Rubus sectiramus – Series Radulae

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This is quite a rare bramble, currently recorded from scattered locations between Dorset and Kent. It can be identified by a combination of the stems having almost no hairs, the flowers with pale pink petals and yellowish styles, and by the distinctive terminal leaflets which are relatively large, wider above the middle and generally shallowly toothed with a relatively short, narrow cuspidate apex.

The inflorescence is typically about 15-20 flowered. Flowers are about 2-2.5cm across, with petals broadly elliptical, around 12 x 8mm. The stamens are a little longer than the styles (in many Radulae they are about level). Sepals are reflexed soon after flowering, but then rise again. The rachis prickles are extremely fine and sharp.

Better-developed leaves have 5 leaflets, but occasionally 3 or 4 may be present. The terminal leaflet is 7-9cm long, excluding the narrow tip (0.5-1cm). It is obovate, often with a rather truncate end. The serrations are very fine and even, but the truncate part can be multi-serrate.

Leaflet undersides are usually quite strongly greenish-grey felted, but the shade-grown specimen shown below had only a thin pubescence.

This species is fairly easily recognisable as series Radulae due to the frequent stem glands and non-glandular acicles which are roughly the same size (around 1mm long) and give the stems a rough feel. The main prickles are quite slender and are confined to the angles.