Flower ID: IMG_0520.JPG-07-05-2018 Flower name (scientific): Rubus occidentalis Linnaeus PY: 1753. Pronunciation guide: (phonetic spelling) ROO-bus ock-sih-den-TAH-liss Flower name (common): Black Raspberry Family name (common): Rose Family name (scientific): Rosaceae Scientific name origin: Genus: From the ancient Latin for brambles. Specific epithet: Latin for western or of the west. Common name origin: From the color and also a name commonly used to denote any edible berry-like fruit of the Rubus genus that resembles the red-colored fruit from Rubus idaeus, called a raspberry. Flower description: Size: 0.4 to 0.6 inches (1.0 to 1.5 cm) Petal count: 5 Color: red or white Other: flower arrangement, Cluster-cyme Plant description: Size: 36 to 60 inches (91 to 152 cm) Stem hairy: Other: Leaf description: attachment is alternate, type is compound Size: Terminal leaflets up to 10 to 14 cm long and 8 to 11 cm wide. Color: Hairy: Other: Shape: leaf, ternate or palmate, leaflet, ovate to lanceolate (FNA) Origin (native, introduced, invasive): Native Status (common, uncommon, threatened, rare): Common Bloom time (typical): May to June Cycle (annual, biennial, perennial): Perennial Habitat: Woods, fields, thickets, meadows, prairies, roadsides, sun or part shade, dry to moist. Fruit: Seed: Importance to wildlife: Similar species (if any): One characteristic to note that can help distinguish Rubus occidentalis is that the drupes of the blackberries do not easily separate from their receptacles, whereas the drupes of raspberries detach easily and cleanly. The fruit of Rubus occidentalis is a round berry, composed of an aggregate of numerous small juicy druplets, with a somewhat hollowed center. The leaf underside of R. occidentalis is whitish in color, and the petals are shorter than the sepals. Rubus idaeus (Wild Red Raspberry) has some resemblance, but at maturity the berries are red, whereas those of R. occidentalis are black-purple. Rubus allegheniensis (Common Blackberry) also has some resemblance. The characteristics to look for to help ID this latter species are the glandular hairs on the peduncles and pedicels, and petals longer than the sepals. Ethnobotany: The Menominee used the root as one component in a remedy for early stage consumption (Smith, p. 50, 1923). The Meskwaki employed the root to prepare a beverage tea, and they eat the black raspberries raw as well as sun-drying them for winter use (Smith, pp. 243, 264, 1928). The Chippewa used the roots to prepare a wash for sore eyes. They also used the fruit as a food source (Gilmore, p. 133, 1933). Latitude: 44.796325 Longitude: -91.512703 Altitude: 272.30 Distribution: In Wisconsin: (Adams, Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Brown, Buffalo, Calumet, Chippewa, Clark, Columbia, Crawford, Dane, Dodge, Door, Dunn, Eau Claire, Fond du Lac, Grant, Green, Green Lake, Iowa, Iron, Jackson, Jefferson, Juneau, Kenosha, La Crosse, Lafayette, Lincoln, Manitowoc, Marathon, Marinette, Marquette, Menominee, Milwaukee, Monroe, Oconto, Oneida, Outagamie, Ozaukee, Polk, Portage, Racine, Richland, Rock, Sauk, Shawano, Sheboygan, St. Croix, Taylor, Trempealeau, Vernon, Walworth, Washington, Waukesha, Waupaca, Waushara, Winnebago) Click here for distribution map In US: (AL, AR, CO, CT, DC, DE, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, VA, VT, WI, WV) In Canada: (NB, ON, QC) References: Synonym(s): Basionym: na Homotypic Synonym(s): Heterotypic Synonym(s): Autonym: na