THIMBLEBERRY

Rubus parviflorus

Rose Family [Rosaceae]

Flowers:
month8jun month8june month8jul month8july month8aug


Berries: berryZpossible     berryZpink  berryZorange;   (Many Drupelets, edible)
berry8aug berry8sep berry8sept berry8oct berry8nov

status
statusZneophyte		 flower
flower8white		 morph
morph8actino		 petals
petalsZ5		 stem
stem8round		 stem
stem8spines

13th Aug 2013, Linchmere, Chichester, West Sussex Photo: © Dawn Nelson
Grows erect to 2m high


13th Aug 2013, Linchmere, Chichester, West Sussex Photo: © Dawn Nelson
With small 3-lobed to large 5-lobed and a few even larger 6 or 7-lobed leaves which are reminiscent of those of Sycamore trees but with veins less obvious.


13th Aug 2013, Linchmere, Chichester, West Sussex Photo: © Dawn Nelson
The flowers/fruit are in open clusters (corymbs) of between 3 to 6 flowers (sometimes up to 10) in a corymb. The flowers have white petals (photos required).


13th Aug 2013, Linchmere, Chichester, West Sussex Photo: © Dawn Nelson


13th Aug 2013, Linchmere, Chichester, West Sussex Photo: © Dawn Nelson
The 5 petals are pink (not shown, having previously all fallen off, letting us see the 5 cupped pale-green sepals with their long thin pointed terminations on show.

The many 'fruitlets' which develop in the expanding centre of the flower are also pink at first, turning orange.



13th Aug 2013, Linchmere, Chichester, West Sussex Photo: © Dawn Nelson
The stubby, now brown and spent, styles, one for each 'fruit'. Technically these berries are aggregate fruits, consisting of many Drupelets. The plant has both glandular and non-glandular hairs.


13th Aug 2013, Linchmere, Chichester, West Sussex Photo: © Dawn Nelson


13th Aug 2013, Linchmere, Chichester, West Sussex Photo: © Dawn Nelson
The lobes usually number 3 to 5 and are simple and can be orbicular (where the edges of the leaves lie within an enclosing circle). The teeth are irregular. The leaf stalks very thin for the size of the leaves that they support and have very thin fairly-long hairs.

Not to be semantically confused with : Blue-thimble-flower (Gilia capitata) [a plant with a similar name belonging to differing family].

Uniquely identifiable characteristics

Distinguishing Feature : The pink/orange fruits consisting of many drupelets which are edible, containing much vitamin C.

  Rubus parviflorus  ⇐ Global Aspect ⇒ Rosaceae  

Distribution
family8Rose family8Rosaceae
 BSBI maps
genus8Rubus
Rubus
(Brambles)

THIMBLEBERRY

Rubus parviflorus

Rose Family [Rosaceae]