Rubus hylophilus – Series Discolores
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This bramble has long panicles of large white flowers, no stalked glands and slender stems with relatively few prickles. Leaves are whitish-felted below. It has a fairly small British range centred on Surrey and Greater London, with outlying records from the Isle of Wight, Wiltshire, Oxfordshire and Kent.
Rubus hylophilus forms clumps at least 1.5m high with eye-catching inflorescences of large white flowers which overtop the leaves and often arch outwards or downwards. These are narrowly pyramidal with relatively long and stout ascending branches, giving an open, uncongested appearance. Each panicle has several trifoliate leaves lower down subtending further ascending flowering branches (which are sometimes well developed) and there is usually one or more simple leaves at the base of the main inflorescence. The rachis and floral branches are densely pubescent above (glabrous below), green or orange-brown in colour with moderately frequent curved or hooked prickles, which are a contrasting pale golden yellow.
A mixture of first year stems and leafy portions of the panicles.
Flowers are white (the merest hint of salmon pink in bud), c.2.5-3cm diameter, broadly elliptical to almost round, abruptly narrowed at the base, c.10-12 x 8-10mm. Stamens slightly exceed the styles and are not particularly dense; the styles are green; young carpels and receptacle hairy. Sepals are thinly felted (sometimes green and shiny in the centre) with medium to long points, loosely reflexed.
Leaves are yellowish-green, with 5 leaflets which are relatively thin in texture and glabrous but dull above. The terminal leaflet is broadly elliptical, c.8 x 6cm, with a short, often undifferentiated tip and an emarginate base; it is often slightly 'inflated' (making it concave or convex). The margin is flat, irregularly dentate to serrate and often somewhat incised. Stems are relatively slender, high-arching or nearly erect, sharply angled with flat or furrowed sides, glabrous or very sparsely hairy. They can be green or turn reddish-brown when exposed to the sun. Prickles are relatively well spaced, sometimes nearly straight and patent (or upturned), but usually curved or hooked; they are variable in size but sometimes quite stout and longer than the width of the stem. They may be all yellow or with a reddish base.
Leaflets in the panicle and on the primocanes are greenish-white or greyish-white felted below.
