STONE BRAMBLE

Rubus saxatilis

Rose Family [Rosaceae]

Flowers:
month8jun month8june month8jul month8july month8aug

Berries: berryZpossible        berryZred  (edible, acidic)
berry8aug berry8sep berry8sept berry8oct

status
statusZnative
 
flower
flower8white
 
inner
inner8yellow
 
morph
morph8actino
 
petals
petalsZ5
 
stem
stem8round
 
stem
stem8spines
weak prickle
contact
contactZlowish
 

4th June 2013, Bavaria Photo: © Dawn Nelson
The flowering stems reach 40cm and are erect. The leaves are ternate (in 3's, with the end leaflet being larger and on a much longer stalk. The leaflets are ovate to elliptical in outline with irregular teeth.


4th June 2013, Bavaria Photo: © Dawn Nelson
The flowering stems are erect and up to 40cm high. The 5 petals are white and between 8 and 15mm across but quite narrow themselves and directed upwardly. The sepals are pale-green and stretched out horizontally.


4th June 2013, Bavaria Photo: © Dawn Nelson
The stems have hairs and very weak prickles. Unopened flowers are wrapped up in pale-green sepals with short dark-green extensions at their extremity.


12th Aug 2015, Arrochymore, Eastern side Loch Lomond, Scotland. Photo: © Maggie McCallum
The fruits in a small tight group of 6 at the end of a flower stalk. There are usually between 1 to 6 in a group.

The leaflets are in triplets, with the side-lobes shorter and narrower than the central lobe (at least in some of these specimens).



12th Aug 2015, Arrochymore, Eastern side Loch Lomond, Scotland. Photo: © Maggie McCallum
The fruits are round and shiny red and some may even sometimes be translucent at certain times of the year.


12th Aug 2015, Arrochymore, Eastern side Loch Lomond, Scotland. Photo: © Maggie McCallum


4th June 2013, Bavaria Photo: © Dawn Nelson
A new end leaf, still unfolding.


4th June 2013, Bavaria Photo: © Dawn Nelson
The stem supporting the leaf has a rectangular groove or channel on the top surface. There is one weak prickle on show.


Not to be semantically confused with : any of the many Stoneworts such as Strawberry Stonewort (Chara fragifera), Stone Pine (Pinus pinea), any of the many Stonecrops such as Biting Stonecrop (Sedum acre), Stone Parsley (Sison amomum) [plants with similar names belonging to differing families].

The berries are red, edible but slightly acrid and in drupes (small groups on a single flower) of between 1 and 6.

It is native and grows in woods and also screes and mountain slopes on basic (alkaline) soils, occurring rather scattered in Central and the North and West of England, also in Wales, Scotland and Ireland.

Hybridises with Dewberry (Rubus caesius)


USE BY BUTTERFLIES
LAYS EGGS ON CATERPILLAR CHRYSALIS BUTTERFLY
Adonis Blue
Brown Hairstreak
Gatekeeper
Heath Fritillary
High Brown Fritillary
Holly Blue
Large Heath
Ringlet
Silver-washed Fritillary
White Admiral
White-letter Hairstreak



  Rubus saxatilis  ⇐ Global Aspect ⇒ Rosaceae  

Distribution
 family8Rose family8Rosaceae
 BSBI maps
genus8Rubus
Rubus
(Brambles)

STONE BRAMBLE

Rubus saxatilis

Rose Family [Rosaceae]