Rubus schmidelioides

Rubus schmidelioides is a dicot liana{{Cite web |last1=Ogle |first1=C |last2=Nicholls |first2=V |last3=Cock |first3=G |last4=Hurly |first4=D |date=2004 |title=Higher plants of forest remnant on terrace between Williams Road and Hautapu river, Mataroa, NNW of Taihape |url=https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/site/assets/files/0/12/567/wanganui_plant_list_166.pdf |access-date=12 May 2024}} and is a dense shrub with intertwining branchlets.{{cite web |title=Flora of New Zealand: Taxa |url=https://floraseries.landcareresearch.co.nz/pages/taxon.aspx?id=_c2ff9df4-2d66-4efb-9e98-97a61688a517 |access-date=29 March 2023 |publisher=Landcare Research}} It is a perennial plant that grows up to 10 metres long, or forms a bush when there is no support nearby.{{cite web |title=Bush Lawyer |url=https://eol.org/pages/52201969 |access-date=25 March 2023 |publisher=EncyclopediaofLife}} Rubus schmidelioides ascends its host using small reddish hooks along its stems. The stems are long and tapering{{Cite web |last=Cunn |first=A |date=2004 |title=9 R.schmidelioides Cunn., Ann. Nat. |url=https://floraseries.landcareresearch.co.nz/pages/Taxon.aspx?id=_7d1a26e8-60eb-4d9c-a61c-34f2da095dce&fileName=Flora%204.xml |access-date=12 May 2024 |website=Flora of New Zealand Series.}} and are up to 10 cm in diameter.{{Cite journal |last=Dawson |first=J |date=1986 |title=The vines, epiphytes and parasites of New Zealand forests1 |url=https://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-Bio28Tuat02-t1-body-d1.html |journal=Tuatara |volume=28 |issue=2 |pages=44–70}}

The leaves are glossy, ranging from orange to green/brown, and are arranged in a compound palmate pattern with 3- 5 leaflets. Rubus schmidelioides has domatia. Leaflets are terminal with an oval, oblong or lanceolate shape. There is a clear midrib on the leaves, and they have a serrated leaf margin. The bottom side of the leaves is grey-white.{{cite web |title=Taxon profile |url=https://www.nzflora.info/factsheet/taxon/Rubus-schmidelioides.html |access-date=25 March 2023 |publisher=Breitwieser I., Brownsey P.J., Nelson W.A., Smissen R., Wilton A.D/ NZFlora}} The leaflets are glabrous on the upper surface but hairy along the underside, with hair colour ranging from white, brown or grey. The leaves often curl downwards.{{Cite book |last1=Dawson |first1=J |title=Nature guide to New Zealand forest |last2=Lucas |first2=R |date=2000}} Leaflets are commonly 2–6 cm long, 2.5–3.5 cm wide and the petiolule is on average 10–50 mm long. Rubus schmidelioides contains branchlets up to 40 mm in diameter. These branchlets are covered in short soft hair when young but become hairless and smooth when mature, and grow large red spikes.{{cite web |title=Rubus schmidelioides A.Cunn |url=https://biotanz.landcareresearch.co.nz/scientific-names/a43f26a2-d744-47d6-aec6-3af2187c6e46 |access-date=26 March 2023 |publisher=Landcare Research}} It has small narrow stipules and petioles which are 20 mm long. In juvenile plants, leaflets are narrower and more glabrous compared to the mature forms. In open scrubland environments, however, mature plants retain their juvenile leaves. This variant is called var. subpauperatus. On the Chatham Islands, the leaves of R. schmidelioides are on average larger than leaves from populations on New Zealand.{{Cite journal |last=Greenwood |first=R.M |date=1992 |title=Some differences between plants of the Chatham Islands and the New Zealand mainland |url=https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/document?repid=rep1&type=pdf&doi=79bada2f1552e4901236b3a46451a40eff744e3b |journal=New Zealand Journal of Ecology |volume=16 |issue=1 |pages=51–52}}

Inflorescences are on a 10 mm long smooth branchlet, without spikes. Flowers are a white aggregate. The flower sepals are 2 mm long and petals are 4–7 mm long. Each flower has five petals. Full flowers are usually 10–25 cm long. It has five white or cream petals which are usually up to 5–7 mm long and have an oval shape.{{Cite web |last=Cunn |first=A |date=2004 |title=2. R. schmidelioides A. Cunn. In Ann. Nat. Hist. 3, 1829, 245 |url=https://floraseries.landcareresearch.co.nz/pages/Taxon.aspx?id=_c2ff9df4-2d66-4efb-9e98-97a61688a517&fileName=Flora%201.xml |access-date=12 May 2024 |website=Flora of New Zealand series}} Fruit of the plant is yellow or orange and composed of 8-12 aggregate drupelets to form a fruit 5–9 mm in diameter. The fruits of R. schmidelioides are aggregate drupelets{{Cite journal |last=Burrows |first=C.J |date=1989 |title=Moa browsing: Evidence from the pyramid valley mire |url=https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/document?repid=rep1&type=pdf&doi=5c5dd790360f76ea2b9a3c2995d5b30543a32e59 |journal=New Zealand Journal of Ecology |volume=12 |pages=51–56}} and are yellowish. Their size is usually 5–7 mm long.

Rubus schmidelioides can be easily distinguished from other introduced sub-species of Rubus as it has much smaller flowers and does not have long hairs on its stems, which other Rubus species tend to have.{{cite web |title=Rubus schmidelioides var. schmidelioides Fact Sheet |url=https://eol.org/pages/52201969 |access-date=25 March 2023 |publisher=New Zealand Plant Conservation Network}} It also has much more visible spikes on its stems due to their red colouring.{{cite web |title=Rubus cissoides fact Sheet |url=https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/rubus-cissoides/ |access-date=24 March 2023 |publisher=New Zealand Plant Conservation Network}}

Rubus schmidelioides var. schmidelioides and its variant var subpauperartus is endemic to New Zealand{{Cite web |last1=Peter |first1=J |last2=Sawyer |first2=J |last3=Rolfe |first3=J |date=2006 |title=New Zealand Indigenous vascular plant checklist |url=https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/site/assets/files/0/04/026/nz_20vascular_20plant_20list_202006.pdf |website=New Zealand Plant Conservation Network}} and the Chatham islands. It is found mainly in the South Island in eastern Canterbury but can also be found in other areas of the country and on Stewart Island.{{Cite web |last=Cunn |first=A |date=2004 |title=2. R. schmidelioides A. Cunn. In Ann. Nat. Hist. 3, 1829, 245 |url=https://floraseries.landcareresearch.co.nz/pages/Taxon.aspx?id=_c2ff9df4-2d66-4efb-9e98-97a61688a517&fileName=Flora%201.xml |access-date=12 May 2024 |website=Flora of New Zealand series}}

Rubus schmidelioides is found primarily in scrub and forest. Its variant, Rubus schmidelioides var. subpauperatus, can be found in open scrublands or exposed rocky sites. It has previously been found in the driest vegetation zones surrounding lakes and in a freshwater wetland near the Waitangiroto River.{{cite book |title=New Zealand Journal of Botany, 47(2) |chapter=Rorippa laciniata(brassicaceae), a new addition to the flora of New Zealand |date=2009 |doi=10.1080/00288250909509800 |chapter-url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00288250909509800 |last1=De Lange |first1=P. J. |last2=Heenan |first2=P. B. |last3=Townsend |first3=A. J. |journal=New Zealand Journal of Botany |volume=47 |issue=2 |pages=133–137 }}

Rubus schmidelioides grows best during the mid-stages of succession when the tree canopies have not grown high.{{Cite journal |last1=Baars |first1=Remco |last2=Kelly |first2=Dave |last3=Sparrow |first3=D |date=1998 |title=Liane distribution within native forest remnants in two regions of the South Island, New Zealand |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/24054550 |journal=New Zealand Journal of Ecology |volume=22 |issue=1 |pages=71–85|jstor=24054550 }} Juveniles struggle to grow in areas of low light where the canopy is already established. Rubus schmidelioides favors environments with alluvial soils and appears to be more common in indigenous forests.{{Cite web |last1=Ogle |first1=C |last2=Nicholls |first2=V |last3=Cock |first3=G |last4=Hurly |first4=D |date=2004 |title=Higher plants of forest remnant on terrace between Williams Road and Hautapu river, Mataroa, NNW of Taihape |url=https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/site/assets/files/0/12/567/wanganui_plant_list_166.pdf |access-date=12 May 2024}}{{Cite web |last1=Duguid |first1=F. C. |last2=Druce |first2=A. P. |date=May 12, 2024 |title=Totora forest at Ohau |url=https://bts.nzpcn.org.nz/site/assets/files/21994/well_1966_33__20-21.pdf |access-date=May 12, 2024}}{{Cite web |last=Harding |first=Mike |date=1995 |title=Conservation values of Raglan pastoral lease Wairu Valley, Marlborough (and recommendations for protection) |url=https://publicaccess.nz/Downloads/archives/pm019_raglan_cons_res.pdf}}

Rubus schmidelioides flowers from September until November. These flowers are white and hang in long panicles. The plant then fruits from December until April. It reproduces through male and female flowers. Male flowers contain numerous stamens with an ovary that is either absent or undeveloped. Female flowers have a rudimentary stamen and several carpels. When fertilized this forms an endocarp 'seed'. The seed must then go through harsh conditions such as a bird's digestive tract before it will sprout.{{cite web|title=Rubus schmidelioides Var. subpauperatus care (Watering, fertilize, pruning, propagation)|url=https://www.picturethisai.com/care/Rubus_schmidelioides_var._subpauperatus.html|publisher=PictureThis|access-date=29 March 2023}} Seeds require a month of stratification at cool temperatures around 3°Celsius.

A gall mite Acalitus rubensis commonly feeds on R. schmidelioides and causes erineum on the underside of the leaflets in the process.{{Cite web |date=May 12, 2024 |title=Host Simple Report |url=https://plant-synz.landcareresearch.co.nz/ReportForm.aspx?RecordId=293&Type=P&SortBy=Alpha&Biostatus=a,c,e,n |access-date=May 12, 2024 |website=PlantSyNZ}} The adults of the endemic beetle Eucolaspis feed on the leaves. Endemic caterpillars of the moth Heterocorssa rubophaga feed in flowers, on fruit and the young shoots of R. schmidelioides, and induce gall on the stems. An endemic flat mite species Tenuipalpus rangiorae feed on R. schmidelioides leaves and lay eggs on the surface of the leaflets. The larvae of gall flies, one leaf vein, one stem and petiole gall species and one stem gall species inflict galls on the upper side of the leaflets, mid ribs of the leaf and stems respectively. An endemic species of scale insect feeds on R. schmidelioides and causes sooty mold on its leaflets. Rubus schmidelioides can also suffer from brown spot and bacterial infection.

Rubus schmidelioides leaflets and fruit are both eaten by possums and leaflets are also browsed by introduced deer, although neither have a large impact on R. schmidelioides distribution.{{Cite journal |last=Nugent |first=Graham |date=1997 |title=Comparison of red deer and possum diets and impacts in podocarp-hardwood forests, Waihaha catchment, Pureora conservation park |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/230799997 |journal=Science for Conservation |pages=50–61}} Rubus schmidelioides is susceptible to both European blackberry rust{{Cite journal |last1=Bruzzese |first1=E |last2=Hasan |first2=S |date=1986 |title=Infection of Australian and New Zealand Rubus subgenera Dalibarda and Lampohatus by European blackberry rust fungus Phragmidium violaceum |url=https://bsppjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1365-3059.1986.tb02037.x |journal=Plant Pathology |volume=35 |issue=4 |pages=1365–3059|doi=10.1111/j.1365-3059.1986.tb02037.x |bibcode=1986PPath..35..413B |url-access=subscription }} and the rust species Kuehneola uredines.{{Cite web |date=May 12, 2024 |title=Rubus schmidelioides A.Cunn. var. schmidelioides. |url=https://www.nzor.org.nz/names/66a59316-e6fd-4c23-bba7-eb08300cd1d6 |access-date=May 12, 2024 |website=New Zealand Organisms register}} Pigeons, kaka, riflemen, brown creeper, grey warbler, fantail and silvereye are all observed to eat R. schmidelioides berries.{{Cite journal |last1=O'donnell |first1=Colin |last2=Dilks |first2=Peter |date=1994 |title=Foods and foraging of forest birds in temperate rainforest, south Westland, New Zealand |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/24066768 |journal=New Zealand Journal of Ecology |volume=18 |issue=2 |pages=87–107|jstor=24066768 }} R. schmidelioides' woody twigs and leaflets were likely grazed by moa before their extinction.

Rubus schmidelioides is pollinated by the introduced honey bee and the endemic bee Lasioglossum.

The fruit of Rubus schmidelioides can be eaten raw or cooked and is often used to make cordials. The fruits were traditionally used for a dye.{{cite web|title=Medicinal herbs: Rubus schmidelioides|url=https://www.naturalmedicinalherbs.net/herbs/r/rubus-schmidelioides.php |publisher=Natural Herbs}} It was also used as a natural medicine. It was used to "tonify the gut", "for treating respiratory congestion and coughs, and was chewed as a remedy for toothache".{{cite web|title=Four plants with healing properties. NZ Gardner|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/homed/garden/119756397/four-plants-with-healing-properties|publisher=Wrigglesworth, J.}} Along with other native plants in a steam bath, it was also used to treat rheumatism.

Its current conservation status is not threatened.

{{Reflist}}

• {{cite web |title=Rubus schmidelioides A.Cunn. |work=Atlas of Living Australia |url=https://bie.ala.org.au/species/NZOR-4-22301}}
• {{PFAF|Rubus schmidelioides}}

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schmidelioides

Category:Flora of New Zealand