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Useful Tropical Plants

Rubus floribundus

Kunth

Rosaceae


The genus Rubus, (especially the blackberries, which are often loosely referred to as Rubus fruticosus agg.) presents some of the most difficult taxonomic problems. This is partly due to the frequency of polyploidy; also to the frequent occurrence of hybridization; and also due to apomixis, where minor differences between plants are preserved because seedlings are genetically identical to their parent. As a result, differences of opinion on the number of species to be recognized from a given region can vary tremendously (for example, a treatment by M. L. Fernald[
43
Title
Gray's Manual of Botany.Eighth Edition
Publication
 
Author
Fernald. M. L.
Publisher
American Book Co.; New York
Year
1950
ISBN
0442222505
Description
A bit dated but a good and concise flora of the eastern part of N. America.
] in 1950 recognized 205 species for the northern half of the eastern United States plus parts of southeastern Canada, whilst H. A. Gleason and A. Cronquist in 1991 recognized only 25)[
270
Title
Flora of N. America
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses.
]. Where possible, a relatively conservative approach is taken here[
K
Title
Plants for a Future
Author
Ken Fern
Description
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].

+ Synonyms

Rubus robustus C.Presl

Common Name:

Rubus floribundus
Flowers and leaf
Photograph by: Alfredo F. Fuentes
Creative Commons License
Rubus floribundus Rubus floribundus Rubus floribundus Rubus floribundus

General Information

Rubus floribundus is a shrub, producing each year a cluster of prickly, biennial stems growing from a woody rootstock; the stems can be up to 450cm long[
369
Title
Flora of Costa Rica
Publication
 
Author
Standley P.C.
Website
http://www.archive.org/
Publisher
Field Museum of Natural History; Chicago
Year
1938
ISBN
 
Description
Rather dated, but an excellent treatment of the area. Available for download from the internet.
,
504
Title
Contributions from the United States National Herbarium Vol. 24
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Smithsonian Institute; Washington.
Year
1931
ISBN
 
Description
A treatment of the edible fruits of Ecuador is jut one of the articles in this publication. It can be downloaded from the internet.
]. The stems only produce leaves, and do not flower, in their first year of growth, forming flowering branches in their second year and then dying after fruiting.
The plant is widely harvested from the wild for local use as a food and also as a medicine. It is sometimes cultivated for its fruit in the Andes at an altitudinal range of 2,200 - 3,100 metres, where it is also used to provide a stock-proof barrier[
317
Title
Mansfeld's Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Plants
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://mansfeld.ipk-gatersleben.de/pls/htmldb_pgrc/f?p=185:3:4292127278597336
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Terse details of a huge range of useful plants.
].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References


Range

S. America - Argentina, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador.

Habitat

Hedgerows in Ecuador[
504
Title
Contributions from the United States National Herbarium Vol. 24
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Smithsonian Institute; Washington.
Year
1931
ISBN
 
Description
A treatment of the edible fruits of Ecuador is jut one of the articles in this publication. It can be downloaded from the internet.
].

Properties

Edibility Rating *  *  *
Medicinal Rating *  *
Other Uses Rating *  *
HabitShrub
Height3.00 m
Cultivation StatusCultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of higher elevations in the tropics.
Species in this genus are generally easily grown in a good well-drained loamy soil in sun or semi-shade[
1
Title
RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956
Publication
 
Author
F. Chittendon.
Publisher
Oxford University Press
Year
1951
ISBN
-
Description
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaced in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
,
11
Title
Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement.
Publication
 
Author
Bean. W.
Publisher
Murray
Year
1981
ISBN
-
Description
A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.
,
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw[
46
Title
Dictionary of Economic Plants.
Publication
 
Author
Uphof. J. C. Th.
Publisher
Weinheim
Year
1959
ISBN
-
Description
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
,
504
Title
Contributions from the United States National Herbarium Vol. 24
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Smithsonian Institute; Washington.
Year
1931
ISBN
 
Description
A treatment of the edible fruits of Ecuador is jut one of the articles in this publication. It can be downloaded from the internet.
]. Of good quality[
46
Title
Dictionary of Economic Plants.
Publication
 
Author
Uphof. J. C. Th.
Publisher
Weinheim
Year
1959
ISBN
-
Description
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
]. The fruit is about 20mm long[
504
Title
Contributions from the United States National Herbarium Vol. 24
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Smithsonian Institute; Washington.
Year
1931
ISBN
 
Description
A treatment of the edible fruits of Ecuador is jut one of the articles in this publication. It can be downloaded from the internet.
].

Medicinal

An infusion of the leaves, combined with the leaves of Perezia multiflora, Senecio calvus, Jungia rugosa, Eucalyptus sp., etc, is used in the treatment of coughs and flu[
1164
Title
Hot and cold: Medicinal plant uses in Quechua speaking communities in the high Andes
Publication
Journal of Ethnopharmacology 155 (2014) 1093-1117
Author
Mercedes Gonzales de la Cruz et al
Publisher
 
Year
2014
ISBN
 
Description
Information on 178 species of medicinal plants used in the Quecha communities of Andean Peru
]..
The young leaves, harvested from the stem apex, are chewed as a treatment for throat pain and inflammation[
1164
Title
Hot and cold: Medicinal plant uses in Quechua speaking communities in the high Andes
Publication
Journal of Ethnopharmacology 155 (2014) 1093-1117
Author
Mercedes Gonzales de la Cruz et al
Publisher
 
Year
2014
ISBN
 
Description
Information on 178 species of medicinal plants used in the Quecha communities of Andean Peru
].

A traditional treatment for headache due to blood high pressure is to place the plant over burning charcoal - when the leaves are hot they are placed around the head and kept in place until they become cold[
1164
Title
Hot and cold: Medicinal plant uses in Quechua speaking communities in the high Andes
Publication
Journal of Ethnopharmacology 155 (2014) 1093-1117
Author
Mercedes Gonzales de la Cruz et al
Publisher
 
Year
2014
ISBN
 
Description
Information on 178 species of medicinal plants used in the Quecha communities of Andean Peru
].

An infusion of the flowers is drunk as a treatment for digestive problems[
1164
Title
Hot and cold: Medicinal plant uses in Quechua speaking communities in the high Andes
Publication
Journal of Ethnopharmacology 155 (2014) 1093-1117
Author
Mercedes Gonzales de la Cruz et al
Publisher
 
Year
2014
ISBN
 
Description
Information on 178 species of medicinal plants used in the Quecha communities of Andean Peru
]

Agroforestry Uses:

The plants are grown in hedges, where their sharp thorns and intertwined stems act as a strong barrier to larger animals[
504
Title
Contributions from the United States National Herbarium Vol. 24
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Smithsonian Institute; Washington.
Year
1931
ISBN
 
Description
A treatment of the edible fruits of Ecuador is jut one of the articles in this publication. It can be downloaded from the internet.
].

Other Uses

None known

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[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Tip layering towards the end of the growing season
Division just before the plant comes into new growth or as it enters dormancy[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-03-29. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Rubus+floribundus>

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