Rosaceae FAMILY

Rubus australis

Edibility

2/5

Medicinal

2/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Botanical Description

Rubus australis is an evergreen shrub with two types of stem - juvenile stems are unarmed and do not flower, they creep over the forest floor, rooting at intervals. Adult stems are produced from the leaf nodes - these are prickly, they can be 10 metres or more long and can sometimes reach to the tops of tall trees in its native habitat[ 1165 Title New Zealand Plant Conservation Network Publication Author Website http://nzpcn.org.nz/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description They have produced a series of fact sheets for the flora of New Zealand, giving comprehensive descriptions, good photos, cultivation information and some uses. ]. The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and medicine. It is sometimes grown as an ornamental in gardens.

Habitat & Origin

Origintemperate

Native RangeNew Zealand - North, South and Stewart Islands

HabitatLowland to montane forest[ 44 Title Flora of New Zealand. Publication Author Allan. H. H. Website http://floraseries.landcareresearch.co.nz/pages/Book.aspx?fileName=Flora%201.xml Publisher Government Printer, Wellington. Year 1961 ISBN - Description The standard work, in 5 volumes though only the first two are of interest to the plant project. Very good on habitats. There is also an on-line version. ]. Forest fringes[ 128 Title Plants of New Zealand. Publication Author Laing. and Blackwell. Publisher Whitcombe and Tombs Ltd Year 1907 ISBN - Description An old flora of New Zealand in a readable style. Some details of plant uses. ]. When growing in an open sunny position it forms a flowerless and leafless plant[ 128 Title Plants of New Zealand. Publication Author Laing. and Blackwell. Publisher Whitcombe and Tombs Ltd Year 1907 ISBN - Description An old flora of New Zealand in a readable style. Some details of plant uses. ]. Usually in forest but also found in scrub, and often on the margins of, or within wetlands[ 1165 Title New Zealand Plant Conservation Network Publication Author Website http://nzpcn.org.nz/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description They have produced a series of fact sheets for the flora of New Zealand, giving comprehensive descriptions, good photos, cultivation information and some uses. ].