Common name: Cut-leaf Blackberry
Rubus laciniatus Willd. APNI* Synonyms: Rubus laciniatus subsp. selmeri (Lindb.) Beek APNI*
Description: Arching semi-deciduous shrub to 2 high. Primocane stems strongly angled with faces usually furrowed, with or without sparse covering of non glandular hairs, prickles to 7 mm long, mainly on angles, rooting at apex. Floricane similar to primocane and the inflorescence rachis densely covered with non-glandular hairs.
Primocane leaves consisting of 3 or 5 leaflets, usually deeply dissected so that leaflets often not easy to distinguish, arranged digitately, (in Victoria forms with entire leaflets are known but these are not known from NSW); mature mid primocane leaves sparely felted below abundant pilose hairs, terminal leaflet usually largest, mostly 4.5–7 cm long and 4–9.5 cm wide, petiole 5–9.5 cm long. Floricane leaves consisting of 3 or 5 leaflets to simple below inflorescence, deeply dissected in NSW, lower surface of middle leaflets similar to mid primocane leaves, others may be largely lack felt-like hairs, terminal leaflet mostly 4.5–9 cm long and 3–7 cm wide, petiole 4–9 cm long.
Inflorescence a pyramidical terminal panicle of flowers. Sepals with prickles and dense non-glandular hairs. Petals 6–15 mm long, 5–9 mm wide, elliptic, pink, not crumpled. Stamens similar in length to styles.
Fruit ± globose, initially green, ripening red, maturing black
Flowering: mainly late spring and summer.
Distribution and occurrence: wetter areas of central to southern New South Wales. Native of Britain and north-western Europe. Found in grasslands to forests.
NSW subdivisions: *NC, *CC, *SC, *CT
Other Australian states: *Vic. *S.A. *Tas.
Not particularly weedy. Introduced for its edible fruit. This species is part of the Rubus fruticosus L. species aggregate. In the past subsp. laciniatus and subsp. selmeri (Lindeb.) Beek. have been used for taxa with deeply dissected leaflets and undivided leaflets respectively, given the presence of intermediate forms subspecies are probably not worth recognising.
Text by John Hosking, 12 March 2009
Taxon concept: Evans et al., Australian Systematic Botany 20: 187-251 (2007)
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data
***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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