[The Rose Family in the Columbia River Gorge of Oregon and Washington]

Brambles and Blackberries of the Columbia River Gorge of Oregon and Washington

The Genus Rubus

Flower of Dewberry, Trailing Blackberry, California Blackberry: Rubus ursinus (Synonyms: Rubus macropetalus, Rubus ursinus var. macropetalous, Rubus ursinus ssp. macropetalus, Rubus ursinus ssp. ursinus, Rubus ursinus var. ursinus, Rubus vitifolius)

A close-up of the flower of trailing blackberry (Rubus ursinus)

Himalayan Blackberry: Rubus bifrons (Synonyms: Rubus armeniacus, Rubus discolor, Rubus procerus, Rubus thrysanthus) - Invasive shrub to 9 feet high. White flowers with 5 round petals. Leaves compound palmate with 3 to 5 oval, toothed leaflets. Stems with large prickles.

Cutleaf Blackberry, Cut-leaf Blackberry, Cut-leaved Blackberry, Evergreen Blackberry: Rubus laciniatus (Synonyms: Rubus vulgaris, Rubus vulgaris var. laciniatus) - Stout, arching shrub from 1-1.5 meters high. The dark red-brown stems are fluted or angled with strong, hooked prickles. The leaves are evergreen, palmately compound with 5 leaflets which are deeply, jaggedly dissected. Flowers with 5 white petals, spatulate in shape, sometimes lobed at the tips, and 10-15 mm long.

Dwarf Bramble, Roughfruit Berry: Rubus lasiococcus (Synonym: Comarobatia lasiococca) - A trailing plant only several cm high. The leaves are usually trifoliate with deep, noticeable venation. The flowers are white with numerous stamens and up to 2 cm across.

Blackcap, Whitebark Raspberry: Rubus leucodermis (Synonyms: Melanobatus leucodermis, Rubus leucodermis var. bernardinus, Rubus leucodermis var. trinitatis, Rubus occidentalis var. leucodermis) - Shrub with ascending and arching branches, armed with short, stiff, straight or slightly recurved prickles. Leaves wit 3-5 leaflets that taper to a point and have a rounded or cordate base. Flowers few in terminal corymbs with 5 shorter, white petals.

Thimbleberry: Rubus parviflorus (Synonyms: Bossekia parviflora, Rubacer parviflorum, Rubus nutkanus, Rubus nutkanus f. lacera, Rubus nutkanus var. nuttallii, Rubus nutkanus var. parviflorus, Rubus nutkanus var. scopulorum, Rubus parviflorus f. nuttallii, Rubus parviflorus var. bifarius, Rubus parviflorus var. fraserianus, Rubus parviflorus var. grandiflorus, Rubus parviflorus var. heteradenius, Rubus parviflorus var. hypomalacus, Rubus parviflorus var. parviflorus, Rubus parviflorus var. parvifolius, Rubus parviflorus var. scopulorum, Rubus parviflorus var. velutinus, Rubus velutinus) - Shrub to 6 feet high. White or pastel pink flowers with 5 wide, wavy petals. Leaves large, simple but palmately veined. Leaves soft and "cushiony" to touch, hence the name of nature's TP!

Five-leaf Bramble, Five-leaved Dwarf Bramble, Strawberry Bramble, Strawberry Dwarf Bramble, Strawberryleaf Raspberry: Rubus pedatus Synonyms: Ametron pedatum, Comaropsis pedata, Dalibardia pedata, Psychrobatia pedata() - A low, perennial herb that spreads by stolons or runners to form dense mats. Leaves basal, palmately compound with 5 irregularly toothed leaflets. Flowers white, solitary on 2-6 cm stems. Petals each about 10-12 mm long.

Salmonberry: Rubus spectabilis (Synonyms: Rubus franciscanus, Rubus spectabilis var. franciscanus, Rubus spectabilis var. spectabilis, Rubus stenopetalus) - Shrub to 7 feet high. Stems lightly stickery and of a chestnut brown hue. Flowers bright red, 5 petals . Leaves compound, with 3 toothed leaflets.

Dewberry, Trailing Blackberry, California Blackberry: Rubus ursinus (Synonyms: Rubus macropetalus, Rubus ursinus var. macropetalous, Rubus ursinus ssp. macropetalus, Rubus ursinus ssp. ursinus, Rubus ursinus var. ursinus, Rubus vitifolius) - Trailing shrub or vine usually on the ground, but may climb stumps, rock walls, or fences. White flowers with 5 thin (airplane propeller shaped) petals with space between them. Prickly vine with compound leaves (3 leaflets).


Paul Slichter E-mail