Rubus pascuus is an uncommon North American species of brambles in the rose family. It grows only in the United States, primarily in the Ozarks of Missouri and Arkansas but with scattered populations farther east in New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia, and the Carolinas.[1] [2]
The genetics of Rubus is extremely complex, so that it is difficult to decide on which groups should be recognized as species. There are many rare species with limited ranges such as this. Further study is suggested to clarify the taxonomy.[3]
Coarse, woody canes, often 2-5 m long and heavily armed with strong, flattened and sometimes recurved prickles. Differentiated into first-year stems, usually without flowers or fruit (primocanes) and 2nd-year stems with flowers and fruit (floricanes). Strong, recurved prickles also arm the underside of the leaves and the stems of the flowering/fruiting area (raceme). Stems covered by short, fine, grayish hairs (canescent).
Flower petals white to pale-pink. Fruits turn from green to red to dark purple or black as they ripen. Fruit breaks off with the tip of the stem inside (retaining the receptacle) like a typical blackberry, as opposed a Raspberry fruit which separates from the receptacle, leaving a little concave hole inside the fruit. Fruits are edible and taste like any other blackberry.[4]
Leaves mostly compound, consisting of 3 leaflets (trifoliate), the central leaflet on a short stalk (rachis), the side leaflets touching (sessile) the leaf stalk (petiole). Leaflets generally oval (ovate-oblong), the tips slightly tapering to a small peak (acute), the margins with tiny, irregular teeth (coarsely double-serrate). The side leaflets on the primocane occasionally slightly lobed.[5] The underside of the leaves are very light/bright grayish with little hairs (tomentose). The whitish underside of the leaves sets it apart from similar species with recurved prickles such as Rubus argutus.
