Rubus leightonii

Botanical Description

Rubus leightonii is a semi-deciduous shrub, producing each year a cluster of arching, prickly stems from a woody rootstock; the plant can grow up to 2 metres tall if supported by other vegetation, but is generally lower - the stems arching outwards and forming new roots where their tips touch the ground. 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 can form large thickets of growth in the wild. The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food. It is sometimes cultivated for the fruit. Originally introduced into Australia for its edible fruit, the plant has escaped from cultivation and is now a serious weed of agriculture, forestry and the environment in New South Wales[ 365 Title Flora of New South Wales Publication Author Website http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/floraonline.htm Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An on-line resource giving a brief botanical description of all the native plants of New South Wales, their habitat and range, together with diagrams and photographs of the plants. ].