Rubus argutus
{{Short description|Species of fruit and plant}}
{{Speciesbox
|image = Starr 010423-0032 Rubus argutus.jpg
|image2=Rubus argutus fruits.jpg
|image2_caption=
|status = G5
|status_system = TNC
| parent = Rubus subg. Rubus
|genus = Rubus
|species = argutus
|authority = Link. 1822
|synonyms_ref = [http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl1.1/record/rjp-4119 The Plant List, Rubus argutus Link ]
|synonyms = {{collapsible list|bullets = true
|title=Synonymy
|Rubus abundiflorus L.H.Bailey
|Rubus betulifolius Small
|Rubus floridensis L.H.Bailey
|Rubus floridus Tratt.
|Rubus incisifrons L.H.Bailey
|Rubus louisianus A.Berger
|Rubus penetrans L.H.Bailey
|Rubus rhodophyllus Rydb.
}}}}
Rubus argutus is a North American species of prickly bramble in the rose family. It is a perennial plant native to the eastern and south-central United States. Common names are sawtooth blackberry{{PLANTS|id=RUAR2|taxon=Rubus argutus|accessdate=24 October 2015}} or tall blackberry after its high growth.
Description
R. argutus usually forms woody shrubs or vines, up to 2 meters (80 inches) in height,Rydberg, Per Axel (1901) [https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/40836525#page/522/mode/1up Rubus argutus] in Britton, Nathaniel, Manual of the Flora of the northern States and Canada. p. 498. with thorns on stems, leaves, and flowers. The leaves are alternate and palmately compound. First-year plants have palmate leaves with 5 leaflets while second-year plants have palmate leaves with 3 leaflets. Second-year plants develop racemes of flowers each containing 5–20 flowers. [https://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/savanna/plants/hb_blackberry.html "Highbush Blackberry"]. Illinois Wildflowers. The flowers are typically 5-merous with large, white petals and light green sepals, borne in mid-spring.{{cite journal|jstor=23293072 |title=The Blackberries of New England|journal=Journal of the New England Botanical Club|volume=2|issue=14|pages=23–29|last1=Brainerd|first1=Ezra|year=1900}} Second-year plants are also capable of growing the fruit which gives the plant's common name, the blackberry. The fruits are compound drupes which change from bright red to black at maturity. Each section (drupelet) of a blackberry contains a single seed. Second year plants die after bearing fruits, but regrow from the underground portion of the plant.
There are many species of blackberries, which are edible and differ by size.{{Cite book |last=Bennett |first=Chris |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1-ZwBgAAQBAJ&q=rubus+argutus+edible&pg=PA54 |title=Southeast Foraging: 120 Wild and Flavorful Edibles from Angelica to Wild Plums |date=2015-04-22 |publisher=Timber Press |isbn=9781604694994}}
Distribution and habitat
Uses
Blackberry leaves were in the official U.S. pharmacopoeia for a time and were said to treat digestive problems, particularly diarrhea. Their dried leaves make an excellent tea.{{Cite web |date=2014-05-07 |title=Blackberries, A Forager's Companion |url=http://www.eattheweeds.com/blackberries-a-foragers-companion/ |access-date=2019-07-04 |website=Eat The Weeds and other things, too}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category|Rubus argutus}}
- {{PFAF|Rubus argutus}}
- {{PFAF|Rubus floridus}}
- {{PFAF|Rubus louisianus}}
- [http://www.tropicos.org/ImageFullView.aspx?imageid=100122836 photo of herbarium specimen at Missouri Botanical Garden, collected in 1989 in Missouri]
- [http://uswildflowers.com/detail.php?SName=Rubus%20argutus US Wildflowers]
{{taxonbar |from=Q7376201}}
Category:Plants described in 1822
Category:Flora of the United States
{{Rubus-stub}}