Shortstalk dewberry facts for kids

Rubus curtipes, the shortstalk dewberry, is an uncommon North American species of flowering plant in the rose family. It grows in scattered locations in the northeastern and north-central United States from Massachusetts west to Minnesota and south to Tennessee, but nowhere is it very common..

Rubus curtipes is a prickly perennial with biennial canes. First-year canes are arching, sometimes rooting the tips. Leaves on first-year canes are palmately compound with 3 or 5 leaflets. Second-year canes are low-arching, sometimes trailing along the ground, with some simple (non-compound) leaves mixed with some compound leaves with 3 leaflets. Flowers are in flat-topped arrays.

The genetics of Rubus is extremely complex, so that it is difficult to decide on which groups should be recognized as species. There are many rare species with limited ranges such as this. Further study is suggested to clarify the taxonomy.