Rubus lasiococcus
Encyclopedia
Rubus lasiococcus is a species of wild blackberry
known by the common names roughfruit berry and dwarf bramble. It is native to western North America from British Columbia
to northern California
, where it grows in mountain forests. In the southern half of its range the plant is commonly found in a plant community in the understory
of mountain hemlock (Tsuga mertensiana) and Shasta red fir (Abies magnifica var. shastensis). It is a tangling, prostrate shrub
with very slender stolon
s spreading along the ground and rooting where their nodes come in contact with moist substrate, forming a groundcover
. Some stems grow erect to bear flowers. The leaves are each deeply divided into three lobes, or compound into three toothed leaflets, borne on a petiole
a few centimeters long. The inflorescence
is a solitary flower or a pair of flowers with five reflexed sepal
s and five white petals each just under a centimeter long. The fruit is a densely hairy red aggregate
less than a centimeter wide.
Rubus
Rubus is a large genus of flowering plants in the rose family, Rosaceae, subfamily Rosoideae. Raspberries, blackberries, and dewberries are common, widely distributed members of the genus. Most of these plants have woody stems with prickles like roses; spines, bristles, and gland-tipped hairs are...
known by the common names roughfruit berry and dwarf bramble. It is native to western North America from British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
to northern California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, where it grows in mountain forests. In the southern half of its range the plant is commonly found in a plant community in the understory
Understory
Understory is the term for the area of a forest which grows at the lowest height level below the forest canopy. Plants in the understory consist of a mixture of seedlings and saplings of canopy trees together with understory shrubs and herbs...
of mountain hemlock (Tsuga mertensiana) and Shasta red fir (Abies magnifica var. shastensis). It is a tangling, prostrate shrub
Shrub
A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
with very slender stolon
Stolon
In biology, stolons are horizontal connections between organisms. They may be part of the organism, or of its skeleton; typically, animal stolons are external skeletons.-In botany:...
s spreading along the ground and rooting where their nodes come in contact with moist substrate, forming a groundcover
Groundcover
Groundcover refers to any plant that grows over an area of ground, used to provide protection from erosion and drought, and to improve its aesthetic appearance .- Ecosystem :...
. Some stems grow erect to bear flowers. The leaves are each deeply divided into three lobes, or compound into three toothed leaflets, borne on a petiole
Petiole (botany)
In botany, the petiole is the stalk attaching the leaf blade to the stem. The petiole usually has the same internal structure as the stem. Outgrowths appearing on each side of the petiole are called stipules. Leaves lacking a petiole are called sessile, or clasping when they partly surround the...
a few centimeters long. The inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
is a solitary flower or a pair of flowers with five reflexed sepal
Sepal
A sepal is a part of the flower of angiosperms . Collectively the sepals form the calyx, which is the outermost whorl of parts that form a flower. Usually green, sepals have the typical function of protecting the petals when the flower is in bud...
s and five white petals each just under a centimeter long. The fruit is a densely hairy red aggregate
Fruit
In broad terms, a fruit is a structure of a plant that contains its seeds.The term has different meanings dependent on context. In non-technical usage, such as food preparation, fruit normally means the fleshy seed-associated structures of certain plants that are sweet and edible in the raw state,...
less than a centimeter wide.