Rubus macilentus
Cambessedes
Jogi ainselu, Aachung
(c) T R Shankar Raman, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by T R Shankar Raman
(c) Rujuta Vinod, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
What to Eat
Edible parts: Fruit
The fruit is orange to red in colour and can be eaten raw or cooked.
Dangerous Lookalikes
This plant can be confused with the following toxic species. Always verify identification carefully before consuming any wild plant.
Red Baneberry: Short herbaceous plant (no thorns), berries on thick red stems, each berry has a single seed, compound sharply-toothed leaves.
Jogi ainselu: Thorny woody canes (brambles), aggregate berry made of many drupelets, berries pull easily from receptacle.
Where to Find It
It is a subtropical plant. In Nepal it grows between 1800-2800 m altitude. It grows in damp places in forested areas. In Sichuan and Yunnan.
Asia, Bhutan, China, India, Himalayas, Nepal, Northeastern India, Pakistan, Sikkim, Tibet,
How to Identify
A shrub. It trails. The stem is nearly smooth and is shiny. The leaves have stalks. The leaves are divided into 3 leaflets arising from one point. The leaflets are stalked. They vary in shape and size. They can be oval or sword shaped and with double rounded teeth. They are prickly along the midrib. The flowers are white. The fruit is a berry. It is round and deep orange.
How to Grow
We have very little information on this species and do not know if it will be hardy in Britain, though judging by its native range it could succeed outdoors at least in the milder parts of this country. The following notes are based on the general needs of the genus. Easily grown in a good well-drained loamy soil in sun or semi-shade. Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus.
Propagation: Seed requires stratification and is best sown in early autumn in a cold frame. Stored seed requires one month stratification at about 3°c and should be sown as early in the year as possible. Prick out seedlings when large enough to handle and grow on in a cold frame, then plant out into permanent positions in late spring of the following year. Cuttings of half-ripe wood can be taken in July/August in a frame. Tip layering in July, planting out in autumn. Division can be done in early spring or just before leaf-fall in autumn.
Medicinal Uses
None known
Other Uses
A purple to dull blue dye is obtained from the fruit.
Wikipedia
A deciduous shrub growing to 1.5 m tall. Flowers May to June with seeds ripening July to August. Hermaphroditic flowers are insect-pollinated. Accommodates light sandy, medium loamy, and heavy clay soils with good drainage. Tolerates mildly acid, neutral, and basic soils. Grows in semi-shade (light woodland) or full sun and prefers moist soil.
Production
In China plants flower in April to May and fruit July to August.
Notes
There are about 250 Rubus species.
Names & Synonyms
Insalu
References (8)
- Ambasta S.P. (Ed.), 2000, The Useful Plants of India. CSIR India. p 533
- Flora of China Vol. 9 p 90
- GUPTA,
- V. Jacquemont, Voy. Inde 4(Bot.):49, t. 60. 1835-1844
- Manandhar, N.P., 2002, Plants and People of Nepal. Timber Press. Portland, Oregon. p 404
- Plants for a Future database, The Field, Penpol, Lostwithiel, Cornwall, PL22 0NG, UK. http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/pfaf/
- Upreti, K., et al, 2010, Diversity and Distribution of Wild Edible Fruit Plants of Uttarakhand. Bioversity Potentials of the Himalaya. p 185
- www.Efloras.org Annotated checklist of the Flowering Plants of Nepal.
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