Common name: Mysore Raspberry
Rubus niveus Thunb. APNI* Description: Arching or climbing shrub to 2 m high. Primocane stems rounded or round-angled, glabrous, prickles 3–7 mm long, mostly on angles. Flowering stems from the leaf axils of the floricane.
Primocane leaves pinnately compound, consisting of 5, 7 or 9 (less often 11) leaflets; leaflets densely white felted below, petiole 1.5–5 cm long, terminal leaflet elliptic-ovate to ovate, slightly longer than lateral leaflets, 2.5–8 cm long and 1–5 cm wide. Floricane leaflets similar to primocane leaflets.
Inflorescences a short terminal panicle. Sepals without prickles. Petals 4–5 mm long, shorter than sepals, 3–5 mm wide, broadly obovate to almost orbicular, red, held erect in flower.
Fruit ovoid to oblong, covered in short white hairs, initially green, ripening red, maturing black.
Flowering: mainly spring and summer.
Distribution and occurrence: not common. Native of Asia and Malesia. Found in grasslands to forests in coastal areas.
NSW subdivisions: *NC
Only known from Karangi to Coffs Harbour. Distinguished by its pinnate leaves, glaucous stems and fruit with grey hairs. Introduced for its edible fruit. This species has naturalised and is weedy in Hawaii, on the Galapagos Islands and in Zimbabwe. Overseas it is capable of forming impenetrable thickets.
Text by John Hosking, June 2009
Taxon concept: L. Lu & D.E. Boufford, Flora of China Volume 5 (2003).
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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