Rubus innominatus

S. Moore

Bai ye mei

Rosaceae Edible: Fruit 32 iNaturalist observations

Has a deadly poisonous lookalike — see comparison below

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Summary

A deciduous shrub reaching 3m in height. Flowers in June with seed ripening July to August. Hermaphroditic and insect-pollinated. Tolerates light sandy, medium loamy, and heavy clay soils with good drainage. Grows in mildly acidic to basic soil pH, semi-shade or full sun, with moist soil preference.

Description

A shrub. It grows 1-3 m high. The branches arch over. The small branches are reddish brown and with a dense covering. There are just a few curved prickles. The leaves are compound. They are divided 3 to 5 times. The leaf stalk is 2-4 cm long. The blade of the leaflets varies in shaped and is 4-10 cm long by 2.5-5 cm wide. The edges can have irregular lobes and teeth. The leaves have a grey covering underneath. The flowers are near the end of branches. The fruit is orange red and 1 cm across. Some varieties have been described based on leaf shape and plant hairiness.

Edible Uses

The fruit can be eaten raw or cooked and has a good flavour. It is orange-red in colour and about 10mm in diameter.

Medicinal Uses

None known

Distribution

It is a temperate plant. It grows in forests on mountain slopes and riversides between 400-2500 m altitude in S China. In Sichuan and Yunnan.

Where It Grows

Asia, China*, North America, USA,

Cultivation

Easily grown in a good well-drained loamy soil in sun or semi-shade. Closely related to R. kuntzeanus. This species is a raspberry with biennial stems, it produces a number of new stems each year from the perennial rootstock, these stems fruit in their second year and then die. Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus.

Propagation

Seed requires stratification and is best sown in early autumn in a cold frame. Stored seed requires one month stratification at about 3°c and should be sown as early as possible in the year. Prick out seedlings when large enough to handle and grow on in a cold frame, then plant out into permanent positions in late spring of the following year. Cuttings of half-ripe wood can be taken in July/August in a frame. Tip layering can be done in July, with plants set out in autumn. Division is possible in early spring or just before leaf-fall in autumn.

Other Uses

A purple to dull blue dye is obtained from the fruit.

Notes

There are about 700 Rubus species.

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

Bai ye mei

Rubus innominatus

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

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

Synonyms

Rubus kuntzeanus Hemsl.

References (4)

J. Bot. 13:226. 1875
Lu Lingdi, Boufford, D.E., Rubus. Flora of China.
Mansfield's Encyclopedia of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops p 423
Plants for a Future database, The Field, Penpol, Lostwithiel, Cornwall, PL22 0NG, UK. http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/pfaf/