6 (o [ 826 ]
R U B U S caefius.
Dew-berry.
ICOSANDRIA Polygynia.
Gen. Char. Cal. 5-cleft. Petals 5 . Berry fuperior,
compofed of feveral fingle-feeded grains.
Sx>£c. Chaii. Leaflets three, hairy beneath; the lateral
ones lobed externally, Stem prickly, proftrate,
glaucous. Calyx embracing the fruit.
Syn. Rubus casfius. Linn. Sj>. PI. 706. Sm. FI.
Brit. 542. Hudf. 220. With. 468. Hull. 11 x.
Relh. 194. Sibth. 160. Abbot, m .
R. minor, frudlu caeruleo. Rail Syn. 467.
T H E Dew-berry bufh is to be found in dry thady ditches,
woods, and the borders of fields, not very unfrequently, though
itmuft be reckoned afarlefs common plant than the Rubus fru-
ficofus or corylifolius. It flowers in June or July, and the fruit
lafts throughout Auguft and September ; often later.
The ftems are weak and trailing, round, prickly, pale-green
with a vivid glaucous tinge. Though woody, they are only
annual, or at moft biennial.- Leaves three on a ftalk, fharply
and doubly ferrated, downy (not hoary) beneath ; the lateral
leaflets feflile, generally lobed on the outfide. Stipulse lanceolate.
Footflalks prickly and downy. All the prickles are
flender, a little curved. Flowers few together in terminal or
axillary prickly panicles. Calyx fpreading in the flower, clofed
about the fruit; its leaves tipped with long points. Petals
waved and crumpled, white, rarely reddifli. Fruit of few and
rather large grains, black with a bright blue tinge or bloom
like that of a plum. Its flavour is agreeably acid, without the
faint tafte of the common blaclc-berry, and, if it were fufficiently
plentiful, might be brought to table with advantage.