Rubus calvatus – Series Sylvatici

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The known range of this species in centred on the counties of Staffordshire, Cheshire and Lancashire with scattered records in northern Ireland, southern and eastern England. It is a pale pink flowered species with distinctive large leaves and robust stems. It is found in hedgerows, wood borders and scrub habitats.

The panicle when well developed is large, pyramidal in shape with 3-foliate leaves below and simple leaves above; usually leafy to just below the apex. The rachis is slightly flexuose, densely pubescent with frequent slender prickles. The floral branches may have a few short-stalked glands.

Flowers are about 2.5-3cm diameter with pale pink petals (sometimes fading to almost white). Petals can be up to about 15mm long and broadly elliptical.

Stamens are longer than the styles and the filaments are a pale yellowish-pink colour. Styles are yellowish-green. Sepals can be patent to loosely reflexed.

Leaflets are almost glabrous above and below, a mid green or yellowish-green colour. The terminal leaflet is about 10 x 7cm, but sometimes larger. It is usually convex, broadly ovate or elliptical, often with straight sides mid-leaf, producing a somewhat oblong shape. The toothing is finely serrate or dentate below the middle, but above the middle it is compoundly toothed, with a few prominent teeth on either side. These are often curved towards the leaf base (retrorse). The leaf tip is relatively short and narrow (acuminate to cuspidate) and the base is emarginate to shallowly cordate.

The stem is bluntly angled with flat or furrowed sides, sparsely or moderately pubescent at first, becoming glabrous, with frequent slender, slightly declining prickles which are shorter than or equal to the stem diameter. The stem turns reddish-brown in the sun and prickles have red bases and yellow points.