Stone Bramble

Description

Rubus saxatilis, or stone bramble, is a species of bramble widespread across Europe and Asia from Iceland and Spain east as far as China. It has also been found in Greenland. The green stems are 20–60 cm tall and covered with minute needle-like prickles, and leaves are usually compound with three leaflets. The spherical fruit is red and 1–1.5 cm in diameter, and contains large pips. The stone bramble is a perennial plant with biennial stems which die after fruiting in their second year. It sends out long runners which root at the tip to form new plants. The stems are rough with many small spines. The alternate leaves are stalked. Each leaf consists of three oval leaflets with serrated margins, the terminal leaflet having a short stalk and the other two being slightly smaller. The inflorescence is a few-flowered corymb. The calyx of each flower has five sepals and the corolla is composed of five narrow white petals. There is a bunch of stamens and there are several pistils. The fruit is an aggregate of several red, fleshy drupes.