Rubus erythrocladus

Mart.

Rosaceae Edible: Fruit 31 iNaturalist observations

Has a deadly poisonous lookalike — see comparison below

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Description

A spiny climbing shrub. It grows 1-3 m long. The leaves are compound with 3-5 leaflets. They are 6-10 cm long. The leaf stalk is 3-7 cm long. It has dense backward pointing spines. These are 3-4 mm long. The flowers are white. They are in groups near the ends of the branches. The compound fruit has small sweet drupelets.

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw or made into jellies. A fleshy fruit with a sweet, pleasant flavour. The fruit is about 15mm in diameter.

Traditional Uses

The fruit are eaten raw or used in jellies.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Distribution

It is a tropical plant. It grows naturally in Brazil.

Where It Grows

Brazil*, South America,

Cultivation

Plants are grown from seed.

Propagation

Seed - germinates best if given a period of cold stratification prior to sowing in containers. Stored seed requires one month stratification at about 3°c and is best sown as early as possible in the growing season. Prick out the seedlings when they are large enough to handle and grow on until large enough to plant out. Cuttings of half-ripe wood in a frame. Tip layering towards the end of the growing season Division just before the plant comes into new growth or as it enters dormancy.

Dangerous Lookalikes

This plant can be confused with the following toxic species. Always verify identification carefully before consuming any wild plant.

DEADLY

Red Baneberry

Actaea rubra

Walter Siegmund (talk)

Safe

Rubus erythrocladus

Red Baneberry: Short herbaceous plant (no thorns), berries on thick red stems, each berry has a single seed, compound sharply-toothed leaves.

Rubus erythrocladus: Thorny woody canes (brambles), aggregate berry made of many drupelets, berries pull easily from receptacle.

Also Known As

Amora verde, Capinuriba verde

References (5)

Brack, P., et al, 2020, Frutas nativas do Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil: riqueza e potencial alimentício. Native fruits of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil: richness and potential as food. Rodriguésia 71: e03102018
Hunter, D., et al, 2019, The potential of neglected and underutilized species for improving diets and nutrition. Planta (2019) 250:709-729
Kinupp, V. F., 2007, Plantas alimenticias nao-convencionais da regiao metropolitana de Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil p 96
Lorenzi, H., Bacher, L., Lacerda, M. & Sartori, S., 2006, Brazilian Fruits & Cultivated Exotics. Sao Paulo, Instituto Plantarum de Estuados da Flora Ltda. p 280
www.colecionandofrutas.org