14. Rubus celer L.H. Bailey

Map 2512

Canes to 200 cm long and 50 cm tall, 3–5 mm in diameter. Prickles usually moderate, 1–3 per cm of cane, 2–3 mm long. Petioles with sparse nonglandular hairs, armed with downward-curved to downward-angled prickles to 2 mm long. Stipules 10–16 mm long, linear. Primocane leaflets mostly 5, sometimes 3, the margins sharply toothed, the upper surface glabrous, the undersurface thinly hairy, especially along the veins. Central primocane leaflets 6.0–8.5 cm long and 4–6 cm wide, ovate-elliptic to elliptic, rounded at the base, tapered to a sharply pointed tip, the leaflet stalk about 1/4 as long as the leaflet blade; middle leaflets elliptic-obovate, angled at the base, angled to a sharply pointed tip, stalked; basal leaflets elliptic-obovate, angled at the base, angled to a sharply pointed tip, and sessile when 5 leaflets are present, tapered to a sharply pointed tip, short-stalked, and often asymmetrically lobed when only 3 leaflets are present. Inflorescences (7–)10–20(–32) cm long, with 4–12 flowers on long, ascending stalks (often with a more-or-less flat-topped arrangement) and 4–7 leafy bracts, these mostly with 3 leaflets; flower and inflorescence stalks with spreading, nonglandular hairs and sometimes with small, downward-curved prickles. Sepals 6–7 mm long, 3–4 mm wide, triangular-ovate, abruptly tapered to a short, slender point. Petals 10–13 mm long, obovate. Fruits 13–20 mm long, 11–20 mm wide, globose to short-cylindric. May–June.

Uncommon, mostly in the eastern half of the state (northeastern U.S. and adjacent Canada west to Wisconsin, Iowa, and Missouri). Upland prairies; also pastures, fencerows, ditches, roadsides, and open, sandy, disturbed areas.