Rubus fruticosus L.

Scrambling shrub, suckering, usually semi-erect with stems arching and entangling, sometimes semi-prostrate or almost erect; stems usually angled, flat to concave or furrowed between angles, rarely terete, sometimes striate, glabrous to moderately hairy especially on young growth, often with subsessile glands, sometimes with stalked glands, sometimes pruinose, green to purplish or red or flecked; armature of prickles, and sometimes also pricklets or acicles. Lvs palmate with (3)–5–(7) leaflets; petioles and petiolules usually pilose to tomentose and prickly; leaflets glabrous to pilose on upper surface, usually pilose or tomentose on lower surface, dentate to 1–2-serrate or sometimes obscurely lobed or deeply 1–2-pinnatisect; terminal leaflets usually obovate or ovate, sometimes elliptic, oblong, orbicular or deltoid, 30–160 × 15–110–(150) mm, petiolulate; stipules usually linear or linear-lanceolate, sometimes lanceolate to elliptic. Infl. a cylindric to pyramidal, usually many-flowered panicle, often leafy at least in lower part, sometimes fls 1-few; axis and branches usually prickly and pilose or tomentose, sometimes with stalked glands. Fls 15–60 mm diam. Sepals usually lanceolate to ovate or ovate-triangular, acute and apiculate to acuminate or long-attenuate and sometimes leafy at tip, pilose to tomentose, sometimes with pricklets or stalked glands, usually deflexed or rarely ± erect at fruiting. Petals rounded to notched, flat or crinkled, white to deep pink. Stamen filaments white or pink. Fr. of black, usually shiny or rarely pruinose drupelets, ovoid, oblong or cylindric, 10–15–(18) mm long.

[From: Webb et al. (1988) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 4.]

Flowering: Nov.–Apr.–(May); Fruiting: Nov.–May.