Rubus niveus (Mysore raspberry, Ceylon raspberry and hill raspberry) is a species of Rubus native to southern Asia.

Description

Rubus niveus is a shrub growing to 1–2.5 metres (3+1⁄2–8ft) tall, the stems whitish, tomentose (densely covered with short, matted hairs) at first, later becoming glabrous green to purple. The leaves are pinnate with 5–11 leaflets (mostly 7 or 9) that are 2.5–8 centimetres (1–3+1⁄8in) long and 1–4cm (3⁄8–1+5⁄8in) wide. The leaflets are dark green above and densely pale grey to white tomentose beneath.

The flowers are about 1cm in diameter, with five dark pink to red petals. The fruit is 8–12cm (3+1⁄4–4+3⁄4in) in diameter, densely grey tomentose, and dark red at first, ripening black.

Taxonomy

The species was first published in 1813 by Carl Peter Thunberg in De Rubo: 9.

There are 2 known varieties;

  • Rubus niveus var. micranthus (D.Don) H.Hara
  • Rubus niveus var. niveus

The species is commonly known as 'Mysore raspberry', 'Ceylon raspberry' (after the former name of Sri Lanka) and 'hill raspberry'. Local native names include Chinese:红泡刺藤, and Hindi:काला हिसालू,romanized:kala hinsalu.

Distribution and habitat

It is native to southern Asia; from Afghanistan, east through India—covering the Himalayas, Assam, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka—and across to Tibet, southern and north-central China and Taiwan, and south to Indo-China (Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam) and Malesia (in Java).

It has been introduced into various countries and regions including; south America (in Bolivia, southern Brazil, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Trinidad and Tobago), United States (in the states of Florida and Hawaii), Africa (Ethiopia, Galápagos, Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe) and South Africa (in the Cape Provinces, the Northern Provinces and Swaziland).[citation needed]

It has become naturalised and invasive in Hawaii and the Galápagos Islands.

It grows in temperate regions.

Uses

Rubus niveus is cultivated for its edible fruit, which potentially have gastroprotective, antioxidative, and nutraceutical properties.

External links

  • Media related toRubus niveusat Wikimedia Commons