This is an ongoing piece of work to find, photograph & describe all the Rubus species in Norfolk
The classification and basic keys below come from an
out of
print work by eminent Norfolk Botanist
Alec Bull.
It was his original work on Norfolk brambles that has
inspired the present generation of Norfolk Batologists
Scheme of Classification
Genus Rubus L
Subgegenus
1. Chanaemorus (Hill) Focke
2. Cylactis(Raf) Focke
3. Anaplobatus Focke
4. Idaeobatus Focke
5. RubusSection A.
RubusSubsection 1.
RubusSubsection 2. Hiemales E.H.L.KrauseSeries
1. Sylvatici (Mueller) Focke
2. Rhamnifolii (Bab) Focke
3. Sprengeliani Focke
4. Discolores (Mueller) Focke
5. Vestiti (Focke) Focke)
6. Mucronati (Focke) Weber
7. Micantes Sudre ex Bouvet
8. Anisacanthi Weber
9. Radulae (Focke) Focke
10. Hystrices Focke
11. Glandulosi (Wimmer & Grab) Focke
Section B. Corylifolii Lindley
Section C. Caesii Lej & Courtois
Key to Subgenera
1. Stems herbaceous_____ 2
Stems Woody _____________ 3.
2. Leaves & inflorescences simple__________ Chamemorus
Leaves & inflorescences compound ____Cylactis
3. Stems unarmed, leaves simple _____________________________Anoplobatus
Stems armed, leaves compound_______ 4.
4. Leaves pinnate ______Idaeobatus
Leaves Palmate ___________Rubus
Subgenus 5 Rubus
Key to Sections
1. Leaves usually not imbricate, basal leaflets stalked, stipules filiform…………A Rubus
Leaves imbricate, basal leaflets sessile or sub sessile, stipules relatively broad ………. 2
2 Leaflets (3); fruit black, not pruinose… B Corylifolii
Leaflets 3; fruits bluish black, pruinose….C Caesii
Key to sub sections
(Subgenus Rubus, Section A Rubus
Stems suberect, not ( or very rarely) rooting at the tips, suckers often
produced from the root; leaves deciduous in winter. ................. I . Rubus
Stems rooting at the tips in autumn, suckers not produced from the root;
leaves persistent in winter ............................................. 2. Hiemales
1. Stalked glands usually absent from the primocane, if present rare and inconspicuous………………………………2
Stalked glands present on the primocane ………………… . 4
2. Leaflets sometimes hairy beneath but not felted..........1. Sylvatici
Leaflets feltedbeneath…………………………………........... 3
3. Leaflets greyish-white felted beneath, a few stalked glands sometimes present on the rachis and floral brannches……. 2. Rhamnifolii
Leaflets chalky-white beneath , stalked glands sometimes present (except in R rossensis)…………….. 4. Discolores
4. Stalked glands usually few, stamens shorter than styles… . 3. Sprengeliani
Stalked glands usually many stamens equal to or longer than styles……... 5
5. Prickles confined to the angles of the stem and not grading into pricklets… 6
Prickles present all round the stem and grading into pricklets…………….. 9
6. Stems more or less densely hairy, stalked glands less conspicuous than hairs…………………………….. 5. Vestiti
Hairs, if present, less obvious than stalked glands…….....… 7
7. Terminal leaflet obovate, often broad, with a short cuspidate apex and serrulate margin ………… .… 6. Mucronati
Terminal leaflet not as above………………………………………………... 8
8. Stems rough with short subequal stalked glands and sub acicles. 9. Radulae
Stalked glands and acicles unequal…………………………… 7. Micantes
9. Prickles strong, pricklets often more numerous than stalked glands… 10. Hystrices
Prickles weak, stalked glands and acicles often very numerous……. 11. Glandulosi
Prickles and stalked glands present in very variable quantity on the same bush………………………. 8. Anisacanthi