Rubus chamaemorus : Cloud Berry

Scientific Name:

Kingdom: Plantae

Division:

• Tracheophyta (vascular)
• Spermatophyta (seed bearing)
Angiospermae (enclosed seed)

Class: Dicoteldonae (two seed-leaves)

Family: Rosaceae (Rose Family)

Genera: Rubus (Brambles) (Lat. rubeus= red; referring to the colour of the fruits of many species)

Species: chamaemorus (Lat. chamae=low on the ground + morum=mulberry; referring to its low growing habit)

English Name(s):

Cloud Berry, Baked Apple, May Berry

First Nation Names:

nakal (yellow berry)

Structure:

• Glabrous (smooth), herbacious, plant.
• From extensively creeping branching rhizomes (underground stems).
• stems simple (unbranched), erect, 10-20 cm high, bearing 1-3 leaves.

Leaves:

• Leaves 3-11cm long, round reniform in shape. 3-5 lobed, wrinkled.
• Margins sharply serrate (toothed).

Reproductive Parts:

• Stamens (male parts) and pistils (female parts) numerous.
• Sepals 5, persistent (not falling off); Petals 5, deciduous (falling off).
• Flowers imperfect (unisexual) and plants dioecious (one gendered).
• Sepals 2.5-6mm long; Petals 6-14mm long, white, showy.

Seed:

• Fruit is an aggregate of many fleshy drouplets (mini-berries) around an enlarged succulent receptacle.
• Fruit ripening to a salmon pink or even pale yellow colour.
• When unripe fruit is bright red.

Not to Be Confused With:

Physiology:

• Flowers are vulnerable to frost. Plants will friut more in areas where there is less chance of frost during flowering time.
• The female flowers have dwarf and sterile stamens (male parts) and the male flowers have dwarf and sterile pistils (female parts).
• This is the only Rubus species where the plants are dioecious (one gendered).

Life Cycle:

• Perennial

Seasonal Cycle:

• Leaves deciduous (falling off)
• Blooms June into early July.
• Fruit is ripe late July into August.

Animal Uses:

Habitat:

• Moist peaty and turfy places in tundra, heathlands and woods.

Modern:

Industrial:

Medicinal:

Food:

Traditional Gwich'in:

Folklore:

Industrial:

Medicinal:

Food:

Traditional Other:

Folklore:

Industrial:

Medicinal:

Food: