RUBrS 463 



Native of Western N. America, where it takes the place of R. occidentalis 

 of the eastern side ; to this species it is closely allied. It was intro- 

 duced to Britain by Douglas, about 1829, and has been sometimes grown in 

 gardens for its blue-white stems. The name, however, is better known than 

 the plant, for what is often grown as "leucodermis ;} is the Himalayan 

 R. biflorus, a species with much whiter (less blue) stems than this and, indeed, 

 preferable to it. 



R. MALIFOLIUS, Focke. 



A deciduous shrub whose prostrate or climbing stems are sparingly armed 

 with short recurved spines, otherwise smooth. Leaves. oval or ovate, 2 to 5 

 ins. long, I to 2 ins. wide, rounded at the base, smooth above, downy on the 

 veins beneath, the margins set with broad, shallow teeth, each tooth ending 

 in a small abrupt point; veins in seven to ten pairs, parallel; stalk \ to f in. 

 long. Flowers in terminal racemes, 2 to 4 ins. long, each flower i in. across, 

 the petals roundish, overlapping; anthers downy; sepals ovate, downy like 

 the short flower-stalk. Fruits of goodly size, black. 



Native of W. China, where it is common in thickets at 2000 to 4000 ft; 

 also of Central China, but rare. It is an elegant species, and in regard to its 

 flowers is one of the handsomest of Chinese Rubi, but Mr Wilson informs me 

 that the fruit has an unpleasant flavour. It differs from R. Swinhoei in the 

 inflorescence being without glands. The specific name refers to the apple- 

 like foliage. 



R. NIGROBACCUS, Bailey. HIGH BLACKBERRY. 



(R. villosus, Gray (not of Alton).} 



A deciduous shrub, with erect or arching, angled stems, 4 to 7 ft. high, 

 armed with stout prickles and covered with pale down. Leaves mostly 

 'trifoliolate; leaflets ovate or oblong, coarsely, irregularly, often doubly toothed; 

 2 to 4 ins. long, half as much wide ; with scattered hairs above, very downy 

 beneath. Flowers i in. wide, pure white, produced in fine terminal racemes 

 augmented by solitary flowers from the axils of the uppermost leaves ; the 

 entire inflorescence will measure 8 to 12 ins. long. Each flower is borne on 

 a shaggy stalk i to i^ ins. long. Fruit black, f to i in. long, very juicy. 



Native of Eastern N. America, long cultivated in this country and in 

 America under the erroneous name of R. villosus. [The real R. VILLOSUS, 

 Alton, is a procumbent plant with the usually solitary flowers produced in 

 leaf-axils.] Our present species is the parent of a well-known and valuable 

 race of cultivated American blackberries, to which " Kittatiny," " Newman's 

 Thornless," and other varieties belong. Over thirty years ago several of 

 these garden varieties were imported from America and tried as fruit-bearers 

 in this country, but none of them ever succeeded. As flowering shrubs, how- 

 ever, both they and the type have considerable beauty, the large terminal 

 clusters of flowers being amongst the most effective in the genus. They 

 expand in early June. 



Var. FLORE PLENO. Handsome, double-flowered, and more lasting in 

 blossom. The best form to grow in English gardens. 



R. NOBILIS, Regel. 



A hybrid between R. odoratus and R. Idaeus, raised by Mr C. de Vos, at 

 Hazerswoude, near Boskoop, in Holland, about 1855. It is intermediate 

 between the parents, having erect, sturdy stems peeling like those of R. 



