Common name: Blackberry
Rubus laudatus A.Berger APNI* 
Description: Arching semi-deciduous shrub to 2 m high. Forms dense thickets. Primocane stems strongly angled with faces furrowed, with sparse non-glandular pilose hairs and few to many sessile dark red glands, prickles 2–6 mm long, mainly on angles. Flowering stems from the leaf axils of the floricane.
Primocane leaves consisting of 5 leaflets; mature mid primocane leaflets with sparse pilose hairs below, mostly on veins, terminal leaflet usually largest, mostly 3–7 cm long and 1.5–4 cm wide, petiole 5–9.5 cm long. Floricane leaves at base of flowering stems consisting of 3 leaflets, lower surface of leaflets with sparse pilose hairs, terminal leaflet mostly 3–7.5 cm long and 1.5–4 cm wide, petiole 0.3–3 cm long.
Inflorescence subcorymbose with 3–12 flowers. The first formed flowers usually solitary in the leaf axils of 3-leaflet leaves. Sepals with or without prickles. Petals 17–23 mm long, 10–15 mm wide, elliptic-obovate, white. Stamens longer than styles.
Fruit ovoid to oblong, initially green, ripening red, maturing black.
Flowering: mainly spring and summer.
Distribution and occurrence: native of eastern and central USA. Found in grasslands to forests in coastal areas.
NSW subdivisions: *CC
Differs from Rubus philadelphicus in that the inflorescences are more corymbose, more serrate leaf margins and no long glandular hairs in upper parts of pedicels. R. philadelphicus also grows in cooler areas than R. laudatus. Flowers are in non-paniculate inflorescences. Introduced for its edible fruit.
Text by John Hosking, June 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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