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Northeast Wetland Flora

Field Office Guide to Plant Species

Sand Blackberry
Rubus cuneifolius Pursh

JPG -- Species Photo JPG -- Distribution Map

Family: Rose (Rosaceae)
Flowering: May-July
Field Marks: The distinguishing features of this blackberry are its upright or arching, densely prickly stems that are also covered by short, gray hairs.
Habitat: Dry sandy or rocky soil.
Habit: Shrub to 3 feet tall.
Stems: Upright or arching, densely prickly with straight or curved broad-based prickles and covered with short gray hairs.
Leaves: Alternate; those of the sterile stems divided into 3 or 5 leaflets, the leaflets obovate, abruptly short-pointed at the tip, tapering to the base, toothed, smooth and green on the upper surface, white and downy-hairy on the lower surface, leaf stalks with broad-based prickles; those of the flowering stems divided into 3 leaflets, otherwise similar to the leaves of the sterile stems.
Flowers: 1-5 at the tips of the branches, up to 1 1/2 inches across, on prickly or non-prickly stalks.
Sepals: 5, green, attached below to form a cup, lanceolate, 1/4-1/2 inch long.
Petals: 5, white, free from each other, up to 3/4 inch long.
Stamens: Numerous.
Pistils: Numerous, each with a superior ovary.
Fruits: Many drupelets in a cylindrical cluster up to 1 inch long and up to 1/2 inch across.
Notes: The fruits are eaten by animals.

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Next Species -- Enslen Blackberry (Rubus enslenii)

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Page Last Modified: Thursday, 03-Aug-2006 11:39:25 EDT
Menlo Park, CA [caww55]