WildBristol.uk - Discovering Wildlife in Bristol

The Bristol region is one of the richest and best studied districts in Britain for its bramble flora; supporting well over a third of all species described in these Isles. The constant evolving of new one's through apomixis and hybridisation [the ability to produce 'seed-clones' but also to occasionally break the rules and cross with others, which (if fertile), can in turn fix and essentially create a new species,] means that the study of this highly complex genus is potentially infinite. Many hybrids and undescribed local forms (which have been given a nickname) are included here for the first time. Many of these are singular or local biotypes i.e. a single bush or limited to a small area and so do not merit status for full taxonomic recognition but a few are widespread enough to be considered worthy of describing officially as new species.

The history of batology (the study of Brambles - comes from the Greek name 'bátos') in the Bristol area spans nearly two centuries and is almost as old as its study in Britain. Swete's Flora Bristoliensis (1854) gives the first ever local account of Rubus; listing 14 species which had been collected variously by: the author himself (E.H. Swete) and determined by E. Lees - one of the first and foremost pioneering British batologists who also contributed local records. Along with M. Atwood, T.B. Flower, H.O. Stephens, G.H.K. Thwaites and R. Etheridge.

W. Borrer (1781-1862), C.C. Babington (1808-1895), A. Ley (1842-1911), H.F. Parsons, W.E. Green, J.G. Baker, W.H. Painter, W.M. Rogers, H.S. Thompson (1970-1940), I.M. Roper (1865-1935), T.R.A. Briggs, A. Prichard, Gustavus A.O. St. Brody (1828-1901), W.H. Purchas (1823-1903), F.F. Tuckett, E.H. Reed, G.C. Brown

but it was the likes of J.W. White and his two closest friends, D. Fry and C. Bucknall (whose herbaria are in Bristol Museum) who made the most significant contribution along with R.P. Murray and E.S. Marshall, A. Ley, H.J. Riddelsdell and their various correspondents including: . After Ridelsdell's death in 1941, not much progress was made for the next few decades until 1980 when the two leading national experts at the time - E.S. Edees and A. Newton were invited by C.M. Lovatt to pay a visit to the Avon Gorge for a weekend foray during their work on the Brambles of the British Isles.

Since the early 1980s, the work has almost single handedly been carried by R.D. Randall - our region's resident and national authority on Brambles and to whom this account is dedicated. He was due to assist on the following Rubus accounts but his sudden and very unexpected death (which has put an end to 42 years dedicated to the specialist work on Brambles) couldn't have been more untimely. It is frustrating to know that a great deal of knowledge has been lost and represents desperately the need to pass on knowledge to younger generations; however he would be very pleased in knowing that his apprentice - D. Peters - has taken up the reins for this highly challenging group of plants. Where possible, quotes and notes from their correspondence have been included. After almost 200 years there is still much work to be done!

has been a great hit not just for the botanical community (particularly his 42 years dedicated to the specialist work on Brambles) but as a naturalist. Frustratingly, much of our knowledge (particularly on local and undescribed forms) has been lost; however he would be very pleased in knowing that his apprentice - D. Peters has taken up the reigns for this highly challenging group of plants. Where possible quotes from his correspondence with R.D. Randall have been included. After almost 200 years there is still much work to be done!

Has been a huge loss not just to his 42 years dedicated to the specialist work on Brambles but as a naturalist in general.

accumilating to 42 years dedicated to the specialist work on Brambles

A fair number of predecessors have contributed locally but it wasn't until J.W. White and his close friends D. Fry and Bucknall that a real understanding came about and in modern times R.D. Randall.

H.O. Stephens, Borrer, Babington, Atwood, Murray, Marshall, Ley, White, Fry, Bucknall, Riddelsdell, Edees, Newton, and the latest Randall

This account is dedicated to R.D. Randall - our region's resident and national authority on Brambles, who's sudden and unexpected loss, has meant that frustratingly, much of our knowledge (particularly on local and undescribed forms) has been lost; however he would be very pleased in knowing that his apprentice - D. Peters has taken up the reigns for this highly challenging group of plants. Quotes from his correspondence with R.D. Randall have been included. After almost 200 years there is still much work to be done!

who's sudden and unexpected death has meant that frustratingly and an inexplicable amount of knowledge has been lost.

May the king of Brambles rest in peace.

RUBUS L.

Subgenus DALIBARDASTRUM Focke

• Rubus tricolor Focke (Chinese Bramble) / General Scarce Widely planted for ground cover in gardens, parks and public planting displays and sometimes gets discarded - where it is often very persistent in semi-wild places. It is self-incompatible and so rarely sets fruit or self-seeds but spreads vegetatively and in some instances, can become locally invasive as it smothers out native ground flora. It originates from the mountainous regions of South-Central China where it naturally grows on steep banks and slopes in forests and mountain scrub at an elevation between 1800 - 3600 m above sea level. It was first introduced to Britain in 1908 by the famous plant collector Ernest Henry Wilson.

Subgenus CYLACTIS (Raf.) Focke

• Rubus saxatilis L. (Stone Bramble) 1883 - Woodland Very rare. Historically only recorded from one locality - in a "Limestone wood near Banwell Castle, 1883...H. S. Thompson" (White, 1912); and was pronounced extinct in the Flora of the Bristol Region (2000) despite being recorded from North Stoke in 1996 by G. Norman. It has since also been found at Midsomer Norton in 2004 by L. Moor and at Stockwood Open Space, South Bristol in 2007 by L. Robins but these three records are unconfirmed and seem highly doubtful despite it being very distinctive and hard to confuse.

Subgenus ANOPLOBATUS Focke

• Rubus odoratus L. (Purple-flowered Raspberry) General Extinct A native of eastern North America which is occasionally grown for ornament. It was found growing along the bank of the River Avon near Temple Meads in 2006 by R.L. Bland but hasn't been sighted since.

[Record in Bristol Botany in 2006]

• Rubus odoratus x R. parviflorus = R. x fraseri (Purple-flowered Raspberry x Thimbleberry / Fraser's Raspberry) General Extinct Formerly occurred at Bath in the 1980s when it was recorded by ? [BSBI record].

Subgenus IDAEOBATUS Focke

• Rubus idaeus L. (ssp. idaeus - Kew) (Raspberry) / Woodland Frequent Widespread and frequent in woodland, scrub, field margins and roadsides. Also commonly grown in gardens and allotments and sometimes escapes. Very variable in appearance and a number of forms could be separated. In the horticultural world, raspberries are divided into two groups - summer-fruiting (with fruit produced on second year canes) and autumn-fruiting (with fruit produced on first year canes). Wild plants mostly fit into the category of summer-fruiting but autumn-fruiting bushes are really just oddities that fruit on first year growth (which is occasionally found in the wild) and if left uncut, will actually fruit again on the same cane the following year as a summer-fruiting cultivar would; except, it's the practice to cut canes to the base after they've fruited as it's believed to increase the yield of the following years autumn crop. It's difficult to describe, but modern cultivars and those sold in supermarkets, have an overall different taste to those found in the wild - which have a milder flavour with a slightly more watered-down, shorter-lasting sweetness and are a bit more 'pippy' (less flesh to seed ratio). Older varieties which are sometimes found to escape onto marginal ground or persist on allotments have a taste which is much more likened to those found in the wild and have probably derived from centuries of British-only cultivation. Modern cultivars, which are more fleshy and have a different, stronger and longer-lasting sweetness, have probably had influence with the North American ssp. strigosus which differs most distinctly by the presence of gland-tipped hairs on first-year canes, petioles, pedicels, and calyces (absent in ssp. idaeus). In recent years in order to extend the cropping season of raspberries without relying on the other side of the world, it's become the practise to grow raspberries in colder climates such as Scotland for a year before uprooting them and transporting them to warmer climates such as Spain and Morocco in order to trick them into flowering very early to produce an early crop. The same is done so for other crops such as strawberries, all to fuel the demand of impatient consumption!

• f. anomalus J. Arrh. Woodland Very Rare A very rare form, not just locally but nationally. A small patch was discovered on the edge of a woodland track at Weston Woods in 2023 by R.D. Randall and D. Peters. This was the first time R.D. Randall had seen this form in the flesh in all of 42 years studying the genus! It is recognised by its distinctive ternate leaves made up of rounded overlapping leaflets, abortive flowers and short ovate sepals. It is said to be a unisexual male form but Murray (1896) states otherwise: "The fruits...are generally abortive because the ovaries are usually imperfectly closed. Dr. Focke has very rarely found perfect fruits, and has raised from them plants in all respects resembling the parent." It appears to arise out of normal populations, suggesting it passes down as a recessive gene - which would explain its rarity and spontaneity. It is a mountain plant in the Mediterranean area according to Watson (1958).

• f. albus Woodland Very Rare An amber-fruited Raspberry. Very rare. It grows sparingly along a woodland track at Lord's Wood. Historically it was known to occur elsewhere: "There is a variety of this plant having amber-coloured fruit with pale stems and foliage, which is the White Raspberry of gardens. It is rarely found in the wild, but we have it on a wood-border not far from the north end of Beggar's Bush Lane, S.; and...Dr. Arthur Prichard used to find it on a rocky cutting in the Abbotsleigh road." (White, 1912). It's easy to jump to conclusions that it is a garden escape but there is no reason to believe it's not native. After all, such peculiarities chanced upon in the wild are what give rise to the myriad of forms used in cultivation. The plant growing at Lord's Wood does not give any indication of it being a garden escape. It is quite delicate and unlike any found in cultivation.

• Rubus idaeus x R. caesius = R. x pseudoidaeus (Weihe) Lej. (R. × idaeoides Ruthe) (Raspberry x Dewberry) - Woodland Very Rare Very rare, perhaps surprisingly so considering the frequency of the parents. Only recently found occurring over a large area of Rownham Hill, Leigh Woods in 2022 and at Three Brooks Nature Reserve, Bradley Stoke in 2025 by D. Peters. It was first "gathered on a ditchside near Congresbury in 1883 by Mr. Archer Briggs, in company with Messrs. Fry and Murray." (White, 1912). "Dewberry is usually the female parent, in which case plants look rather like the Dewberry except that the stems are low-arching rather than trailing and the leaves are sometimes pinnate, with five leaflets rather than three. The reverse hybrid has upright stems with trailing branches emerging from near the top, but this form is quite rare. Hybrids do not usually produce viable seed but can spread vegetatively." R.D. Randall.

(pers. comm., 2023).

• Rubus phoenicolasius Maxim. (Japanese Wineberry, Hairy Bramble - GBIF) Woodland Very Rare A rare introduction from East Asia which is grown for ornament and occasionally fruit production; sometimes spread by birds and becoming naturalised in scrub, open woods and derelict sites.

• Rubus spectabilis Pursh (Salmonberry) ? Woodland Extinct A native of western North America which is sometimes grown in gardens for its large attractive magenta flowers. Only recorded once in our region - at Battlefields monument, Lansdown in 1980 by R.D. Randall amongst dumped garden refuse and was still present when revisited in 1985 but has not been recorded since.

• Rubus cockburnianus Hemsl. (White-stemmed Bramble) Very Rare A very tall and robust species, native to China; occasionally planted in parks and large gardens for its ornamental stems, "although it is too aggressive for most gardens. The fruit is blackish but dry and inedible." R.D. Randall (pers. comm., 2022). Once established it can become quite a nuisance and is very difficult to get rid of (like Bamboo). It was first recorded by the riverside steps at Bath in 2014 by R.D. Randall and separately also by R. Commont; then at Failand in 2010s by ?; at Thornbury in 2020s by ? [BSBI records] and most recently as an established garden escape on the north-eastern edge of The Royals, Blaise Castle Estate in 2022 by D. Peters.

Subgenus IDAEOBATUS x RUBUS

• Rubus loganobaccus L.H. Bailey (R. idaeus x R. ursinus (Kew) vitifolius (old name) = R. × loganobaccus) (Loganberry) - General Very Rare Widely grown in gardens and allotments for its fruit and occasionally gets bird-sown. Recorded at Abbotsleigh? in 2000s by ? and at Arnos Vale? in 2010s by ? [BSBI records]. The Loganberry originates from a cross between a tetraploid strain of R. idaeus ssp. strigosus ['Red Antwerp'] (as the female) and the octoploidR. vitifolius ['Aughinbaugh'] (as the male) which was accidentally bred in 1881 in Santa Cruz, California by James Harvey Logan - an American judge and horticulturist. Logan was apparently unsatisfied with the existing Blackberry cultivars and attempted to create his own using R. vitifolius (Pacific Dewberry) ['Aughinbaugh'] and R. velox (Fuzzy Dewberry) ['Texas Early'] but due to planting them next to an existing bush of R. idaeus ssp. strigosus (American Raspberry) ['Red Antwerp'], the 50 seedlings produced, resulted in a mixture, one of which was noticeably robust: "in the first row I found a single lonely plant, in appearance like no other berry plant I had ever seen. It was neither a raspberry nor a blackberry but a distinctly new form." He gifted plants to his friends who began to call the fruit ‘Mr Logan’s Berries’. Many other cultivars with equally confusing parentage are grown today including:

• Tayberry - bred in 1979 by Derek L. Jennings and named after the River Tay in Scotland. It was aimed to be a new and improved Loganberry using a new cultivar of R. vitifolius (Pacific Dewberry) - 'Aurora' (also an octoploid) which Jennings stumbled across during a visit to Oregon in 1963 and crossing it with a specially bred R. idaeus (of unknown origin) which took 5 years to produce.

• Boysenberry - thought to be a four-way cross between Rubus aboriginum (Garden Dewberry), R. loganobaccus (Loganberry), an unknown R. fruticosus agg. (possibly R. plicatus - Folded-leaved Bramble?) and R. idaeus ssp. strigosus (American Raspberry).

And many other lesser known plants but none have been noticed in the wild yet.

[Also a record from Gillian Barret but needs checking.]

fruit forum

• Rubus idaeus x R. fruticosus agg. ? (Raspberry x Bramble) Woodland Extinct This hybrid was recorded at Lansdown, Bath in 1983 by R.D. Randall and was also recorded at Three Brooks Nature Reserve, Bradley Stoke in 1999 by J. Boyd and M. Evans but has not been confirmed by an expert. Rubus idaeus in theory should be able to cross with any member of the R. fruticosus agg. but is clearly of very rare occurrence as no hybrid of R. idaeus with any other species (other than R. caesius) has been reported since. "Hybrids between the Raspberry and Blackberries are very rare but once, following the felling of a wood following a storm, I came across bizarre plants with vertical stems to over 6 feet, with strong branches extending horizontally from the top. They grew amongst a colony of Raspberry and the main blackberries in the vicinity were Rubus armeniacus (Himalayan Giant) and Rubus pruinosus, a member of Section Corylifolii. The latter was most likely the male parent." R.D. Randall. This is probably referring to the same record from 1983.

[mentioned in the extinct list at the back of the Flora of the Bristol Region (2000) with no date.]

Subgenus RUBUS

• Rubus fruiticosus agg. (Blackberry, Bramble) / General Very Common Common in every part of the region but varying greatly in the density of microspecies. In most limestone districts only R. ulmifolius and R. caesius are to be met with, along with the new arrival - R. armeniacus - which has quickly become one of the commonest species in a range of habitats, but particularly dominating in urban areas. However, in prime bramble districts it is possible to encounter as many as 15 or 20 plus species in a single locality. The best of these includes the mixed geology of the Avon Gorge and Leigh Woods; the group of woods between Clutton, High Littleton and Hallatrow (especially Greyfield Wood); the Frome Valley right up to the region's border; the area between Compton Dando, Hunstrete and Pensford, with Lord's Wood being particularly rich; the Mendip uplands; and Englishcombe near Bath. These last two areas in particular contain a number of Welsh, Cornish and Devonian species growing well outside their main area of distribution and have presumably been brought here by migrating birds. In light of this, it is remarkable how many species considered frequent nationally are extremely rare locally, if at all present.

The taxonomy of Rubus is extremely complicated and endlessly tangled. It was bad practice in the past to attempt to match up names of British taxa with that of the continent, not realising that about 70% of our brambles flora is endemic. White (1912) though astutely acknowledged this: "It is at length being realised, however, that we have gone too far with the attempt to force our insular flora into line with that of Central Europe". Few names have remained unchanged as a result of this and many were erroneously identified in the first place. Where possible reference has been made to the names used in past local texts.

Hybrids are frequently encountered but are not at all common considering how often different species grow in close proximity and even amongst one another. They can often be recognised by being partly to completely infertile; however, fertile plants do not outrule the possibility of hybrids and it is necessary to understand other species well before this can be undertaken. Technically all members of this group except R. ulmifolius (our only sexual species) are fixed hybrids but these are 1st generation crosses which have sprung a new. Many of the plants given a nickname are probably also recent hybrids but have been treated separately because their parentage is unknown. Many publications do not bother to include hybrids or unnamed plants if include brambles at all as it is seen as pointless or trivial but opinion differs here as it may be of great use to future batologists. To aid this, grid references have also been included for the most special. It is believed this is the first regional flora to ever have such a complete coverage of brambles.

Section Rubus

• Rubus bertramii G. Braun (Bertram's Bramble) 1981 Woodland Extinct This species is first mentioned by White (1912) under R. plicatus: "In the Wyck Valley below the Rocks, on the left side of the stream. Only two bushes, but those very fine and characteristic". Apparently last recorded in 1981 according to the the Flora of the Bristol Region (2000). True R. plicatus has never been encountered in the Bristol Region.

[BSBI record from the East of the region is probably the Wyck Valley record - check].

• Rubus divaricatus P.J. Müll. (Red-stemmed Bramble - GBIF) /- Woodland Very Rare Occurs in small quantity beside the boggy pool at Lord's Wood - where it was first recorded by D. Fry and J.W. White in 1890s? and mentioned as such under R. nitidus in White (1912).

[Find out exact date of discovery]

• Rubus 'Goblin Combe sect. Rubus' sensu D. Peters - sect. Rubus One bush of this mystery taxon was discovered on limestone heath at Goblin Combe [ST47736522] in 2024 by D. Peters. Further investigations are needed to determine whether there are others in the vicinity. It might possibly be the mystery parent of another mystery plant found at Goblin Combe from sect. Corylifolii - Rubus 'Goblin Combe'. It is similar to R. vigorosus.

• Rubus nessensis Hall (R. polonicus Weston) (Ness Bramble, Loch Ness Bramble, Polish Bramble?) - Woodland Very rare in open woodland on sandstone in three localities: Greyfield Wood, Lord's Wood and Prior's Wood, near Portbury. Not known to occur locally in the past. White (1912) states very clearly "R. suberectus [as it was known then] is not a Bristol plant" though it may have been overlooked in the Lord's Wood locality.

• Rubus nobilissimus (W.C.R. Watson) Pearsall (Few-prickled Bramble) 1981 /- Woodland Was recorded once historically from the Avon Gorge pre 1930 by ? [BSBI record]. This is the species White (1912) records under R. opacus, occurring predominantly "on the Burtle and Glastonbury moors". True R. opacus does not exist in Britain.

[1 old BSBI record from Avon Gorge area]

• Rubus scissus W.C.R. Watson (Red-fruited Bramble) / Woodland Very Rare Very rare. Exists locally plentifully along rides and in scrubby areas of Lord's Wood between Compton Dando and Hunstrete. It was first discovered here in 1894 by D. Fry and mentioned as such under R. fissus in White (1912). True R. fissus has never been recorded in the Bristol region.

• Rubus sulcatus Vest. (Furrowed-stem Bramble) Woodland Extinct Formerly occurred "On a lower slope of the large wood above Compton Dando on the left bank of the Chew. Discovered there by Mr. D. Fry in 1895. The year following, a single clump was found by the writer in Lord's Wood, Houndstreet, not far from the Pensford path." (White, 1912). Later also found from withy beds adjacent to Walton Moor in 1918 by I.M. Roper. Bramble seeds can remain dormant and viable for a very long time and this species could potentially return if traditional management practices such as coppicing are carefully reinstated.

• Rubus vigorosus P.J. Müll. & Wirtg. (R. affinis Weihe & Nees) (Vigorous Bramble) - Woodland Very Rare Exists in very small quantity in Alder Carr beside Max Bog where it is first mentioned by White (1912) under R. affinis. Historically it occurred on Clifton Down in the Green Valley; at Conham; Stapleton; Lord's Wood; and in a hedge between Publow and Hounstreet. This is predominantly a species of swampy thickets and peat moors and should be looked for in other suitable localities such as the Gordano Valley.

Section Glandulosus Wimm. & Grab.

Series Sylvatici (P.J. Müll.) Focke

• Rubus adspersus Weihe ex H.E. Weber (Hornbeam-leaved Bramble, Red-leaved Bramble) - Woodland Very Rare Local in scrub and open woods at Greyfield Wood and beside the River Chew from Compton Dando to Woollard. This was not known to occur within the region's boundaries in White's day when it was known as R. carpinifolius. Historical records of that made by H.O. Stephens from Stapleton and Brislington (as mentioned by White, 1912) are referable to R. polyanthemus.

• Rubus albionis W.C.R. Watson (Pink-flowered Bramble) - Woodland Rare Rare in woods on Old Red Sandstone between Portbury and Wraxall; also Kenn Moor [BSBI record] and on Pennant Sandstone elsewhere: along the River Avon at Hanham and Conham; Henbury [BSBI record]; Lord's Wood; and along the River Frome; particularly near Bury Hill, Winterbourne Down.

• Rubus 'Nailsea calvatus' (Nailsea Cuspidate-leaved Bramble) sensu D. Peters An unidentified bush found to the side of a wooded track, below Grove Sports Centre, Nailsea. It resembles R. calvatus but the terminal leaflet petiolule is much longer - about half the length of the lamina, the stems are glabrous and the prickles are sparser.

• Rubus errabundus W.C.R. Watson (Shining-stemmed Bramble, Wandering Bramble?) - Grassland Very Rare A mostly northern species; occurring in heathy grassland and marginal scrub in small quantity at Nailsea and Highbury Hill, Hallatrow and most recently noted from the north of the region for the first time at Frampton Cotterell in 2023 by D. Peters.

• Rubus errabundus x R. lindleianus (Shining-stemmed x Lindley's Bramble) - ser. Sylvatici Very Rare A mostly infertile patch was found growing on a hedge bottom in the vicinity of the two parent species at Frampton Cotterell in 2023 by D. Peters.

• Rubus imbricatus Hort (Imbricate-leaved Bramble) - Woodland Uncommon Widespread in scrub, hedgerows and open woodland. Almost entirely confined to Pennant Sandstone in the north of the region; predominantly following the course of the River Frome but also rare in the south where it occurs in sparsely scattered localities. It is one of a very few number of species whose name has not changed or been confused since it was described in 1851.

• Rubus imbricatus x R. rubritinctus (Imbricate-leaved x Purple-ribbed Bramble) - ser. Sylvatici x ser. Rhamnifolii Woodland Very Rare A single bush was found at Oldbury Court Estate, during a Rubus study week on the 17th of July 2022 by R.D. Randall. It is quite a beautiful plant; taking on the distinctive leaf-shape of R. imbricatus but more refined and with neatly acuminate tips along with the gorgeous ruby-red stems of R. rubritinctus.

• Rubus imbricatus x R. caesius (Imbricate-leaved Bramble x Dewberry) Woodland Very Rare An infertile bush was found growing by the two parent species at Goblin Combe in 2023 by D. Peters.

• Rubus laciniatus Willd. (R. nemoralis P.J. Müll. 'Laciniatus') (Parsley-leaved Bramble, Cut-leaved Bramble, Cut-Leaf Blackberry) - General Rare Quite a rare introduction in our region. Not nearly as established as it is in other parts of the country. It is cultivated for ornament and fruit and sometimes escapes, usually onto ground close to habitation but is long established in some places such as Rodway Hill, growing amongst Bracken. It is believed to have derived from R. nemoralis in Britain as a natural oddity and has been cultivated here since at least 1752. It is an invasive alien in Australia and North America along with other species of bramble.

• Rubus lindleianus Lees (R. lindleyanus) (Lindley's Bramble) / Woodland Uncommon A widespread and well-distributed species; occurring on more acidic soils in scrub, hedgerows, woodland rides and on recently cleared ground in forestry plantations. This is another bramble whose name has been successful in remaining unchanged since White's time.

• Rubus lindleianus x R. rudis (Lindley's x Purple-glandular Bramble / Rough Bramble) A hybrid believed to be this combination, was recorded by the G.W.R. main line under Fox's Wood, Brislington in 1892 by D. Fry at the same spot as R. rudis.

• Rubus oxyanchus Sudre (Short-tipped Bramble) - ser. Sylvatici Very Rare Confirmed as new to the region at East Harptree Woods right on the edge of the region in 2024 by D. Peters; though R.D. Randall lists it with a question mark (visited outside the flowering period) on a list produced in 2022 in preparation for the Rubus study week he led that year. It should be looked for at other nearby suitable locations.

• Rubus perdigitatus A. Newton (Digitate-leaved Bramble) - Woodland Very Rare Very rare. Exists only at Nailsea; occurring in small quantity in scrub and field margins. This Welsh species was first identified here by A. Newton but "I am not exactly convinced that it is the same as R. perdigitatus from Wales." R.D. Randall.

• Rubus platyacanthus P.J. Müll. & Lefèvre (Long-prickled Bramble) / Woodland Very Rare Very Rare. Occurs locally in scrub and along woodland edge on Pennant Sandstone at Glen Frome and Oldbury Court Estate. Discovered also on recently cleared patches of heath plantation on the edge of the region at East Harptree Woods in 2024 by D. Peters. It might exist elsewhere.

• Rubus pyramidalis Kaltenb. (Rubus umbrosus (Weihe & Nees) Arrh.) (Pyramidal-flowered Bramble, Shady Bramble?, Pyramidal Bramble?, Pyramidal Blackberry?) /- Woodland Very Rare Very rare in scrubby grassland and heathy places. R. pyramidalis was not well understood in the past and the majority of historic records now come under R. lanaticaulis.

• var. pyramidalis Very Rare The typical plant; occurs at Greyfield Wood on Coal Shales and was recorded on Durdham Down in 1979 by C.M. Lovatt.

• var. parvifolius (Frid. & Gelert) H.E. Weber Very Rare A dwarf form, smaller in all its parts and with narrower terminal leaflets. It grows on heathy grassland at Nailsea near Backwell [first collected here in 1894 by J.W. White] and on limestone heath at Burrington Common.

• Rubus ‘Bleadon questieri’ sensu R.D. Randall (Bleadon Questier's Bramble) - ser. Sylvatici Woodland Very Rare A local form. It's "a bit like R. gratus. It grows at the top of Canada Combe and along the West Mendip Way that runs along the ridge above Shiplate Slait. It also grows [outside our region] in carr woodland at Shapwick NNR and in a wood on the Polden Hills [a range great enough to be officially described as a local endemic]. It has deep pink petals, a bit like R. rubritinctus but the leaves are unfelted, which puts it in the Sylvatica. I originally thought it was R. questieri, which occurs in Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Hants and south Somerset but it is not that nor genuine R. gratus. I ended up calling it ‘Bleadon questieri’." R.D. Randall.

• Rubus sciocharis (Sudre) W.C.R. Watson (Large-petalled Bramble) / Woodland Very Rare Very rare. Exists in small quantity in the Trym Valley at Sea Mills not far from where it was first recorded in our region at Kingsweston Down in 1905 by Rev. Augustin Ley. - mentioned in White (1912) under R. gratus var. sciaphilus. A small colony also occurs near gardens at Brassknocker Hill, Claverton.

• Rubus 'Bath silvaticus' sensu R.D. Randall (Bath Woodland Bramble) ser. Sylvatici Very Rare A local form which occurs at Bath. It is mentioned in a list provided by R.D. Randall but unfortunately with no further detail.

• Rubus ‘Nailsea silvaticus’ sensu R.D. Randall (Nailsea Woodland Bramble) - ser. Sylvatici Woodland Very Rare A local form which occurs around Nailsea. It's "a bit like R. sciocharis but with a few stalked glands, especially on the flowering branch." R.D. Randall.

Series Rhamnifolii (Bab.) Focke

• Rubus amplificatus Lees (Leafy-panicled Bramble) - ser. Rhamnifolii Woodland Very Rare R.D. Randall lists this species with a question mark (visited outside the flowering period) from Glen Frome but unfortunately with no further information.

• Rubus boudiccae A.L. Bull & Edees (East Anglian Bramble, Boudican Bramble?) - ser. Rhamnifolii Discovered new to the region in 1997 amongst a mosaic of scrub and grassland and tracksides and on an embankment above the A368 at Sandford, North Somerset. Also found on the edge of the region at East Harptree Woods in 2024 by D. Peters and R.D. Randall lists it here with a question mark (visited outside the flowering period) from 2022.

• Rubus 'Bradley Stoke' sensu D. Peters (Bradley Stoke Bramble) - ser. Rhamnifolii An impressive species of unknown identity found growing amongst scrub on the south-western corner of Jubilee Green, Bradley Stoke [at ST61468169] in 2024 by D. Peters. It is similar in some respects to R. patuliformis - a species restricted to south-east England, around Tunbridge Wells but the prickles are longer, stronger, less numerous and confined to the angles, the leaves and flowers are much larger, digitate; the rachis prickles are much stronger, and the stamens are longer than the styles and possess the occasional hair. More visits are needed to assess whether it exists elsewhere in the vicinity. It is quite characteristic with large leaves, broad terminal leaflets (c. 10 x 9 cm) which are almost rounded-pentagonal in outline with an abruptly acuminate tip (c. 1 cm) and a truncate-emarginate base; panicles are long, robust, upright and narrowly pyramidal; the rachis is purple, densely patent-hairy, stiff and more of less straight with strong declining to curved red-based-yellow-tipped prickles, rare pricklets and large white cupped flowers.

• Rubus 'Bristol Botanic Garden' sensu D. Peters (Bristol Botanic Garden Bramble) - ser. Rhamnifolii A large patch found growing at the north-eastern corner of Bristol Botanic Garden in the Woodland section, backing onto Claverton House. This mystery plant has a general aspect of R. lanaticaulis - which is what it was suspected to be originally but that should have a much hairier stem, white filaments and patent-erect, leafy-tipped sepals. In this plant they are thinly hairy with pink filaments (deep pink at base) and short reflexed, non-leafy-tipped sepals. It has probably arisen from a cross between R. rubritinctus (which was growing nearby) and R. lanaticaulis.

If using Edees & Newton (1988) it keys out best to R. daveyi; particularly as the filaments appear to be deep pink at the base and white at the top. It differs in having pedate (not digitate) leaves with a much shorter petiolule - about 1/3 as long as the lamina (not 1/2), terminal leaflets with a more cuspidate-acuminate apex, which is often twisted or curved to one side and broader-ob-elliptic to staight sided and almost square in outline, stems not shining but dull and thinly hairy throughout, and the rachis possesses a scattering of stalked glands.

At present it appears to be a singular biotype but it is fertile and the quite significant patch looks to have been established for quite some years and has self-seeded in a few other spots close by so it may have been dispersed elsewhere.

• Rubus cardiophyllus Lefèvre & P.J. Müll. (Heart-leaved Bramble, Round-fruited Bramble) / Woodland Widespread and locally frequent in scrub, open woodland and hedgerows on a range of soils but mostly absent from low-lying areas and on oolite. This was formerly recognised in past floras as R. rhamnifolius and has been greatly confused on account of its variability.

• Rubus cardiophyllus x R. tuberculatus. General. Very Rare Found growing near the two parents at Walton Moor in 2025 by D. Peters.

• Rubus cissburiensis W.C. Barton & Ridd. (Cissbury Bramble) / Woodland A native of south-east England which has become established in our region as a result of past cultivation in gardens and allotments for its large trusses of tasty fruit. It occurs mainly in the Frome Valley at Oldbury Court Estate, spreading to the lake at Eastville Park and at Bath, and was also found at the Unitarian Burial Ground in Bristol City Centre in 2023 by D. Peters.

• Rubus cornubiensis (W.M. Rogers ex Ridd.) Rilstone (Cornish Bramble?) - General Very Rare A small colony of this Cornish endemic was discovered on a roadside by a garden centre near the River Avon at Netham, Bristol in 1998 by R.D. Randall. It possibly arrived naturally as a result of a long-distant migrating bird but more likely it was introduced accidentally with imported ornamental shrubs which grow nearby.

"near Netham: Crew’s Hole Road by a small garden centre, ca. ST620730"

[Check BSBI for exact date]

• Rubus curvispinosus Edees & A. Newton (Curved-spined Bramble?, Curved-prickled Bramble?) Grassland Extinct This species once existed at Westerleigh (Yate) Common. "Abundant on Yate Common. Old green lane on Leechpool Farm, N. of Yate; typical. Recognised as certainly this by the Rev. W.M. Rogers during an excursion with Mr. D. Fry and myself in 1893. I had gathered the plant in 1892." (White, 1912). In the revised list of Rubi in Riddelsdell (1948) p. 619, "R. dumnoniensis..., with large white flowers, has been confused with a pink-flowered bramble in the west of England. The latter Bramble was described and named R. curvispinosus". Herbarium material from Bristol Museum was identified as this by A. Newton in 1981, and plants growing around the edge of what used to be the Common look similar. No recent undisputed material of this not well understood species has been seen since. Possibly our plant is a local form or possibly the plant in question has been hybridised out of existence.

"Yate Common, abundant; and north of Yate; Damery Bridge"

• Rubus diversiarmatus W.C.R. Watson (Diverse-armed Bramble?) - Woodland Very Rare A local endemic; occurring in scrub and open woodland between Hunstrete, Woollard and Compton Dando, and at Brislington (outside the old asylum grounds of Brislington House / Long Fox Manor - now used as a sports facility). Also recorded at Bath in 1980s [BSBI record]. It was D. Fry who, in 1891 first observed this plant, as "a marked variation near Woollard and at Brislington" (White, 1912), and recognised it as R. erythrinus var. argenteus in the Journal of botany, 1892, p. 11: "Grows plentifully in two widely separated localities in North Somerset,...in hedges at Brislington, and in a lane near the River Chew, between Woollard and Compton Dando. Although closely allied to erythrinus [rubritinctus],...there are points of difference that readily distinguish the two; notably the hairy stem of argenteus [diversiarmatus], its white-felted foliage, and the constant presence of setae [stalked glands] upon the panicle. No glands have been seen on the erythrinus [rubritinctus] of this neighbourhood. Moreover, the inflorescence of the latter is subpyramidal in outline, and closer than the long leafy cylindrical panicle of argenteus [diversiarmatus]. Petals pale pink. Filaments white, about equaling the green styles". Murray (1896) retained the name and remarks: "Stem more hairy than in the type; leaflets broader and more felted beneath. Panicle 'laxer and more leafy above', with a varying number of stalked glands". It wasn't until 1931 that W.C.R. Watson described it as a new species though, mysteriously, it isn't included in his final work - Rubi of Great Britain and Ireland (1958).

• Rubus elegantispinosus (A. Schumach.) H.E. Weber (Elegant-spined Bramble, Slender Spined Bramble, Railway Bramble, Elegant Spiny Bramble?) - General A very rare introduction in our area, contrary to its national status; it is established only around Bath. Away from here it has only been found by allotments near the railway at Ashton Gate in 1990 by R. D. Randall.

• Rubus ‘Nailsea incurvatus’ sensu R.D. Randall (Nailsea North Wales Bramble / Nailsea Incurved Bramble) - ser. Rhamnifolii Occurs around Nailsea. So called "because old specimens in Bristol Museum were given that name - may be a fertile derivative of R. cardiophyllus x vestitus and is a bit like a large R. cardiophyllus but with a hairy stem." R.D. Randall.

• Rubus nemoralis P.J. Müll. (Boreal Bramble, Northern Bramble?) / Woodland Very rare. Only known as a small colony in a scrubby pasture at Crown Hill near Winford; occurring on Milstone Grit where it was first noticed in 1991.

• Rubus pampinosus Lees (Pompous Bramble?, Leafy Bramble?, Vine-leaved Bramble?, Vine-leaf Blackberry?) - Woodland Very Rare Very rare. Exists in small quantity along a ride at Lord's Wood where it was first noticed by Edees and Newton and also at Leigh Woods where it was first collected pre-1930s by ? [BSBI record].

• Rubus polyanthemus Lindeb. (Many-flowered Bramble, Grey-felted Bramble) / Woodland Locally frequent in scrubby places and woodland rides and openings on more acidic soils; mostly found in the south of the region. It was known in the past as R. pulcherrimus. The multi-lobed terminal leaflet which is characteristic of this species, is not often encountered in our area.

• Rubus polyanthemus x R. wirralensis (Grey-felted x Wirral Bramble) - ser. Rhamnifolii x ser. Mucronati A single bush was discovered at Lord's Wood on the 12th of July 2022 by R.D. Randall during a Rubus study week. Both parents are widespread and often occur together in good Bramble habitat.

• Rubus prolongatus Boulay & Letendre ex Corb. (Southern Bramble, Prolonged Bramble?) - Woodland Locally frequent on the Mendip Hills between Axbridge and Shipham and isolated colonies on Worlebury Hill, Abbots Leigh, Chelwood, Chewton Wood? on the edge of the region near Farrington Gurney and a historically from the Gordano Valley pre-1930s by ? [BSBI records].

• Rubus prolongatus x R. tuberculatus (Southern x Tubercled Bramble) - ser. Rhamnifolii x sect. Corylifolii General Very Rare A bush thought to be this hybrid combination was found at Sand Point in 2022 by D. Peters where R. tuberculatus is frequent and R. prolongatus exists fairly close by on Worlebury Hill.

• Rubus ramosus A. Bloxam ex Briggs (South-Western Bramble, Branched Bramble?) Woodland

Well-established on the northern slopes of Worlebury Hill. It's been decided that our plant is too different to maintain as R. ramosus and so is here re-named as a local form. It differs from the typical plant in having large deep pink petals (as oppose to white or pale pink) and a different leaf shape and is a long way from its main area of distribution in Devon and Cornwall.

[1 BSBI record. Probably change name to Rubus 'Worlebury Hill ramosus' Worlebury Hill South-Western Bramble]

• Rubus riddelsdellii Rilstone (Riddelsdell's Bramble) - ser. Rhamnifolii Discovered at Lord's Wood in 1994 by R.D. Randall but hasn't been recorded since. This predominantly Cornish species was named in honor of the author of the Flora of Gloucestershire and great batologist - H.J. Riddelsdell.

• Rubus rubritinctus W.C.R. Watson (Red-tinted Bramble, Purple-ribbed Bramble, Red-stemmed Bramble?) / Woodland A fairly frequent and well-distributed species in our area; occurring in scrub, open woods and hedgerows but mostly confined to the lighter soils. Placed unsatisfactorily under R. argenteus and R. erythrinus in historical texts - to which White (1912) expresses his clear frustration on the matter: "It is distressing to have to add that the stability of this last determination is by no means assured. To my mind this is a most attractive bramble, and easy to recognise. Pretty pink cup-like flowers, loose panicle furnished with plenty of sharpest yellow-tipped prickles and often an oddly placed long branch or two, and leaflets of a peculiarly elegant shape, mark the plant".

• Rubus rubritinctus x R. armeniacus (Red-tinted / Purple-ribbed x Giant Bramble) - ser. Rhamnifolii x ser. Discolores One plant was found sprawling up from the base of a stone wall on Church Road, Westbury-on-Trym in 2022 by D. Peters.

• Rubus rubritictus x R. ulmifolius (Red-tinted / Purple-ribbed x Elm-leaved Bramble) - ser. Rhamnifolii x ser. Discolores Very Rare A fine patch was found cascading over a stone wall beside the River Trym, adjacent to Westfield Road, Westbury-on-Trym in 2024 by D. Peters. Historically this hybrid has been recorded elsewhere: It "grows on a slope of Failand above the Tan-pit stream; C. Bucknall." (White, 1912). There is also a specimen in Bristol Museum collected by H.O. Stephens from Durdham Down and determined by A. Newton. The two species are frequently found growing together and so it should be expected to occur elsewhere though it is certainly rare.

• Rubus rubritinctus x R. 'Bristol glareosus' (Red-tinted x Bristol Bramble) - ser. Rhamnifolii x ser. Micantes Very Rare A patch of this hybrid was found growing in the court yard at BRERC in 2025 by D. Peters.

• Rubus rubritinctus x R. tuberculatus (Red-tinted / Purple-ribbed x Tuberculed Bramble) - ser. Rhamnifolii x sect. Corylifolii A single bush was found at Arnos Vale Cemetary in 2023 by D. Peters producing an interesting combination of both parent species. It's like R. tuberculatus but the leaves are flatter, less convex and less rugose, the lateral and terminal leaflets have more pronounced but shortly drawn out tips and the stems are a more ruby red with main prickles distinct from the pricklets.

• Rubus subinermoides Druce (Unarmed Bramble?) - Woodland A species predominantly of south-eastern England. Well-established and locally plentiful on Felton Common and in the surrounding hedgerows. A small colony also exists in Burrington Combe.

• Rubus 'Victory Park' sensu D. Peters (Victory Park Bramble) - ser. Rhamnifolii A low-growing patch beneath poplar trees on the edge of Victory Park adjacent to Brislington Meadows. It appears to be closely related to R. lindebergii which hasn't been recorded in the Bristol region before. It isn't very fertile and the stems are more hairy than is typical for R. lindebergii. It is probably a recent hybrid of unknown parentage.

• Rubus villicauliformis A. Newton (Shaggy Bramble?, Shaggy-leaved Bramble?, Shaggy-stemmed Bramble?, Hairy-spined Bramble?) / Grassland A small colony exists on limestone heath at Burrington Common and more frequently on the Old Red Sandstone of Black Down, just outside our region. This species has been the cause of much confusion with another plant existing on the peat moors at Shapwick (outside our region) - named R. davisii. It is unclear whether they are genetically distinct or whether they are just the product of two very different environments.

Series Sprengeliani Focke

• Rubus arrhenii (Lange) Lange (Arrhenius' Bramble) - ser. Sprengeliani Woodland Very Rare Is mentioned from Lord's Wood and Bath in a list by R.D. Randall, unfortunately with no other information. This nationally rare species is concentrated in south-west Wiltshire at Clanger Wood, near Heywood and to the south-west of Warminster; running into Somerset at Kilmington and is also present on the peat moors of Westhay and Shapwick.

• Rubus sprengelii Weihe (var. sprengelii) (Sprengel's Bramble) Woodland Very Rare A small colony was discovered at Greyfield Wood in 1993 by R.D. Randall, following the felling and coppicing of trees but not seen since.

Series Discolores (P.J. Müll.) Focke

• Rubus armeniacus Focke (Giant Bramble, Himalayan Giant / Giant Blackberry, Himalaya Blackberry) / General Now one of the most abundant brambles in our region, overthrowing R. ulmifolius in many parts; especially around urban areas. It particularly thrives on railway banks, roadside verges, field margins, hedgerows, allotments and brownfield sites. Originally cultivated in gardens (prized for its large, juicy fruits) in the 1800s, this vigorous non-native is able to spread at a rate of well over three metres per year and can flourish in almost any situation provided and the seeds are said to remain viable in the soil for over 100 years! Fortunately, this species provides much the same function for wildlife as our native bramble flora and can even be a life-saver for urban biodiversity, providing much needed shelter, food and breeding sites for birds (especially House Sparrows), invertebrates and mammals. The problem is, it is highly invasive and rapidly outcompetes native vegetation (and therefore the species reliant upon them) and is now also hybridising with our native brambles. If there's one bramble all botanists, ecologists and conservationists should learn to recognise, it's this. In conservation areas or when carrying out management such as clearing areas of brambles this species should always be targeted for removal. Often known as the 'Himalayan Giant'. It is not from the Himalayas but was so-named by the horticultural world to make it sound more appealing and marketable. It is actually native to Armenia and the Transcaucasus. This is the species most urban blackberry pickers will end up collecting for their crumbles.

• Rubus armeniacus x R. ulmifolius (Giant x Elm-leaved Bramble) - ser. Discolores x ser. Discolores A patch of this was found along a woodland ride at Badock's Wood, Bristol and beside the river Trym at Westbury Wildlife Park adjacent in 2022 by D. Peters. It is surprising how rare this hybrid seems to be considering how frequently the two species often grow amongst each other though it will no doubt occur elsewhere.

• Rubus armeniacus x R. fuscicaulis (Giant x Dusky-stemmed Bramble) - ser. Discolores x ser. Radulae One bush was encountered at Redcliffe Wharf, Bristol near the two parent species in 2024 by D. Peters. Quite a bonkers-looking product of two very different species. It has the size and robustness of R. armeniacus with leaves strongly imbricate, more triangular in outline and strongly incised and with stem prickles shorter but with additional pricklets here and there on the sides and is sparsely hairy. It is partially fertile.

• Rubus armeniacus x R. multifidus / (Giant x Multi Segmented Bramble) - ser. Discolores x ser. Radulae Found at Westbury Wildlife Park, Bristol in 2022 by D. Peters; occurring near the two parent species.

• Rubus armeniacus x R. eboracensis (Giant x York Bramble) - ser. Discolores x sect. Corylifolii One plant was found on the south-eastern corner of Grow Wilder, Frenchay, Bristol in 2023 by D. Peters.

• Rubus armeniacus x R. tuberculatus (Giant x Tuberculed Bramble) - ser. Discolores x sect. Corylifolii A patch of what appeared to a number of plants of various stages of multiple backcrosses was found at Castle Park in 2023 by D. Peters and shown to R.D. Randall in person whom agreed. Another was found in a patch of scrub beside Muller Road near the railway bridge in 2023 also by D. Peters.

• Rubus armeniacus x R. caesius (Giant Bramble x Dewberry) - ser. Discolores x sect. Caesii Has been found where the two parent species grow in three locations by D. Peters: along Gaston Lane, Golden Hill, Bristol; Westbury Wildlife Park, Westbury-on-Trym; and Petherbridge Way, Horfield. It doubtless will occur elsewhere.

• Rubus armipotens W.C. Barton ex A. Newton (Potent-armed Bramble, Strongly-armed Bramble) - ser. Discolores Is mentioned in a list from Bath by R.D. Randall with no further information.

• Rubus 'Highbury discolor' sensu R.D. Randall (Highbury Discoloured Bramble?) - ser. Discolores A mystery plant occurring at Lord's Wood was named as this by R.D. Randall. Unfortunately with no further information.

• Rubus 'Lord's Wood' sensu D. Peters (Lord's Wood Bramble) - ser. Discolores R.D. Randall suggested it might be R. pydarensis but could be a local endemic. Further research has revealed the leaf-shape is not right for that species and so the plant is here given a nickname.

• Rubus 'Lords Wood lasioclados' sensu R.D. Randall (Unarmed Lord's Wood Bramble?) - ser. Discolores A mystery plant occurring at Lord's Wood was named as this by R.D. Randall. Unfortunately with no further information.

• Rubus rossensis A. Newton (Ross Bramble, Rose-stemmed Bramble?, Pink-stemmed Bramble? Rose-coloured Bramble?) / Woodland Locally abundant in scrub and woodland edge on Bleadon Hill, North Somerset. Most recently recorded there on Shiplait Slait in 2023 by D. Peters and determined by R.D. Randall. It was also recorded in the past at ST66 by Edees and Newton (1988) [record is on BSBI - check for more detail] and historically collected from ST66SW in 1900 by D. Fry.

• Rubus ulmifolius Schott (Elm-leaved Bramble) / General Common The most abundant bramble in the region; found in almost any hedge, field margin, scrub, or wood. It is often the only species to be found on calcareous or neutral and heavy clay soils though is much rarer on acidic soils where most other species thrive. Known in past texts as R. rusticanus. R. ulmifolius is the only true sexual species and is extremely variable because of this and probably also due to influence from other species. A particularly beautiful form, more robust than usual with almost blue stems and paler foliage, was found growing beside the River Frome at Frampton Cotterell in 2023 by D. Peters.

• f. leucocarpus sensu J.W. White (Amber-fruited Elm-leaved Bramble) Woodland Extinct

A form with amber fruit and bright green, paler foliage. "By an old quarrying in the Frome valley near Downend. Discovered there by Mr. F. F. Tuckett, who directed Mr. Fry and me to the spot in 1887. The bushes have since been destroyed by enclosure and building." (White, 1912). This is the only record for the Bristol region but it has also been recorded just to the south of our area in an "old hedge at the foot of the Mendips near the hamlet of Cross, west of Axbridge. Shown to me in 1882 by Mr. E. H. Read, who had then known the bushes nearly thirty years". It has also been recorded "Sparingly in some rough ground about a mile north-east of Wells; R. J. Manning". There doesn't appear to be any modern information on this peculiar form but "Their peculiarities have been reproduced in seedlings raised from the fruits I distributed." (White, 1912). Could it still be out there somewhere?

• f. bellidiflorus (hort. ex Petz. & G. Kirchn.) Voss (Pompom-flowered Elm-leaved Bramble) General Extinct An "attractive, sporting form with pink flowers converted into a 'Bachelor's Button' mass of narrow petals, without stamens but with linear, whitish-tomentose carpels," was brought to A.J. Willis from Trooper's Hill, Bristol (Bristol Botany in 1958).

• Rubus ulmifolius? x R. lanaticaulis (Elm-leaved x Lanate-stemmed Bramble) - ser. Vestiti Is mentioned in a list from Lord's Wood by R.D. Randall.

• Rubus ulmifolius x R. vestitus / (Elm-leaved x Velvet Bramble) / General Uncommon Usually infertile but in some areas, for instance "In the Avon Gorge area, especially parts of Leigh Woods, there is a fertile plant that probably arose from R. ulmifolius x vestitus. It looks superficially like R. vestitus but has much more felted leaves and is less hairy." R.D. Randall (pers. comm., 2022). Due to the great variability of R. ulmifolius, numerous distinct species are thought to have arisen from the same hybrid combination, for example R. longus.

• Rubus ulmifolius x R. echinatus (Elm-leaved x Hedgehog Bramble) - [ser. Discolores x ser. Radulae] General Very Rare. A young plant was found at Grow Wilder, Frenchay, Bristol in 2024 by S. Waycott and determined by D. Peters.

• Rubus ulmifolius x R. 'Bristol glareosus' (Elm-leaved x Bristol Bramble) - [ser. Discolores x ser. Micantes] Woodland Very Rare Was found growing besides R. 'Bristol glareosus' on the edge of a scrubby copse at the Royals, Blaise Castle Estate, Bristol in 2025 by D. Peters.

• Rubus ulmifolius x R. raduloides (Elm-leaved x False File-stemmed Bramble) - [ser. Discolores x ser. Micantes] Woodland Very Rare Was recorded at Fairyland, Avon Gorge in 1980 by A. Newton.

• Rubus ulmifolius x R. eboracensis (Elm-leaved x York Bramble) - ser. Discolores x sect. Corylifolii Very Rare One bush was found in a scrubby field margin near the two parent species at The Royals, Blaise Castle Estate in 2023 by D. Peters.

• Rubus ulmifolius x R. tuberculatus (Elm-leaved x Tuberculed Bramble) - ser. Discolores x sect. Corylifolii Only encountered at St. Andrews Park, Bristol in 2022 by D. Peters. Both species are often found in close proximity and so should in all likelihood occur elsewhere.

• Rubus ulmifolius x R. caesius (Elm-leaved Bramble x Dewberry) - ser. Discolores x sect. Caesii The most frequent Bramble hybrid in the Bristol region; usually not very fertile. Crosses can involve either species as the female parent - causing a great deal of variation amongst the two, which are already extremely variable in themselves. Usually those with R. caesius as the female take on the more sprawling habit of that species and those of R. ulmifolius are a bit more upright. At Bristol an extensive population involving a puzzling array of backcrosses, occurs in hedges and scrub from the eastern end of Gaston Lane, Golden Hill to the north-west of Horfield Common - a distance of over a mile.

• Rubus winteri (P.J. Müll. ex Focke) A. Först. (Winter's Bramble) / Woodland Locally frequent in hedgerows and scrub on hills and dry, well-drained positions; mainly around the Mendips. Very sparsely scattered elsewhere. Plants named as R. godronii and R. argentatus in the past may refer to this [check!].

Series Vestiti (Focke) Focke

• Rubus adscitus Genev. (Bright Green Bramble) / Woodland Very Rare Rare and confined to scrub and woodland on the Tickenham ridge and Walton Common where it is locally abundant. Also occurs at Bath in the Abbey Cemetery and gardens at Widcombe.

• Rubus bartonii A. Newton (Barton's Bramble) / Woodland Scarce Frequent in scrub and open woods on Carboniferous limestone and Old Red Sandstone west of Bristol around Abbots Leigh, Ashton Court and Failand, and on Broadfield Down, between Cleeve and Flax Bourton; elsewhere rare with isolated colonies at Eastwood, Portishead and to the south of the region near Winscombe. Until recently only known in the north of the region from Clifton Down and Haw Wood but in 2024 it was spotted growing in a hedge next to the side entrance of Badminton School just off Westbury Road, Henleaze, Bristol and on a railway bank besides Redland Grove in 2025 by D. Peters. "It is frequent in places on the seaward side of Bristol and is sometimes grown for its fruit so you can find it near gardens and allotments. The fruit are large and very juicy." R.D. Randall (pers. comm., 2023). The Long Ashton Research Station (closed in 2003) attempted to market it under the name Rubus 'Ashton Cross' but were largely unsuccessful - though it is still sold as such by a few suppliers (it is not known how clean their 'product' is).

• Rubus boraeanus Genev. (Boreau's Bramble - GBIF) Very Rare - ser. Vestiti Very rare. Was discovered new to the region near Sandford, North Somerset in 1997 by R.D. Randall but not seen since.

• Rubus lanaticaulis Edees & A. Newton (Woolly Bramble?, Woolly-stemmed Bramble?) - Woodland Thinly scattered over the region in scrub and woods on more acidic soils; though growing on limestone heath at Burrington Common. Many historic records of R. pyramidalis now refer to this.

• Rubus longus (W.M. Rogers & Ley) A. Newton (Long-leaved Bramble, Long Bramble?) / Woodland Locally frequent in the Avon Gorge and Abbot's Leigh area and in roadside scrub at Bury Hill near Moorend - where it was first observed in 1906 by C. Bucknall (White, 1912); sparsely scattered elsewhere. It was named after its long rectangular terminal leaf lobe. This was recorded in the past as R. lasioclados var. angustifolius and caused great confusion with the hybrid between R. ulmifolius and R. vestitus which is what this species is thought to have derived from.

• Rubus orbus W.C.R. Watson (Red-flowered Bramble, Round Bramble?, Round-stemmed Bramble?) Woodland Very Rare Two small populations exist in scrubby pastures and along a byway on Bleadon Hill. Probably a recent arrival for this predominantly Devon species.

• Rubus surrejanus W.C. Barton & Ridd. (Surrey Bramble) / Grassland Very Rare Occurs on Bracken-covered slopes and scrubby open pastures along the southern border of the region from Black Down and Burrington Common running to Dolbury Warren.

• Rubus vestitus Weihe (Velvet Bramble, Soft-haired Bramble, European Blackberry, Velvet-leaved Bramble, Vested Bramble) / General Frequent Common throughout the region in various places but mainly on lighter soils and often absent or rare in acidic districts. In past texts, this species is referred to as R. leucostachys which is a different species but has never actually been found here. True R. leucostachys differs most notably in having broad-based (not slender) prickles, leaves more coarsely serrate and glabrous above (hairy in R. vestitus), the terminal leaflet is nearly quadrate (square) in shape (rather than rounded) and the rachis has strong prickles (not weak and slender as in R. vestitus). Also known as the Soft-haired or European Bramble. R. vestitus is very variable and has been divided into three artificial varieties. At Ashton Court in 2021, D. Peters noted a particularly impressive plant far larger and more robust than any seen before, growing on the outside of an old walled garden which produces huge delicious fruits and could challenge R. armeniacus in size!

• var. vestitus Woodland Rare The nominate form with deep rose-pink petals and pink filaments but quite rare in our region.

• var. albiflorus Boulay General Frequent The commonest form in our region with white or light pink petals and white filaments.

• var. parvifolius Gelert Woodland Very Rare Like var. albiflorus but smaller in all its parts. "A very pretty small form of this plant reduced in all its parts to about half the usual size, with whiter and harder felt on the under leaf-surfaces, is abundant on the sunny borders of some of the woods in Ashton Park." (White, 1912). It was most recently found at Lord's Wood during a Rubus study week in 2022 by R.D. Randall and at Frampton Cotterell in 2023 by D. Peters.

• Rubus vestitus x R. tuberculatus (Velvet x Tuberculed Bramble) - ser. Discolores x ser. Vestiti General Very Rare Was recorded at Westbury Wildlife Park, Westbury-on-Trym in 2021 by D. Peters. Both species often grow in close proximity and it should be expected to occur elsewhere.

Series Mucronati (Focke) H.E. Weber

• Rubus wirralensis A. Newton (Wirral Bramble) / Woodland Uncommon Well-distributed over the region in woods, scrub and hedgerows on neutral to acidic soils; particularly in the Frome Valley and the area from Woollard to Hallatrow - where it is first mentioned by White (1912) under R. mucronatus. It appears to have expanded its range greatly since White's time. It is named after its main area of distribution - the Wirral Peninsula in north-west England.

Series Radulae (Focke) Focke

• Rubus botryeros (Focke ex W.M. Rogers) W.M. Rogers (Striated-stem Bramble, Clustered Bramble?) Woodland Very Rare Locally abundant in plantations at Brockley Combe where it was first recorded in pre-1930s by ? [BSBI record]. Its isolated presence here provides a connecting link between its two strongholds of Devon / Cornwall with the Welsh borders.

• Rubus echinatoides (W.M. Rogers) Dallman (Notched-petal Bramble, False Hedgehog Bramble, False Echinate Bramble?, False Dense-spined Bramble?, False Dense-prickled Bramble, False Bristly-stemmed Bramble?) - Woodland Rare Locally frequent in hedgerows and scrub around Rangeworthy. First discovered locally, north of there at Cromhall in 1912 by E.M. Day (Riddelsdell, 1948). Elsewhere recorded on the old Midland Railway near Oldland Common and Longwell Green (a single bush) in 1999 and at Leigh Woods in 2000s by R.D. Randall [BSBI record].

• Rubus echinatus Lindl. (Hedgehog Bramble, Echinate Bramble, Bristly Bramble, Dense-spined Bramble?, Dense-prickled Bramble, Bristly-stemmed Bramble?) / Woodland Uncommon Well-distributed and fairly frequent in hedgerows, scrub and open woods on a range of soils but predominantly the marls and sandy clays. This species is first referred to locally in Swete (1854) as R. rudis - from St. Anne's Wood, G.H.K. Thwaites. "The fruit of this species is very good; large, jucy and of a fine acid flavour" (White, 1912) and in the past was sometimes brought into cultivation. It has been introduced to New Zealand and Tasmania.

• Rubus echinatus x R. conjungens (Hedgehog x Conjoined Bramble - same as ‘False rubriflorus’?) - ser. Radulae x sect. Corylifolii Very Rare A patch found growing alongside the two parents was found in a scrubby field margin at Brislington Meadows, Brislington in 2022 by D. Peters.

• Rubus echinatus x R. tuberculatus (Hedgehog x Tubercled Bramble) - ser. Radulae x sect. Corylifolii Very Rare A vigorous patch was found at East Harptree Woods on the southern border of the region in 2024 by D. Peters.

• Rubus flexuosus P.J. Müll. & Lefèvre (Rubus saltuum Focke ex Gremli) (Flexuose Bramble, Zigzag Bramble?, Forest Bramble?) Woodland Very Rare A woodland species. Occurring in the north of the region on the edge of a copse at Engine Common and is also mentioned in a list from 2022 at Glen Frome by R.D. Randall (BSBI Rubus Workshop 2022). Only known from the south of the region in a scrubby field margin near Hallatrow.

• Rubus fuscicaulis Edees (Dusky-stemmed Bramble) / Woodland Locally abundant in woods and scrub west of Bristol; sparsely distributed elsewhere. This species has been the cause of great confusion.

"In Leigh Woods, Bristol, where this species is abundant, there is considerable variation in the strength of the stem armature. The main prickles are sometimes numerous, not confined to the angles and strongly based. Herbarium specimens of this extreme form look very distinct from the typical species...But a study of the living bushes has shown that they are connected by intermediates." (Edees & Newton, 1988).

The mystery was only solved in 1980 when E.S. Edees studied the plants in person. Or was it? In the Avon Gorge area, plants consistently differ in having more numerous prickles which are stronger-based and not confined to the angles so that they look like they should belong to ser. Anisacanthi. Additionally the stamens are green (not red or red-based) E.S. Edees was pondering on describing this extreme form as a new species (R. leighensis) but decided after studying living bushes in Leigh Woods that they are connected by intermediates.

• Rubus 'Bath fuscus' sensu R.D. Randall (Bath Dusky Bramble) - ser. Radulae Is mentioned in a list from Bath by R.D. Randall, unfortunately with no other information.

• Rubus insectifolius Lefèvre & P.J. Müll. (Insect-leaved Bramble?, Slender-branched Bramble?) - Woodland Very Rare Locally abundant to the south-eastern corner of the region around Friary Wood, Hinton Charterhouse - where it is reported to have formed a number of unknown hybrids. Elsewhere only known from a small wood near Thornbury.

• Rubus longithyrsiger Lees ex Focke (Long-stemmed Bramble?) / Woodland Rare Locally abundant in woods and plantations at Cleeve, North Somerset; near Clevedon on the Tickenham ridge and around Glen Frome and Frenchay.

• Rubus malvernicus Edees (Malvern Bramble) - ser. Radulae Discovered new to the region at Compton Dando in 2000s by R.D. Randall [BSBI record].

• Rubus multifidus Boulay & Malbr. (Rubus bloxamii (Bab.) Lees) (Multifide? Bramble, Many Segmented Bramble?, Multi Segmented Bramble?, Many Segment-leaved Bramble?, Multi Segment-leaved Bramble?) / Woodland Very Rare Small populations occur in Badock's Wood, Westbury-on-Trym (also discovered in adjacent Westbury Wildlife Park in 2022 by D. Peters), and Western Woods, Worlebury Hill. It is included in the Flora of the Bristol Region (2000) under R. bloxamii but has since been discovered to be this closely related species - from which it differs in having red-based styles (not yellowish-green or pink) and a more scrambling, less tufted habit. True R. bloxamii is not known at present in the Bristol Region.

[Also a BSBI record near Freshford on the edge of the region - check if within.]

• Rubus 'Conkwell obscurus' sensu R.D. Randall (Conkwell Obscure Bramble) - ser. Radulae Is mentioned in a list from Bath (BRLSI). Unfortunately with no further information. Presumably it's present in the Conkwell area, south-east of Bath.

• Rubus radula Weihe ex Boenn. (File-stemmed Bramble, Hairy Bramble, Subulate-prickled Bramble) /- Woodland Very Rare A predominantly northern species. Very rare in our area but small isolated colonies exist in hedgerows and scrub on Bleadon Hill and in scrubby pastures at Englishcombe, Bath and at its only known sites in the north of the region at Mount Skitham, adjacent to Haw Wood and found to be plentiful around Spaniorum Hill (about a mile from the last location) in 2025 by D. Peters, during a BNS field meeting. It is likely to be spread further across this entire area following the M5 between Hallen and Almondsbury.

• Rubus rudis Weihe (Rough Bramble, Purple-glandular Bramble) - Woodland Locally abundant in woods at Windmill Hill near Portbury and by the lake at Hunstrete. Also recorded from Meadgate and occurring near allotments at Batheaston. Historically this species was recorded at Brislington in 1892 by D. Fry - "Several strong bushes by the G.W.R. main line under Fox's Wood...The locality is a short distance west of the signal-box." (White, 1912).

• Rubus rufescens Lefèvre & P.J. Müll. (Rufescent Bramble, Rufous Bramble) /- Woodland Uncommon An uncommon species in our area but well-distributed and widely scattered in woods, scrub and hedgerows on lighter soils. Where it does occur it can be locally plentiful and even dominating. This species was known in the past as R. infecundus. "One of the most strongly marked plants of the district, very constant in aspect and retaining the same general characters in many widely-spaced localities. Its soft, oval, yellowish leaflets and reddish glandular long-pointed clasping sepals, make it a striking bramble. It ripens fruit shyly and irregularly, with but few drupels," (White, 1912) giving the fruiting panicles a characteristic appearance of having rotted off prematurely.

• Rubus troiensis A. Newton (Troi's Bramble?) / Woodland Scarce A scare species, occurring in woods and scrub on Carboniferous limestone in the Avon Gorge and Leigh Woods area, Cleeve, Dolbury Warren and around Shipham; and on Pennant Sandstone at Nailsea, Hanham and Wick. "I first came across this in Leigh Woods. It does not sit very well in series Radulae as it has a range of acicles and pricklets. It is not all that common around Bristol but there is quite a lot in the field hedges just west of Nailsea and along Winscombe Drove below Shute Shelve. It does get more prickly in the sun and it confused me rather until I got used to how it varies depending on the growing conditions." R.D. Randall (pers. comm., 2023).

Series Micantes Sudre ex Bouvet

• Rubus coombensis Rilstone (Coombe Bramble - GBIF) Woodland Was recorded on the edge of the region at Winscombe in 1990s by R.D. Randall [BSBI record].

• Rubus diversus W.C.R. Watson (Diverse Bramble, Diverse-leaved Bramble?, Variable Bramble?, Variable-leaved Bramble?) / Woodland A local species of ancient woodland; occurring on carboniferous limestone of the Mendips, Broadfield Down and the Avon Gorge area; and on Sandstone around Hunstrete, Compton Dando, Hanham, Glen Frome and Arnos Vale Cemetery. In Middle Wood at Englishcombe near Bath it grows on the Fuller's Earth series with a myriad of other unexpected species. It appears to have expanded it's range since White's day when it was known as R. kaltenbachii. "A very showy and distinct-looking bramble of unvarying features [quite a contravening point considering its name]...Among the more remarkable characters of kaltenbachii is a long, drooping, pyramidal panicle, tapering gradually to a point formed of a single flower. Stamens very long, at least double the length of the styles." (White, 1912).

• Rubus gallofuscus A. Newton & M. Porter (Small-fruited Bramble, Gallofuscan Bramble? Gallo Dusky Bramble?) - ser. Micantes Was recorded at Weston Woods in 1990 by R.D. Randall.

• Rubus glareosus W.M. Rogers (Gravelly Bramble?) - Woodland Very Rare Occurs in dry woods on Carboniferous limestone at Worlebury and on sandstone at Hallatrow and High Littleton. Plants in the latter area are not typical and were recorded by White (1912) as R. viridis.

• Rubus 'Bristol glareosus' sensu R.D. Randall (Bristol Bramble) A local form "restricted to the Hanham Gorge [, Rodway Hill], Glen Frome and the sandstone section of Henbury Combe. I call this one Bristol glareosus because Alan Newton called it R. glareosus when I first sent him specimens." R.D. Randall (pers. comm., 2022). It is intermediate between R. glareosus and R. moylei and it was R.D. Randall's wish to give it a proper name one day and describe it as 'R. bristoliensis' to add a 4th to our collection of locally named plants.

• Rubus leightonii Lees ex Leight. (Leighton's Bramble) - Woodland Exists locally by the River Avon at Bath, along the old Midland Railway Line at Oldland Common, and in small quantity in Greyfield Wood.

• Rubus melanodermis Focke ex W.M. Rogers (Blackish-stemmed Bramble, Black-stemmed Bramble?, Melanoderm Bramble?) - Woodland Very Rare First recorded by White (1912) under R. fuscus: "By the railway under Sneyd Park; a luxuriant form in small quantity". A visit to the Avon Gorge in 1980 by the two leading national experts at the time - E.S. Edees and A. Newton, during the creation of their Brambles of the British Isles distinguished for a time as the 'Sneyd Park Plant' before determining it as this predominantly Welsh species. It still grows in what's now known as Bennett's Patch and White's Paddock and it may occur in other spots close by.

• Rubus micans Godr. (Anglosaxon Bramble) - Woodland Scarce Rare and local in woods and scrub on Carboniferous limestone and Old Red Sandstone west of Bristol with two isolated colonies at Weston Woods and Swangrove to the north-east of the region. This is the species to which old records of R. anglosaxonicus can relate.

• Rubus moylei W.C. Barton & Ridd. (Moyle Rogers' Bramble, Moyle's Bramble?) / Woodland Concentrated and locally abundant at Weston Woods, Worlebury Hill and discovered for the first time in the north of the region at Stoke Park, Bristol in 2023 by D. Peters. Otherwise only recorded from Middle Wood, Englishcombe near Bath. Ours is the typical plant and not the more frequent form; occurring on the other side of the Bristol Channel - var. cuneatus - with "shorter prickles, longer more cuneate leaflets greener and only thinly hairy on the underside and a more compact inflorescence." (Edees and Newton, 1988).

• Rubus percrispus D.E. Allen & R.D. Randall (Undulate-leaved Bramble, Crisp Bramble?, Crisp-leaved Bramble?) / Woodland Scarce A scarce species; Scattered in scrub and hedgerows on Old Red Sandstone.

• Rubus raduloides (W.M. Rogers) Sudre (R. hoplotheca A. Beek & D.P. Mercie) (False File-stemmed Bramble, Densely-hairy Bramble) / Woodland Uncommon Well-distributed and locally common in woods and scrub on a variety of substrates; particularly Carboniferous limestone and avoiding heavier soils. This was placed by White (1912) as a variety of R. anglosaxonicus to which he remarks "There are on Clifton Down some raduloides hybrids whose other constituents cannot be certainly stated".

• Rubus trichodes W.C.R. Watson (R. erubescens Wirtg.) (Blushed Red-stemmed Bramble?, Red Blushed Bramble?, Blushed-stemmed Bramble?, Blushing Bramble?, Reddish-stemmed Bramble?) / General Scarce Restricted to the southern border of the region between Dolbury Warren and Burrington Common where it is locally frequent on limestone heath and in the neighbouring woods.

Series Anisacanthi H.E. Weber

• Rubus avaloniensis A. Newton & R.D. Randall (Avalon Bramble) - ser. Anisacanthi Very Rare Recorded in the past as R. drejeri and described only in 2005. It is named after its main centre of distribution - the Avalon Marshes. Locally this species has only been recorded at Worlebury Hill and Burrington in 1990s by R.D. Randall [BSBI records]. White's record from "Durdham Down by Sneyd Park" was not that but redetermined by A. Newton as R. troiensis. True R. drejeri is a predominantly northern species and has never been recorded in our area.

[There's a record of R. drejeri on GBIF made from Durdham Down on the 11th of July 1910 by I.M. Roper - locate in Bristol Museum - probably the same record mentioned by White which turned out to be R. troiensis]

• Rubus dentatifolius (Briggs) W.C.R. Watson (Dentate-leaved Bramble?, Toothed-leaved Bramble?, Sharp Serrated Bramble?, Coarsely-toothed Bramble?) - Woodland A scarce species found in scrub and open woods on more acidic soils - predominantly Pennant Sandstone.

• type dentatifolius The typical plant of Devon and Cornwall. It grows only at Walton Moor.

• type vectensis The more widespread plant. Described as R. vectensis by W.C.R. Watson but later downgraded to mere variation by Edees and Newton (1988) but kept separate by R.D. Randall. It differs in . This is the commoner form with us. Predominantly found at north-east Bristol and Lower Woods.

• Rubus 'Wetmoor dentatifolius' sensu R.D. Randall (Wetmoor Dentate-leaved Bramble) - ser. Anisacanthi Woodland Very Rare Is mentioned in a list from Bath by R.D. Randall. Unfortunately with no other information.

• Rubus formidabilis Lefèvre & P.J. Müll. (Formidable Bramble) - ser. Anisacanthi Woodland Very Rare Was recorded new to the region at Manor Road Local Nature Reserve, Keynsham in 2003 by R.D. Randall. Quite an extension in range for this south-eastern species.

• Rubus hibernicus (W.M. Rogers) W.M. Rogers (Irish Bramble?, Atlantic Bramble?) /- Woodland Scarce Locally abundant on Worlebury Hill and Bleadon Hill and Chewton Wood just outside our area. Also recorded at Clarken Coombe, Ashton Court Estate in 1992 by R.D. Randall.

• Rubus leyanus W.M. Rogers (Ley's Bramble - R.D. Randall) / Woodland Scarce Locally frequent on Worlebury Hill, Bleadon Hill and the area to the north of the region where it was first recorded "By the roadside and in open woodland near Damery Bridge." (White, 1912) when it was first placed as a variety under R. drejeri. Elsewhere with isolated colonies at Stanton Wick and Englishcombe near Bath.

Series Hystrices Focke

• Rubus angusticuspis Sudre (Narrow-cusped Bramble, Slender Bramble?, Narrow Bramble?, Elegant Bramble?) / Woodland Rare Locally abundant in Lord's Wood and the surrounding area of Hunstrete to Greyfield Wood, High Littleton.

[2022 record from Moorgrove should be R. asperidens.]

• Rubus asperidens Sudre ex Bouvet (Miles's Bramble, Rough-stemmed Bramble?, Rough-prickled Bramble?) / Woodland Scarce Found in scrub and woodland on Carboniferous limestone in the Avon Gorge area and at Blaise Castle Estate, and on Old Red Sandstone near Portbury. Also found at Long Dole Wood on the southern edge of the region. This is the R. koehleri of past texts.

[2022 record needs checking. Is this Moorgrove Wood? If so it should be R. asperidens]

• Rubus bercheriensis (Druce ex W.M. Rogers) W.M. Rogers (Berkshire Bramble?, Bercherian Bramble?) - Woodland Very Rare A very rare species locally; found in scrub and open woods at Wick, in hedgerows at Webb's Heath, and in the Avon valley at Hanham.

• Rubus 'Blackhorse Wood' sensu D. Peters (Blackhorse Wood Bramble) - ser. Hystrices An indetermined, very striking-looking bramble with large dark-green elegant leaves - made up of long, narrowly-elliptical, finely-acuminate leaflets which are well spaced out by long petiolules; found in Blackhorse Wood at the back of Wild Place (now known as the Bristol Zoo Project) [ST57398168].

• Rubus dasyphyllus (W.M. Rogers) E.S. Marshall (Retrorse-toothed Bramble - GBIF, Thick-leaved Bramble - R.D. Randall) / Woodland Uncommon A widespread species, found in scrub and woods on lighter soils; most noticeably following the course of the river Frome and absent in the area north of Bristol.

• Rubus hylocharis W.C.R. Watson (Patent-pedicelled Bramble) / Woodland Scarce A scarce but locally frequent species found in scrub and woodland on sandstone.

• Rubus murrayi Sudre (Murray's Bramble) - Woodland Very Rare Named after the author of the Flora of Somerset, and batologist J.P. Murray. This species is found locally in woodland on both sides of the Avon Gorge and Ashton Court Estate. Elsewhere only recorded near Hallatrow.

[Also an old BSBI record from East Bristol]

• Rubus rilstonei W.C. Barton & Ridd. (Rilstone's Bramble) Several small patches of this Devon and Cornwall species was discovered new to the region under trees near the top of Arnos Vale Cemetery, Bristol in 2011 by R.D. Randall. Either arriving as a bird-sown colonist or possibly it was introduced with granite or other materials from its main area of distribution.

[recorded from Arnos Vale in 2011 according to NBN. It is mentioned in Glos. Fl. as occurring in district 4 and 7a under the name Rubus plinthostylus Genev. - a synonym for R. koehleri Weihe which does not occur in Britain.]

• Rubus scabripes Genev. (Scabrid Bramble - R.D. Randall, Rough-stemmed Bramble?, Scabrous Bramble?) / General Very rare. Established on colliery batches at Camerton and Horton, and near Engine Common.

• Rubus thyrsigeriformis (Sudre) D.E. Allen (Long-stemmed Bramble?) / Woodland Rare A nationally rare species which is found scattered over the eastern half of the region in woodland and scrub on sandstones.

Series Glandulosi (Wimm. & Grab.) Focke

• Rubus obscuriflorus Edees & A. Newton (Few-flowered Bramble?, Obscure-flowered Bramble?, Small-flowered Bramble?) / Woodland Very rare. Small populations of this nationally rare plant exist at Glen Frome near Oldbury Court Estate where it is characteristic of rocky slopes with deep leaf litter.

• Rubus scaber Weihe (Scabrous Bramble) - Portishead Wood, D. Hawkins) Woodland Very Rare Discovered new to the region in a small wood at Portishead in 2025 by D. Hawkins and determined by D. Peters. It is the dominant species here. Historical records of R. scaber refer to other taxa including R. fuscicaulis.

• Rubus 'Beacon Hill serpens' (set no. 74) sensu R.D. Randall (Beacon Hill Serpent Bramble?) Is mentioned in a list from Glen Frome by R.D. Randall. Unfortunately with no further information. Presumably it matches material collected from Beacon Hill, near Shepton Mallet in Somerset.

Section Corylifolii Lindl.

• Rubus adenoleucus Chaboiss. (Pale-glanded Bramble, White-glanded Bramble?, Shining Red-stemmed Bramble?, Shiny Red-stemmed Bramble?) - Woodland Locally abundant to the north-east of the region at Swangrove and Hinnegar Wood on the Badminton Estate; elsewhere recorded on the southern border of the region near Shipham in 1990s and most recently at Bathford in 2010s by R.D. Randall.

• Rubus 'Mendip adenoleucus' sensu R.D. Randall (Mendip Pale-glanded Bramble) Presumably this species is widespread over the Mendips.

• Rubus anglorum sensu R.D. Randall [R. britannicus sensu W.R.C. Watson] (Anglian Bramble, Watson's British Bramble) - [1 BSBI record as R. britannicus] - sect. Corylifolii General Very Rare A yet to be formerly described species which occurs on a roadside under trees at Lansdown, near Bath, opposite the Old Sulivans RFC Rugby ground at ST733679. Not to be confused with R. britannicus of Rogers. It is similar to R. luticola A. Beek from the Netherlands. "This species is widespread in S.E. England but also occurs sporadically outside this area, probably spread by birds during the autumn migration. It appears to be increasing in its range. The colony from which this specimen was taken, became established sometime in the last 20 years." R.D. Randall.

• Rubus ariconiensis A. Newton & M. Porter (Archenfield Bramble, Bury Hill Bramble - R.D. Randall) Very Rare Was discovered new to the region at Combe Hay, near Bath in 2010s by R.D. Randall [BSBI record].

• Rubus bucknallii J.W. White (Bucknall's Bramble?) Woodland Very Rare Very rare to the far north of the region in hedgerows and scrub around Tresham but existing abundantly just outside the region at Wotton-under-Edge - where it was discovered by C. Bucknall and named after him by his friend J.W. White.

[Tresham is outside the region - previous flora extended the boundaries slightly]

• Rubus conjungens (Bab.) W.M. Rogers (Conjoined Bramble, Bank Bramble) / Woodland Uncommon Well-distributed over much of the region in scrub and hedgerows on coal shales and the Cotswold plateau in the north and on Carboniferous limestone in the south but almost entirely absent from BANES. This was included in past texts as a variety of R. corylifolius, often as var. cyclophyllus.

• Rubus eboracensis W.C.R. Watson (York Bramble, Yorkshire Bramble?, Eboracum Bramble?) / Woodland Uncommon Locally frequent in hedgerows and scrub in the north of the region; predominantly following the area of Pennant Sandstone, and only known from one site in the south - Odd Down, Bath. The specific epithet 'eboracensis' comes from 'Eboracum' - the name of a former Roman occupation (the largest in northern Britain) which is now the city of York.

• Rubus 'Goblin Combe' sensu D. Peters (Goblin Combe Bramble) - sect. Corylifolii Woodland Very Rare Two bushes of this unnameable species were discovered on the side of a damp, shaded woodland track in the heart of Goblin Combe in 2023 by D. Peters and later shown to R.D. Randall who initially suggested it might be R. riparius - a Welsh species from ser. Sylvatici but upon viewing it in person had 'no idea' what it was other than it being from sect. Corylifolii. It has distinctively glossy slightly rugose leaves and appears to have R. tuberculatus as one of its parents and has a relatively upright growing habit with similar stem and floral features to another mystery plant from section Rubus - 'Goblin Combe sect. Rubus' which is possibly the other parent.

• Rubus halsteadensis W.C.R. Watson (Halstead's Bramble?) - Woodland Very Rare A poorly understood species which grows in the Avon Gorge on the edge of Clifton Down and in Leigh Woods and also at Weston Woods, Worlebury Hill.

• Rubus 'Ashton Court halsteadensis' sensu D. Peters (Ashton Court Halstead Bramble) - sect. Corylifolii Woodland Very Rare A single bush found to the side of a dark woodland track at Ashton Court Estate. It resembles R. halsteadensis but the petiolule is too short and the leaf-shape is different.

• Rubus 'Weston Woods halsteadensis' sensu D. Peters (Weston Woods Halstead Bramble) Woodland Very Rare Two low-growing patches of this mystery taxon were found along a woodland track at Weston Woods, Worelbury Hill in 2023 by D. Peters and R.D. Randall. It is possibly the result of a cross between R. halsteadensis and R. pruinosus. It is partially fertile.

• Rubus intensior Edees (Intense-prickled Bramble) General Very Rare Discovered new to the region when a young patch was found scrambling along the ground of an open front garden on Dorian Road, Southmead, Bristol in 2025 by D. Peters.

• Rubus 'Cleeve Wood latifolius' sensu D. Peters - sect. Corylifolii Woodland Very Rare A single non-flowering specimen with quite a strong resemblance to R. latifolius - a northern species, was found at Cleeve Wood in 2023 by D. Peters and if it wasn't for the huge distance outside of range, would pass as that. A further visit is needed to study it when in flower.

• Rubus nemorosus Hayne & Willd. (Shade Bramble - GBIF, Wood Bramble?, Woodland Bramble?) Woodland Very Rare Recorded for the first time locally in recent years from a hedgerow along Oxleaze Lane, Dundry in 2025 by D. Peters. Historically recorded as R. balfourianus and collected from Whitchurch in 1883 by W.H. Painter and "By the canal at Claverton, Bath; C. C. Babington [1869]." (White, 1912). Also found at Wyck and Stapleton by Babington (1869); and Tockington Hill by I.M. Roper (Riddelsdell, 1948).

[Babington, C.C., 1869. The British Rubi. London: John van Voorst. (p. 260) - see Internet Archive]

• Rubus pictorum Edees (Picts' Bramble) /- Woodland Very Rare A predominantly Welsh and Scottish species which is locally frequent in Carboniferous limestone woods at Abbots Leigh and Ashton Court Estate.

• Rubus 'Pink Fluffy Bramble' sensu R.D. Randall (Pink Fluffy Bramble) - sect. Corylifolii Woodland Very Rare Is mentioned in a list from Bath by R.D. Randall. Unfortunately with no further information.

• Rubus pruinosus Arrh. (Pruinose Bramble - GBIF) / Woodland Uncommon Widespread in hedgerows, scrub and open woods on calcareous soils; predominantly in the south and rare in the north where it is largely replaced by R. conjungens and R. eboracensis. This species was known in the past as R. corylifolius var. sublustris.

• Rubus ‘False rubriflorus’ sensu R.D. Randall (False Rose-flowered Bramble, False Red-flowered Bramble) - sect. Corylifolii Woodland Very Rare An unnamed plant which is widespread over Somerset and Wiltshire and is mentioned in our region in a list from Bath by R.D. Randall. It is similar to R. conjungens but with a hairy stem and "has pale pink flowers and the leaflets are usually narrower." R.D. Randall (pers. comm., 2022).

• Rubus transmarinus D.E. Allen (R. intensior Edees) (Transmarine Bramble, Channel Bramble) - sect. Corylifolii Woodland Very Rare Is mentioned in a list from Bath along with a set of photos taken in 2011 by R.D. Randall but with no other information. It is considered by some authorities to be the same as R. intensior - a northern species but was treated as distinct by R.D. Randall and so must remain separate.

• Rubus tuberculatus Bab. (R. horrefactus P.J. Müll. & Lefèvre) (Tubercled Bramble, Variable-leaved Bramble, Railway Bramble) / General Frequent A frequent and versatile species of hedgerows, scrub and open woods but avoiding heavier soils. It is also often found in more urban situations and is a quick coloniser. It is noticeably absent from the area directly north of Bristol and the South Glos. rhynes, the north-east of the region, and the levels and moors. This is the species referred to in the past under the R. dumetorum aggregate as var. diversifolius. As this name would suggest, it is extremely variable and R.D. Randall nicknamed several distinct forms which are referred to elsewhere in this account but there are others. "Specimens with big white flowers from open spots in Leigh Woods" (White, 1912), named by W.M. Rogers to be 'very much my idea of scabrosus' were said by A. Newton to 'almost certainly be f. aprica'.

• Rubus tuberculatus x R. caesius (Tubercled Bramble x Dewberry) - sect. Corylifolii x sect. Caesii General Rare Probably a fairly frequent hybrid. Found at several sites across Bristol in 2023 by D. Peters: Stoke Park, Hengrove Mounds, Gaston Lane, Golden Hill and Westbury-on-Trym.

• Rubus 'Mendip tuberculatus' sensu R.D. Randall (Mendip Tubercled Bramble) BRLSI - sect. Corylifolii General Rare Is apparently widespread throughout North Somerset, much of Wiltshire and the Cotswolds and deserves to be given a proper name. Unfortunately it's not known what its distinguishing features are and so for now, remains a mystery.

• Rubus vagensis A. Newton & M. Porter (Wandering Bramble?) / Woodland Rare Locally abundant in woods to the south-west of the region around Bleadon Hill, Worlebury Hill and Winscombe. It was also discovered at Goblin Combe in 2023 by R.D. Randall and D. Peters.

Section Caesii Lej. & Courtois

• Rubus caesius L. (Dewberry) / General Frequent Common throughout the region on calcareous soils in hedgerows, scrub, woods, road verges, ditch-sides and sandy places by the sea. It prefers damp situations but is by no means limited to them. In some areas (mainly on heavier soils) the plant can become hybridised out of existence; particularly with members of sect. Corylifolii and sect. Rubus. Dewberry is very variable and often the only species to be found in limestone districts along with R. ulmifolius.

List:

• Rubus tricolor Focke (Chinese Bramble) / General
• Rubus saxatilis L. (Stone Bramble) 1883 - Woodland
• Rubus odoratus L. (Purple-flowered Raspberry) General Extinct - [Record in Bristol Botany in 2006]
• Rubus idaeus L. (ssp. idaeus - Kew) (Raspberry) / Woodland
• Rubus idaeus x R. caesius = R. x pseudoidaeus (Weihe) Lej. (R. × idaeoides Ruthe - Kew, GBIF) (Raspberry x Dewberry) - Woodland
• Rubus phoenicolasius Maxim. (Japanese Wineberry, Hairy Bramble - GBIF) Woodland
• Rubus spectabilis Pursh (Salmonberry) ? Woodland
• Rubus loganobaccus L.H. Bailey (Stace, EDIT) Rubus idaeus x R. ursinus (Kew) vitifolius (old name) = R. × loganobaccus (Kew, GBIF) (Loganberry) - General
• Rubus fruiticosus agg. (Blackberry, Bramble - NBN) / General
• Rubus idaeus x R. fruticosus agg. ? (Raspberry x Bramble) (Name will become more specific) Woodland
• Rubus bertramii G. Braun (Bertram's Bramble - GBIF) 1981 Woodland
• Rubus divaricatus P.J. Müll. (Red-stemmed Bramble - GBIF) /- Woodland
• Rubus nessensis Hall (NBN, EDIT) Rubus polonicus Weston (Kew, GBIF) (Ness Bramble - GBIF, Polish Bramble?) - Woodland
• Rubus nobilissimus (W.C.R. Watson) Pearsall (Few-prickled Bramble - GBIF) 1981 /- Woodland
• Rubus scissus W.C.R. Watson (Red-fruited Bramble - GBIF) / Woodland
• Rubus sulcatus Vest. (Furrowed-stem Bramble - GBIF) Woodland
• Rubus vigorosus P.J. Müll. & Wirtg. (NBN, EDIT) Rubus affinis Weihe & Nees (Kew, GBIF) (Vigorous Bramble - GBIF) - Woodland
• Rubus adspersus Weihe ex H.E. Weber (Red-leaved Bramble - GBIF, Hornbeam-leaved Bramble - NBN, BSBI) - Woodland
• Rubus albionis W.C.R. Watson (Pink-flowered Bramble - GBIF) - Woodland
• Rubus errabundus W.C.R. Watson (Shining-stemmed Bramble - BSBI, Wandering Bramble?) - Grassland
• Rubus imbricatus Hort (Imbricate-leaflet Bramble - GBIF, Imbricate-leaved Bramble - R.D. Randall) - Woodland
• Rubus laciniatus Willd. (NBN, GBIF, EDIT) Rubus nemoralis P.J. Müll. 'Laciniatus' (Kew) (Parsley-leaved Bramble - NBN, Cut-Leaf Blackberry - GBIF) - general
• Rubus lindleianus Lees (Rubus lindleyanus - Kew) (Lindley's Bramble - GBIF) / Woodland
• Rubus perdigitatus A. Newton (Digitate-leaved Bramble - GBIF) - Woodland
• Rubus platyacanthus P.J. Müll. & Lefèvre (Long-prickled Bramble - GBIF) / Woodland
• Rubus pyramidalis Kaltenb. (NBN, EDIT) Rubus umbrosus (Weihe & Nees) Arrh. (Kew, GBIF) (Pyramidal-flowered Bramble - BSBI, Shady Bramble?, Pyramidal Bramble?, Pyramidal Blackberry?) /- Woodland
• Rubus sciocharis (Sudre) W.C.R. Watson (Large-petalled Bramble - GBIF) / Woodland
• Rubus cardiophyllus Lefèvre & P.J. Müll. (Round-fruited Bramble - GBIF, Heart-leaved Bramble - R.D. Randall) / Woodland
• Rubus cissburiensis W.C. Barton & Ridd. (Cissbury Bramble - R.D. Randall) / Woodland
• Rubus cornubiensis (W.M. Rogers ex Ridd.) Rilstone (Cornish Bramble?) - General
• Rubus curvispinosus Edees & A. Newton (Curved-spined Bramble?, Curved-prickled Bramble?) Grassland
• Rubus diversiarmatus W.C.R. Watson (Disarmed Bramble?, Diverse Bramble?, Diverse-armed Bramble?, Various Bramble?, Varied-stemmed Bramble?, Various-stemmed Bramble?) - Woodland
• Rubus elegantispinosus (A. Schumach.) H.E. Weber (Slender Spined Bramble - NBN, Railway Bramble - GBIF, Elegant-spined Bramble - R.D. Randall, Elegant Spiny Bramble?) - General
• Rubus nemoralis P.J. Müll. (Boreal Bramble - GBIF, Northern Bramble?) / Woodland
• Rubus pampinosus Lees (Pompous Bramble?, Leafy Bramble?, Vine-leaved Bramble?, Vine-leaf Blackberry?) - Woodland
• Rubus polyanthemus Lindeb. (Grey-felted Bramble - GBIF, Many-flowered Bramble - R.D. Randall) / Woodland
• Rubus prolongatus Boulay & Letendre ex Corb. (Southern Bramble - BSBI, Prolonged Bramble?) - Woodland
• Rubus ramosus A. Bloxam ex Briggs (Branched Bramble?) Woodland
• Rubus rubritinctus W.C.R. Watson (Red-tinted Bramble - R.D. Randall, Purple-ribbed Bramble - GBIF, Red-stemmed Bramble?) / Woodland
• Rubus subinermoides Druce (Unarmed Bramble?) - Woodland
• Rubus villicauliformis A. Newton (Shaggy Bramble?, Shaggy-leaved Bramble?, Shaggy-stemmed Bramble?, Hairy-spined Bramble?) / Grassland
• Rubus sprengelii Weihe (var. sprengelii - Kew) (Sprengel's Bramble - GBIF) Woodland
• Rubus armeniacus Focke (Himalayan Giant / Giant Blackberry - NBN, Himalaya Blackberry - GBIF) / General
• Rubus rossensis A. Newton (Ross Bramble - BSBI, Rose-stemmed Bramble?, Pink-stemmed Bramble? Rose-coloured Bramble?) / Woodland
• Rubus ulmifolius Schott (Elm-leaved Bramble - R.D. Randall, Elmleaf Blackberry, Common Bramble - GBIF) / General
• Rubus ulmifolius x R. vestitus / (Elmleaf x European Blackberry / Common x European Blackberry) / General
• Rubus winteri (P.J. Müll. ex Focke) A. Först. (Winter's Bramble - GBIF) / Woodland
• Rubus adscitus Genev. (Bright Green Bramble - GBIF) / Woodland
• Rubus bartonii A. Newton (Barton's Bramble - R.D. Randall) / Woodland
• Rubus lanaticaulis Edees & A. Newton (Woolly Bramble?, Woolly-stemmed Bramble?) - Woodland
• Rubus longus (W.M. Rogers & Ley) A. Newton (Long-leaved Bramble - BSBI, R.D. Randall, Long Bramble?) / Woodland
• Rubus orbus W.C.R. Watson (Round Bramble?, Round-stemmed Bramble?) Woodland
• Rubus surrejanus W.C. Barton & Ridd. (Surrey Bramble - BSBI, Upright Bramble?, Upright-prickled Bramble?) / Grassland
• Rubus vestitus Weihe (Velvet Bramble - R.D. Randall, Soft-haired Bramble - BSBI, European Blackberry - GBIF, Velvet-leaved Bramble?, Vested Bramble?) / General
• Rubus wirralensis A. Newton (Wirral's Bramble?) / Woodland
• Rubus multifidus Boulay & Malbr. (R.D. Randall's opinion) Rubus bloxamii (Bab.) Lees (Kew, GBIF, NBN, EDIT) (Multifide? Bramble, Many Segmented Bramble?, Multi Segmented Bramble?, Many Segment-leaved Bramble?, Multi Segment-leaved Bramble?) - [R. bloxamii is not known in the Bristol Region. It differs from R. multifidus in having yellowish-green / pink-(not red)-based styles] / Woodland
• Rubus botryeros (Focke ex W.M. Rogers) W.M. Rogers (Striated-stem Bramble - BSBI, GBIF, Clustered Bramble?) Woodland
• Rubus echinatoides (W.M. Rogers) Dallman (Notched-petal Bramble - BSBI, False Echinate Bramble?, False Dense-spined Bramble?, False Dense-prickled Bramble, False Bristly-stemmed Bramble?) - Woodland
• Rubus echinatus Lindl. (Hedgehog Bramble - BSBI, Echinate Bramble NBN, Bristly Bramble - R.D. Randall, Dense-spined Bramble?, Dense-prickled Bramble, Bristly-stemmed Bramble?) / Woodland
• Rubus flexuosus P.J. Müll. & Lefèvre (NBN, EDIT) Rubus saltuum Focke ex Gremli (Kew, GBIF) (NBN, GBIF, EDIT) (Flexuose Bramble - GBIF, Forest Bramble?) Woodland
• Rubus fuscicaulis Edees (Dusky-stemmed Bramble - R.D. Randall, Brown-stemmed Bramble?, Brown-haired Bramble?, Brown Hairy Bramble? Brown Hairy-stemmed Bramble?) / Woodland
• Rubus insectifolius Lefèvre & P.J. Müll. (Insect-leaved Bramble?, Slender-branched Bramble?) - Woodland
• Rubus longithyrsiger Lees ex Focke (Long-stemmed Bramble?) / Woodland
• Rubus radula Weihe ex Boenn. (Hairy Bramble - NBN, Subulate-prickled Bramble - GBIF, File-stemmed Bramble - R.D. Randall) /- Woodland
• Rubus rudis Weihe (Purple-glandular Bramble - GBIF, Rough Bramble - R.D. Randall) - Woodland
• Rubus rufescens Lefèvre & P.J. Müll. (Rufous Bramble - GBIF, Rufescent Bramble - R.D. Randall) /- Woodland
• Rubus troiensis A. Newton (Troi's Bramble?) / Woodland
• Rubus coombensis Rilstone (Combe Bramble?) Woodland
• Rubus diversus W.C.R. Watson (Diverse Bramble - R.D. Randall, Diverse-leaved Bramble?, Variable Bramble?, Variable-leaved Bramble?) / Woodland
• Rubus glareosus W.M. Rogers (Gravelly Bramble?) - Woodland
• Rubus leightonii Lees ex Leight. (Leighton's Bramble - GBIF) - Woodland
• Rubus melanodermis Focke ex W.M. Rogers (Blackish-stemmed Bramble - BSBI, Black-stemmed Bramble?, Melanoderm Bramble?) - Woodland
• Rubus micans Godr. (Anglosaxon Bramble - GBIF) - Woodland
• Rubus moylei W.C. Barton & Ridd. (Moyle's Bramble?, Moyle Rogers' Bramble - R.D. Randall) / Woodland
• Rubus percrispus D.E. Allen & R.D. Randall (Undulate-leaved Bramble - BSBI, Crisp Bramble?, Crisp-leaved Bramble?) / Woodland
• Rubus raduloides Rubus raduloides (W.M. Rogers) Sudre (NBN, EDIT) Rubus hoplotheca A. Beek & D.P. Mercier (Kew, GBIF) (Densely-hairy Bramble - GBIF, False File-stemmed Bramble - R.D. Randall) / Woodland
• Rubus trichodes W.C.R. Watson (NBN, EDIT) Rubus erubescens Wirtg. (Kew, GBIF) (Blushed Red-stemmed Bramble?, Red Blushed Bramble?, Blushed-stemmed Bramble?, Blushing Bramble?, Reddish-stemmed Bramble?) / General
• Rubus dentatifolius (Briggs) W.C.R. Watson (Dentate-leaved Bramble?, Toothed-leaved Bramble?, Sharp Serrated Bramble?, Coarsely-toothed Bramble?) [type dentatifolius and vectensis] - Woodland
• Rubus hibernicus (W.M. Rogers) W.M. Rogers (Irish Bramble?, Atlantic Bramble?) /- Woodland
• Rubus leyanus W.M. Rogers (Ley's Bramble - R.D. Randall) / Woodland
• Rubus angusticuspis Sudre (Narrow-cusped Bramble - R.D. Randall, Slender Bramble?, Narrow Bramble?, Elegant Bramble?) / Woodland
• Rubus asperidens Sudre ex Bouvet (Miles's Bramble - GBIF, Rough-stemmed Bramble?, Rough-prickled Bramble?) / Woodland
• Rubus bercheriensis (Druce ex W.M. Rogers) W.M. Rogers (Berkshire Bramble?, Bercherian Bramble?) - Woodland
• Rubus dasyphyllus (W.M. Rogers) E.S. Marshall (Retrorse-toothed Bramble - GBIF, Thick-leaved Bramble - R.D. Randall) / Woodland
• Rubus hylocharis W.C.R. Watson (Patent-pedicelled Bramble - BSBI) / Woodland
• Rubus murrayi Sudre (Murray's Bramble - GBIF) - Woodland
• Rubus scabripes Genev. (Scabrid Bramble - R.D. Randall, Rough-stemmed Bramble?, Scabrous Bramble?) / General
• Rubus thyrsigeriformis (Sudre) D.E. Allen (Long-stemmed Bramble?) / Woodland
• Rubus obscuriflorus Edees & A. Newton (Few-flowered Bramble?, Obscure-flowered Bramble?, Small-flowered Bramble?) / Woodland
• Rubus adenoleucus Chaboiss. (Pale-glanded Bramble - R.D. Randall, Shining Red-stemmed Bramble?, Shiny Red-stemmed Bramble?, White-glanded Bramble?) - Woodland
• Rubus bucknallii J.W. White (Bucknall's Bramble?) Woodland
• Rubus conjungens (Bab.) W.M. Rogers (Conjoined Bramble, Bank Bramble - BSBI) / Woodland
• Rubus eboracensis W.C.R. Watson (York Bramble - R.D. Randall, Yorkshire Bramble?, Eboracum Bramble?) / Woodland
• Rubus halsteadensis W.C.R. Watson (Halstead's Bramble?) - Woodland
• Rubus pictorum Edees (Picts' Bramble) /- Woodland
• Rubus pruinosus Arrh. (Pruinose Bramble - GBIF) / Woodland
• Rubus tuberculatus Bab. (NBN, EDIT) Rubus horrefactus P.J. Müll. & Lefèvre (Kew, GBIF) (Variable-leaved Bramble - GBIF, Tubercled Bramble - R.D. Randall, Railway Bramble) / General
• Rubus vagensis A. Newton & M. Porter (Wandering Bramble?) / Woodland
• Rubus caesius L. (Dewberry) / General

Additions from BRERC'S DB

• Rubus cockburnianus Hemsl. (White-stemmed Bramble)
• Rubus boudiccae A.L. Bull & Edees (East Anglian Bramble - GBIF, Boudican Bramble?) - sect. Rhamnifolii
• Rubus riddelsdellii Rilstone (Riddelsdell's Bramble) - sect. Rhamnifolii
• Rubus boraeanus Genev. (Boreau's Bramble - GBIF) - ser. Vestiti
• Rubus gallofuscus A. Newton & M. Porter (Small-fruited Bramble - GBIF, Gallofuscan Bramble?) - ser. Micantes
• Rubus formidabilis Lefèvre & P.J. Müll. (Formidable Bramble - GBIF) - ser. Anisacanthi
• Rubus rilstonei W.C. Barton & Ridd. (Rilstone's Bramble) - ser. Hystrices

Species to add:

• Rubus odoratus L. (Purple-flowered Raspberry) - [Record in Bristol Botany in 2006]
• Rubus odoratus x R. parviflorus = R. x fraseri (Purple-flowered Raspberry x Thimbleberry / Fraser's Raspberry) - [BSBI record]
• Rubus cockburnianus Hemsl. (White-stemmed Bramble)
• Rubus nobilissimus (W.C.R. Watson) Pearsall (Few-prickled Bramble) - [1 old BSBI record from Avon Gorge area]
• Rubus ‘Bleadon questieri’ (Bleadon Questier's Bramble) - ser. Sylvatici - [a bit like R. gratus but different from the Nailsea one. It grows at the top of Canada Combe and along the West Mendip Way that runs along the ridge above Shiplate Slait. It also grows in carr woodland at Shapwick NNR and in a wood on the Polden Hills. It has deep pink petals, a bit like R. rubritinctus but the leaves are unfelted, which puts it in the Sylvatica. I originally thought it was R. questieri, which occurs in Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Hants and south Somerset but it is not that nor genuine R. gratus. I ended up calling it ‘Bleadon questieri’.]
• Rubus imbricatus x R. rubritinctus (Imbricate-leaved x Purple-ribbed Bramble) - ser. Sylvatici x ser. Rhamnifolii - Oldbury Court Estate, 17th July 2022 - Rob Randall
• Rubus 'Bath silvaticus' sensu R.D. Randall (Bath Woodland Bramble) ser. Sylvatici
• Rubus ‘Nailsea silvaticus’ (Nailsea Woodland Bramble) - ser. Sylvatici - [a bit like R. sciocharis but with a few stalked glands, especially on the flowering branch.]
• Rubus amplificatus Lees (Leafy-panicled Bramble) - ser. Rhamnifolii - [Rob lists it with a question mark from Glen Frome]
• Rubus boudiccae A.L. Bull & Edees (East Anglian Bramble - GBIF, Boudican Bramble?) - ser. Rhamnifolii
• Rubus ‘Nailsea incurvatus’ sensu R.D. Randall (Nailsea North Wales Bramble / Nailsea Incurved Bramble) - ser. Rhamnifolii - because old specimens in Bristol Museum were given that name - may be a fertile derivative of R. cardiophyllus x vestitus and is a bit like a large R. cardiophyllus but with a hairy stem.
• Rubus polyanthemus x R. wirralensis (Grey-felted x Wirral Bramble) - ser. Rhamnifolii x ser. Mucronati - Lord's Wood, 12th July 2022 - Rob Randall
• Rubus ramosus Briggs (South-Western Bramble) - ser. Rhamnifolii - 1 BSBI record
• Rubus riddelsdellii Rilstone (Riddelsdell's Bramble) - ser. Rhamnifolii
• Rubus rubritictus x R. ulmifolius (Purple-ribbed x Elm-leaved Bramble) - ser. Rhamnifolii x ser. Discolores - ["grows on a slope of Failand above the Tan-pit stream; C. Bucknall" in White (1912). There is a specimen in Bristol Museum collected by H. O. Stephens from Durdham Down and determined by A. Newton.]
• Rubus arrhenii (Lange) Lange (Arrhenius' Bramble) - ser. Sprengeliani
• Rubus armipotens W.C. Barton ex A. Newton (Potent-armed Bramble - R.D. Randall, Strongly-armed Bramble - GBIF) - ser. Discolores
• Rubus 'Highbury discolor' sensu R.D. Randall (Highbury Discoloured Bramble?) - ser. Discolores
• Rubus 'Lords Wood lasioclados' sensu R.D. Randall (Unarmed Lord's Wood Bramble?) - ser. Discolores
• Rubus ulmifolius f. bellidiflorus (hort. ex Petz. & G. Kirchn.) Voss (Pompom-flowered Elm-leaved Bramble) - [Bristol Botany in 1958] - ser. Discolores
• Rubus ulmifolius x R. raduloides (Elm-leaved x False File-stemmed Bramble) Woodland Very Rare - ser. Discolores x ser. Micantes - [recorded at Fairyland, Avon Gorge in 1980 by A. Newton.]
• Rubus lanaticaulis x R. ulmifolius? (Lanate-stemmed x Elm-leaved Bramble) - ser. Vestiti
• Rubus boraeanus Genev. (Boreau's Bramble - GBIF) - ser. Vestiti
• Rubus orbus W.C.R. Watson (Red-flowered Bramble - GBIF) - [one 1990s BSBI record from Christon] ser. Vestiti
• Rubus 'Bath fuscus' sensu R.D. Randall (Bath Dusky Bramble) - ser. Radulae
• Rubus malvernicus Edees (Malvern Bramble - GBIF) - ser. Radulae
• Rubus 'Conkwell obscurus' sensu R.D. Randall (Conkwell Obscure Bramble) - ser. Radulae
• Rubus 'Bristol glareosus' sensu R.D. Randall (Bristol Bramble) - ["restricted to the Hanham Gorge, Glen Frome and the sandstone section of Henbury Combe. I call this one Bristol glareosus because Alan Newton called it R. glareosus when I first sent him specimens." R.D. Randall] - ser. Micantes
• Rubus coombensis Rilstone (NBN, Kew, GBIF, EDIT) (Coombe Bramble - GBIF) - [1 BSBI record] - ser. Micantes
• Rubus gallofuscus A. Newton & M. Porter (Small-fruited Bramble - GBIF, Gallofuscan Bramble?) - ser. Micantes
• Rubus avaloniensis A. Newton & R.D. Randall (Avalon Bramble) - ser. Anisacanthi
• Rubus 'Wetmoor dentatifolius' sensu R.D. Randall (Wetmoor Dentate-leaved Bramble) - ser. Anisacanthi
• Rubus formidabilis Lefèvre & P.J. Müll. (Formidable Bramble - GBIF) - ser. Anisacanthi
• Rubus rilstonei W.C. Barton & Ridd. (NBN, Kew, GBIF, EDIT) (Rilstone's Bramble?) - ser. Hystrices - recorded from Arnos Vale in 2011 according to NBN. It is mentioned in Glos. Fl. as occuring in district 4 and 7a under the name Rubus plinthostylus Genev. - a synonym for R. koehleri Weihe which does not occur in Britain.
• Rubus scaber Weihe (Scabrous Bramble) - Portishead Wood, D. Hawkins) - ser. Glandulosi
• Rubus 'Beacon Hill serpens' (set no. 74) sensu R.D. Randall (Beacon Hill Serpent Bramble?) - ser. Glandulosi
• Rubus anglorum sensu R.D. Randall [R. britannicus sensu W.R.C. Watson] (Anglian Bramble, Watson's British Bramble) - [1 BSBI record as R. britannicus] - sect. Corylifolii
• Rubus ariconiensis A. Newton & M. Porter (Archenfield Bramble, Bury Hill Bramble - R.D. Randall) - [1 BSBI record] - sect. Corylifolii
• Rubus nemorosus Hayne & Willd. (NBN, Kew, GBIF, EDIT) (Shade Bramble - GBIF, Wood Bramble?, Woodland Bramble?) - [Brist. Fl., Glos. Fl., Som. Fl. (as R. Balfourianus, Blox.) - sect. Corylifolii
• Rubus 'Pink Fluffy Bramble' sensu R.D. Randall (Pink Fluffy Bramble) - sect. Corylifolii
• Rubus ‘False rubriflorus’ sensu R.D. Randall (False Rose-flowered Bramble, False Red-flowered Bramble - R.D. Randall) - sect. Corylifolii
• Rubus 'Mendip adenoleucus' sensu R.D. Randall (Mendip Pale-glanded Bramble) - sect. Corylifolii
• Rubus 'Mendip tuberculatus' sensu R.D. Randall (Mendip Tuberculed Bramble) BRLSI - sect. Corylifolii
• Rubus transmarinus D.E. Allen (NBN, EDIT) Rubus intensior Edees (Kew, GBIF) (Transmarine Bramble - R.D. Randall, Channel Bramble - GBIF) - [R. transmarinus and R. intensior are treated separately in Atlas of British and Irish Brambles but are now considered to be the same] - sect. Corylifolii

Species added by me.

• Rubus 'Goblin Combe sect. Rubus' - sect. Rubus
• Rubus 'Nailsea calvatus' (Nailsea Cuspidate-leaved Bramble) sensu D. Peters - ser. Sylvatici
• Rubus errabundus x R. lindleianus (Shining-stemmed x Lindley's Bramble) - ser. Sylvatici
• Rubus imbricatus x R. caesius (Imbricate-leaved Bramble x Dewberry) - ser. Sylvatici x sect. Caesii
• Rubus oxyanchus Sudre (Short-tipped Bramble) - ser. Sylvatici - [Rob lists it with a question mark from East Harptree Woods - where I discovered it]
• Rubus 'Bradley Stoke' (Bradley Stoke Bramble) - ser. Rhamnifolii
• Rubus prolongatus x R. tuberculatus (Southern x Tubercled Bramble) - ser. Rhamnifolii x sect. Corylifolii
• Rubus rubritinctus x R. armeniacus (Purple-ribbed x Giant Bramble) - ser. Rhamnifolii x ser. Discolores
• Rubus rubritinctus x R. 'Bristol glareosus' (Red-tinted x Bristol Bramble) - ser. Rhamnifolii x ser. Micantes
• Rubus rubritinctus x R. tuberculatus (Purple-ribbed x Tuberculed Bramble) - ser. Rhamnifolii x sect. Corylifolii
• Rubus 'Victory Park' (Victory Park Bramble) - ser. Rhamnifolii
• Rubus armeniacus x R. ulmifolius (Giant x Elm-leaved Bramble) - ser. Discolores x ser. Discolores
• Rubus armeniacus x R. fuscicaulis (Giant x Brown-stemmed Bramble) - ser. Discolores x ser. Radulae
• Rubus armeniacus x R. multifidus / bloxamii (Giant x Bloxam's Bramble) - ser. Discolores x ser. Radulae
• Rubus armeniacus x R. eboracensis (Giant x Yorkshire Bramble) - ser. Discolores x sect. Corylifolii
• Rubus armeniacus x R. tuberculatus (Giant x Tuberculed Bramble) - ser. Discolores x sect. Corylifolii
• Rubus armeniacus x R. caesius (Giant Bramble x Dewberry) - ser. Discolores x sect. Caesii
• Rubus 'Lord's Wood' sensu D. Peters (Lord's Wood Bramble) - ser. Discolores
• Rubus ulmifolius x R. vestitus (Elm-leaved x European Bramble) - ser. Discolores x ser. Vestiti
• Rubus ulmifolius x R. echinatus (Elm-leaved x Hedgehog Bramble) - ser. Discolores x ser. Radulae
• Rubus ulmifolius x R. 'Bristol glareosus' (Elm-leaved x Bristol Bramble) - ser. Discolores x ser. Micantes
• Rubus ulmifolius x R. eboracensis (Elm-leaved x Yorkshire Bramble) - ser. Discolores x sect. Corylifolii
• Rubus ulmifolius x R. tuberculatus (Elm-leaved x Tuberculed Bramble) - ser. Discolores x sect. Corylifolii
• Rubus ulmifolius x R. caesius (Elm-leaved Bramble x Dewberry) - ser. Discolores x sect. Caesii
• Rubus vestitus x R. tuberculatus (European x Tuberculed Bramble) - ser. Discolores x ser. Vestiti
• Rubus echinatus x R. conjungens (Echinate x Conjoined Bramble - same as ‘False rubriflorus’?) - ser. Radulae x sect. Corylifolii
• Rubus echinatus x R. tuberculatus (Echinate x Tuberculed Bramble) - ser. Radulae x sect. Corylifolii
• Rubus 'Blackhorse Wood' sensu D. Peters (Blackhorse Wood Bramble) - ser. Hystrices
• Rubus 'Ashton Court halsteadensis' (Ashton Court Halstead Bramble) - sect. Corylifolii
• Rubus 'Weston Woods halsteadensis' sensu D. Peters (Weston Woods Halstead Bramble) - sect. Corylifolii
• Rubus 'Cleeve Wood latifolius' - sect. Corylifolii
• Rubus 'Goblin Combe' (Goblin Combe Bramble) - sect. Corylifolii
• Rubus tuberculatus x R. caesius (Tuberculed Bramble x Dewberry) - sect. Corylifolii x sect. Caesii

Hybrids added by past floras:

• Rubus lindleianus x R. rudis (Lindley's x Purple-glandular Bramble / Rough Bramble)

could occur:

• Rubus calvatus Lees ex A. Bloxam (Cuspidate-leaved Bramble) - ser. Sylvatici
• Rubus leucandriformis Edees & A. Newton (Broad-petalled Bramble) - ser. Sylvatici
• Rubus macrophyllus Weihe & Nees (Large-leaved Bramble) - ser. Sylvatici
• Rubus silvaticus Weihe & Nees (Woodland Bramble) - ser. Sylvatici
• Rubus subintegribasis Druce (Greyish-green Bramble) - ser. Sylvatici
• Rubus acclivitatum (Wavy-margined Bramble) - ser. Rhamnifolii
• Rubus 'False riddelsdellii' (False Riddelsdell's Bramble) - ser. Rhamnifolii
• Rubus lasiodermis Sudre (Spiny Bramble) - ser. Rhamnifolii
• Rubus londinensis (W.M. Rogers) W.C.R. Watson (London Bramble) - ser. Rhamnifolii
• Rubus milfordensis Edees (Milford Bramble) - ser. Rhamnifolii
• Rubus rhombifolius Weihe ex Boenn. (Rhombic-leaved Bramble) - ser. Rhamnifolii
• Rubus 'Dorset lasioclados' (Dorset Sharp-spined Bramble) - ser. Discolores
• Rubus 'False platyacanthus' (False Long-prickled Bramble) - ser. Discolores
• Rubus lamburnensis Rilstone (Lambourne Bramble) - ser. Discolores
• Rubus stenopetalus Lefèvre & P.J. Müll. (Narrow-petalled Bramble) - ser. Discolores
• Rubus 'Exmoor cinerosus' (Exmoor Rough-stemmed Bramble) - ser. Vestiti
• Rubus cotteswoldensis W.C. Barton & Ridd. (Cotswold Bramble) - ser. Vestiti
• Rubus criniger (E.F. Linton) W.M. Rogers (Pruinose-stemmed Bramble) - ser. Vestiti
• Rubus thurstonii Rilstone (Thurston's Bramble) - ser. Vestiti
• Rubus mucronatiformis (Sudre) W.C.R. Watson (Mucronate-tipped Bramble) - ser. Mucronati
• Rubus bloxamii (Bloxam's Bramble) - ser. Radulae
• Rubus 'Boars Hill scaber' (Boars Hill Rough-spined Bramble) - ser. Radulae
• Rubus euryanthemus (Pale-styled Bramble) - ser. Radulae
• Rubus fuscus Weihe (Brown-haired Bramble) - ser. Radulae
• Rubus newbouldianus Rilstone (Perranzabuloe Bramble) - ser. Radulae
• Rubus radulicaulis Sudre (Rough-stemmed Bramble) - ser. Radulae
• Rubus scaber Weihe (Rough-spined Bramble) - ser. Radulae
• Rubus tamarensis (Tamar Bramble) - ser. Radulae
• Rubus aequalidens A. Newton (Even-toothed Bramble) - ser. Micantes
• Rubus decussatus W.C. Barton ex A. Newton (Rubus decussatiformis P.D. Sell - Kew, GBIF) (Decussate Bramble, Cross-leaved Bramble) - ser. Micantes
• Rubus 'False praetextus' (H257 sensu DEA) (False Pretext Bramble) - ser. Micantes
• Rubus adamsii Sudre (Adams' Bramble) - ser. Anisacanthi
• Rubus biloensis (Bilo's Bramble) - ser. Anisacanthi
• Rubus infestus Weihe ex Boenn. (Infested Bramble, Vicious Bramble, Vicious-spined Bramble) - ser. Anisacanthi
• Rubus babingtonii T.B. Salter (Babington's Bramble) - ser. Hystrices
• Rubus durotrigum R.P. Murray (Lane Bramble) - ser. Hystrices
• Rubus phaeocarpus - ser. Hystrices
• Rubus tumulorum Rilstone (Looe Bramble) - ser. Hystrices
• Rubus 'Beacon Hill serpens' (Set no. 74) (Beacon Hill Serpentine Bramble) - ser. Glandulosi
• Rubus hindii A.L. Bull (Hindi's Bramble) - sect. Corylifolii
• Rubus ooliticus W.C.R. Watson (Oolite Bramble) - [an extreme form of R. conjungens which occurs in the Cotswolds] - sect. Corylifolii
• Rubus 'Pink Mendip tuberculatus' (Pink Mendip Tuberculed Bramble) - sect. Corylifolii