Rubus cissoides
| Rubus cissoides | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Rosids |
| Order: | Rosales |
| Family: | Rosaceae |
| Genus: | Rubus |
| Subgenus: | Micranthobatus |
| Species: | R. cissoides |
| Binomial name | |
|
Rubus cissoides A.Cunn. |
|
Rubus cissoides, commonly called bush lawyer or tātarāmoa, taraheke, taramoa, tātaraheke in Māori, is a scrambling vine native to New Zealand.
R. cissoides leaves are 6 - 15 centimetres in length and are arranged in clusters of three to five. It is found in forest in a variety of altitudes and produces white flowers followed by mature red berries.
Rubus cissoides is the same genus as the blackberry and raspberry resulting in several similar features. The bush lawyer is a woody climbing vine consisting of a relatively weak stem which relies on the support of shrubs.
The bush lawyer is a dicotyledonous plant meaning the leaves consist of a branching vein network. The leaf surface is smooth and hairless, whilst having serrated edges. The leaves are long and narrow in shape, forming in groups of five leaflets.
A key identifying feature for the bush lawyer is the reddish coloured hooks located on the branches. These hooks are on the underside of the branch to enable the plant to essentially grip as it climbs to heights of up to four meters.
The bush lawyer has a white flower and also produces a yellow to red coloured berry.
Rubus cissoides is a species native to New Zealand. It is endemic because it occurs naturally only in New Zealand.
R. cissoides is widespread throughout most of New Zealand, from the North Island all the way south to Stewart Island. However, R. cissoides is not found in all environments. Only lowland and mountainous forests provide the growing conditions in which it thrives.
R. cissoides prefers lowland and mountainous forests. However, these must be areas with reasonable levels of sunlight as R. cissoides cannot grow in shade. This is part of the reason it has adapted into an efficient climbing plant to optimize the sunlight it receives in a competitive forest environment. This plant species also prefers moist soils as it does develop as well in a dry environment.
R. cissoides flowers between the months of August and December. The flowers produced are white in colour and are deciduous meaning during the winter period there are no flowers to be seen. The individual flowers are either male or female flowers. Both male and female flowers cannot be found on the same plant. Pollination of these flowers occurs via insects such as bees. Once the flowers are pollinated the plant also produces the orange/red drupelets between the months of November and April. During this period the drupelets drop seeds. They are eaten by animals such as possums allowing the seeds to be dispersed throughout the forest. The plants then germinate normally around spring when there is a warmer environment for the plant to establish in.
...
Wikipedia