ROSACEA. 



245 



aSSfr 



In Ledges, thickets, woods, and waste 

 places, over nearly the whole of Europe, 

 Russian and central Asia, and northern 

 Africa, but not a high alpine nor an Arc- 

 tic species. Abundant in Britain. Fl. 

 summer, commencing early. It varies 

 considerably, especially in the prickles 

 and hairs, and in the shape of the leaf- 

 lets, and from its propagating so readily 

 by its rooting stems, individual varia- 

 tions are often extensively multiplied, 

 and acquire an undue importance in the 

 eyes of local observers. The conse- 

 quence has been an excessive multipli- 

 cation of supposed species, both in Bri- 

 tain and on the Continent, although 

 scarcely any two writers will be found to 

 agree in the characters and limits to 

 be assigned to them. Amongst those 

 which have been observed in Britain, the following appear to be the 

 most marked, although even these will very frequently be found to 

 pass imperceptibly one into the other. 



a. Common Blackberry (R. fruticosus communis). Leaflets covered 

 underneath with a close, white down. Flowers usually numerous. 

 Chiefly in hedges and thickets. 



b. Hazel-leaved B. {R. f. corylifolius). Leaflets green underneath, 

 usually large and broad. Flowers not so numerous as in the common 

 B. In hedges and thickets with the common B., but usually flowering 

 earlier. 



c. Hornbeam-leaved B. (R. f. carpinifolius) . Leaflets green under- 

 neath, but not so broad, and more pointed than in the last, the stems 

 more hairy. Flowers not numerous. Chiefly in w^oods. 



d. Glandular B. (R. f. glandulosus). Leaflets as in the last variety, 

 or sometimes broader, the stems with numerous stiff, glandular hairs 

 mixed in with the prickles. More frequent in shady woods than in 

 open thickets. 



e. Suberect B. (R. f. suberectus). Leaflets green, or slightly hoary 

 underneath. Stems shorter, and more erect than in the common forms. 

 Flowers usually few, and the fruit not so black. Occasionally found 

 in wet woods and thickets.^ 



* For further details see Hooker and Arnott's * British Flora/ 7th edit., 

 pp. 121 to 130, where the Blackberry and Dewberry are described as either 

 one, seven, or twenty-one species ; or Babington's c Manual,' 4th edit., p. 96, 

 where thirty- six species are admitted. 



