Sporidesmium dematiaceous anamorph of Sporidesmium rubi is saprobic on dead stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Remarks: season: 6

Foodplant / saprobe
fruitbody of Terana caerulea is saprobic on dead, decayed wood of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Other: minor host/prey

Foodplant / saprobe
stalked apothecium of Torrendiella ciliata is saprobic on dead (recently), attachd leaf of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Remarks: season: 8-1

Foodplant / saprobe
effuse colony of Triadelphia dematiaceous anamorph of Triadelphia uniseptata is saprobic on dead stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.

Foodplant / saprobe
effuse colony of Triposporium dematiaceous anamorph of Triposporium elegans is saprobic on dead, often grey or purple stained stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Remarks: season: 1-12
Other: major host/prey

Foodplant / saprobe
scattered, sessile apothecium of Unguicularia hamatopilosa is saprobic on dead stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Remarks: season: 12

Foodplant / saprobe
scattered or linearly arranged, immersed pycnidium of Cytospora coelomycetous anamorph of Valsella clypeata is saprobic on dead stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Remarks: season: 2-6

Foodplant / saprobe
fruitbody of Vararia gallica is saprobic on dead, decayed stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.

Foodplant / saprobe
erumpent, sessile apothecium of Velutarina rufo-olivacea is saprobic on dead stem of Rubus fruticosus agg.
Remarks: season: 1-12 (good condition: 8)
Other: major host/prey

The fruit and roots are used in medicine.

Shrubs climbing. Branchlets brown to purplish brown, yellow tomentose when young, gradually glabrescent, with sparse, curved small prickles. Leaves palmately compound, 5-foliolate, sometimes 3-foliolate; petiole 4–5 cm, petiolule of leaflets 3–6 mm, tomentose when young, glabrate in age, with sparse, curved minute prickles; stipules flabellate, 5–7 mm, broader, tomentose initially, glabrate in age, palmately divided, lobes lanceolate; blade of leaflets elliptic, obovate-elliptic, or elliptic-lanceolate, 5–10(–15) × 2–3.5(–5) cm, central leaflet slightly larger than lateral leaflets, abaxially densely brown-yellow tomentose and with minute prickles along midvein, adaxially glabrous, base cuneate, margin irregularly sharply serrate, apex shortly acuminate. Inflorescences terminal ones cymose paniculate, axillary ones subracemes, sometimes flowers several in clusters in leaf axils; rachis and pedicels densely yellow tomentose, with sparse, curved small prickles; bracts caducous, 4–6 mm, narrow, palmately or pectinately divided, tomentose when young. Pedicel 4–10 mm. Flowers 0.8–1.2 cm in diam. Calyx campanulate, densely tomentose, unarmed abaxially; sepals ovate-orbicular, 4–6 × 3–5 mm, apex acuminate, outer sepals apically 3-lobed. Petals white, suborbicular, shorter than sepals. Stamens many, shorter than petals; filaments subulate, glabrous. Pistils 30–40, longer than petals, glabrous. Aggregate fruit red when immature, black at maturity, globose, 8–11 mm in diam., glabrous; pyrenes conspicuously rugose. Fl. Mar–May, fr. Jul–Aug.

Thickets, roadsides, slopes; Low to medium elevations. Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, Sichuan, Yunnan [Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam].

Rubus fruticosus Loureiro (1790), not Linnaeus (1753); R. playfairii Hemsley.

Blackberry Blackberries Halved blackberry

Rubus fruticosus L. is the ambiguous name of a European blackberry species in the genus Rubus in the rose family. The name has been interpreted in several ways:

The species represented by the type specimen of Rubus fruticosus L., which is also the type specimen of the genus Rubus. This specimen is considered to match the species R. plicatus, in Rubus subgenus Rubus, section Rubus. Various species consistent with Linnaeus' original description of the species, which was based on a mixture of specimens now considered to match Rubus ulmifolius and R. plicatus a species aggregate (group of similar species) Rubus fruticosus agg. (a nomen ambiguum) that includes most (or rarely all) of a group called Rubus subgenus Rubus (or less often: Rubus section Rubus [sensu latissimo] ): in a narrow sense, sometimes separated as the section Glandulosus (alternative name: subsection Hiemales), with about 289 microspecies. In this sense the species aggregate does not include the type of the genus Rubus. in a broad sense: (1) (i) sections Glandulosus and Rubus [sensu stricto] (in non-British systems, these two sections are classified together as section Rubus [sensu lato], section Glandulosus being called subsection Hiemales and section Rubus [sensu stricto] being called subsection Rubus) or (ii) "most of" these sections; or (2) sections Glandulosus, Rubus [sensu stricto] and Corylifolii. Section Rubus [sensu stricto] (about 20 microspecies) are probably hybrids involving members of section Glandulosus with either R. idaeus or R. allegheniensis. Section Corylifolii (about 24 microspecies) are probably hybrids involving members of section Glandulosus with R. caesius. even more broadly, including all the taxa in the subgenus Rubus