The Identity of Rubus pekinensis Focke and R. crataegifolius Bunge (Rosaceae)

Abstract

A critical examination of specimens, with literature and a field survey have shown that Rubus pekinensis is conspecific with R. crataegifolius. Their morphological variations range can be defined as: leaves at the base may be ovate, suborbicular, narrowly ovate, entire, at the middle, ovate, narrowly ovate, oblong-lanceolate, palmately 3-lobed or 5-lobed and at the top, ovate, lanceolate, entire or 3-lobed; flowers solitary in the axillae or several flowers clustered at the terminal of branchlets or formed into short racemes. Therefore, we treat the former species as a synonym for the latter one.