116 ROSACEAE 



The Northern Dewberry is extremely variable, and taxono- 

 mists have separated several of its forms as species. All of these 

 are included here under the one name. This shrub, besides 

 yielding great quantities of wild fruit, is the species from which 

 nearly all cultivated dewberries have been derived. 



RUBUS HISPIDUS Linnaeus 



Swamp Dewberry 



The Swamp Dewberry, fig. 26, is a low shrub with slender, 

 prostrate, trailing stems, which, although glabrous, are clothed 

 more or less densely with recurved or straight bristles, all of 

 which are tipped with glands. The branchlets are erect, usually 

 3 to 6 inches long, and bear 3-foliate or, rarely, 5-foliate leaves 

 with nearly smooth or occasionally pubescent petioles more or 

 less covered with bristles similar to those of the stem. The 

 blades are firm and sometimes persist through the winter. They 

 are obovate, or the lateral ones may be rhombic-ovate to nearly 

 orbicular, generally ^ to 2 inches long, nearly acute at the 

 apex, and rounded at the base. The margin is doubly serrate, 

 except the lower third, which may be entire. The upper surface 

 is glossy and smooth, and the lower surface is smooth with, 

 frequently, pubescent veins. 



The flowers occur in groups of 2 to 6 at the end of branchlets, 

 and there also may be 1 or 2 from the axils of upper leaves. 

 The white blossoms open from early June to the last of August. 

 They stand on pubescent, sometimes bristly pedicels. Sepals are 

 ovate, nearly acute or sometimes obtuse, and pointed with a 

 gland. They are densely pubescent on the outside and tomentose 

 within, are reflexed at flowering time and do not close on the 

 fruit. The white petals are obovate. The fruit, which usually 

 matures in August or later, is reddish purple and consists of 

 a few glabrous, sour drupelets. Because of its small size and 

 acidity, it has little food value. 



Distribution. — As its name indicates, the Swamp Dewberry 

 grows near lakes and marshes, especially at the base of wooded 

 slopes. In such habitats it ranges from Nova Scotia to Georgia 

 and west to Minnesota and Kansas. All of Illinois lies within 

 its range, and it may be expected in suitable habitats anywhere 

 within the state. It has not been widely reported, however. 

 Present records indicate its occurrence only in Cook County, 



