Rubus fruticosus explained

Rubus fruticosus L. is the ambiguous name of a European blackberry species in the genus Rubus (part of the rose family). The name has been interpreted in several ways:

• The species represented by the type specimen of Rubus fruticosus L., which is also the type specimen of the genus Rubus. This specimen is considered to match the species R. plicatus, in Rubus subgenus Rubus, section Rubus.
• Various species consistent with Carl Linnaeus' original description of the species, which was based on a mixture of specimens now considered to match Rubus ulmifolius and R. plicatus
• a species aggregate (group of similar species) Rubus fruticosus agg. (a nomen ambiguum) that includes most (or rarely all) of a group called Rubus subgenus Rubus (or less often: Rubus section Rubus [sensu latissimo] ^[1]):
  • in a narrow sense, sometimes separated as the section Glandulosus (alternative name: subsection Hiemales), with about 289 microspecies.^[2] In this sense the species aggregate does not include the type of the genus Rubus.
  • in a broad sense: (1) (i) sections Glandulosus and Rubus [sensu stricto] (in non-British systems, these two sections are classified together as section Rubus [sensu lato], section Glandulosus being called subsection Hiemales and section Rubus [sensu stricto] being called subsection Rubus)^[3] or (ii) "most of" these sections; or (2) sections Glandulosus, Rubus [sensu stricto] and Corylifolii.^[2] Section Rubus [sensu stricto] (about 20 microspecies) are probably hybrids involving members of section Glandulosus with either R. idaeus or R. allegheniensis.^[2] Section Corylifolii (about 24 microspecies) are probably hybrids involving members of section Glandulosus with R. caesius.^[2]
  • even more broadly, including all the taxa in the subgenus Rubus^[4]

Incorrect applications

Apart from the established meaning of Rubus fruticosus L. as R. plicatus, the name R. fruticosus has been incorrectly applied to several species, including:

• Rubus fructicosus Weihe & Nees, Rubi Germ. 24, 1822 -> Rubus montanus Lib. ex Lej., Fl. Spa 2: 317, 1813 (or part of R. montanus) ^{[5] [6]}
• Rubus fruticosus G.N.Jones -> Rubus vestitus Weihe ^[7]
• Rubus fruticosus L. ex Dierb. -> Rubus vulgaris Weihe & Nees ^[7]
• Rubus fruticosus Lour. -> Rubus cochinchinensis Tratt.^[7]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Rubus in Flora of China . Efloras.org. 26 March 2022.
2. Book: Stace, C. . Clive Stace. 2010 . New Flora of the British Isles . Cambridge University Press . Cambridge . 978-0521707725 .
3. Aktuelle Übersicht über die Brombeerflora in Westfalen (Rubus L. subgen. Rubus). Abhandlungen aus dem Westfälischen Museum für Naturkunde. 70. 289–304. 2008. Heinrich E. Weber. 26 March 2022.
4. Jarvis, C.E. . 1992 . Seventy-Two Proposals for the Conservation of Types of Selected Linnaean Generic Names, the Report of Subcommittee 3C on the Lectotypification of Linnaean Generic Names . Taxon . 41 . 3 . 552–583 . 1222833 . 10.2307/1222833.
5. Book: Mansfeld . Rudolf . Mansfeld's Encyclopedia of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops ((Except Ornamentals)) . Springer Science & Business Media . 2001 . 978-3-540-41017-1. 436 .
6. KIRÁLYI, G.. Reopening an old chapter: A revised taxonomic and evolutionary concept of the Rubus montanus group.. Preslia . 89. 4. 309–331. December 2017. 10.23855/preslia.2017.309 . 27 April 2019. free.
7. Web site: Search results — The Plant List. Theplantlist.org. 26 March 2022.