Giant bramble
Rubus alceifolius

Family: Rosaceae

What it is like

A climbing shrub. It can be 6 m tall. The thorns on the stems are 4 mm long. The leaves have 5-7 lobes. The leaves are 5-20 cm long and wide. There on hairs on the top side and very hairy underneath. There are thorns along the midrib. The leaf stalks are 2-5 cm long and have thorns along the underside. The stipules are divided and spread out. The flowers can be single or in clusters in the axils of leaves or at the ends of branches. The flowers are white and 7-10 mm long. They have 5 petals. The fruit is an aggregate berry. It is orange or red and 2-3 cm long. There are many seeds.

It can become a weed. There are about 700 Rubus species.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in warm regions. It grows in secondary undergrowth between 500 and 1800 m altitude.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Australia, Cambodia, China, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Northeastern India, Philippines, SE Asia, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam

How it is used for food

The ripe fruit are eaten raw.

The ripe fruit are juicy and sweet.

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Akar kupur, Asam susoh, Dum ngay, Dumdum, Fa lep, Gabei, Gachai, Inshumaring, Jetulipoka, Krak, Leo, Lidah kuching, Mam-xoi, Pasi payi, Sial-inu-chhu, Tampu rengat, Tikisambak

Synonyms

Rubus alceaefolius; Rubus alceifolius var. diversolobatus (Merrill & Chun) T. T. Yu; Rubus bullatifolius Merrill; Rubus fimbriiferus Focke; Rubus gilvus Focke; Rubus hainanensis Focke; Rubus laciniatistipulatus Hayata ex Koidzumi; Rubus monguillonii H. Leveille & Vaniot; Rubus multibracteatus H. Laveille & Vaniot var. demangei H. Laveille;