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Rubus flagellaris

Willd.

Common Dewberry

G5Secure Found in 7 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.1288022
Element CodePDROS1KA30
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusProvisional
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderRosales
FamilyRosaceae
GenusRubus
Concept Reference
Weakley, A.S., and Southeastern Flora Team. 2023. Flora of the southeastern United States. Edition of April 14, 2023. University of North Carolina Herbarium (NCU), North Carolina Botanical Garden, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. 2105 pp.
Taxonomic Comments
This treatment of Rubus flagellaris roughly follows Weakley et al. (2023) and Widrlechner in Yatskievych (2013) in that it is more narrow that the treatment of R. flagellaris by FNA (2014, vol. 9), but more broad than the treatment recognized in Kartesz (1994, 1999). For example, it excludes R. aboriginum, R. celer, R. curtipes, R deamii, R. enslenii, R. invisus, R. meracus, R. roribaccus, R. satis, and R. steelei, as distinct species; all of these are included as synonyms of R. flagellaris by FNA (2014).
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2025-06-12
Change Date2025-06-12
Edition Date2025-06-12
Edition AuthorsN. Ventrella (2025)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank Reasons
Rubus flagellaris is a perennial subshrub occurring in old fields, woodlands, roadsides, and disturbed sites of eastern North America, from Nova Scotia and Minnesota south to Florida and Texas in the United States and Canada. Little is known about threats and trends, but with a large range extent, high number of occurrences, abundant habitat, broad habitat preferences, and no obvious intrinsic vulnerabilities, Rubus flagellaris is considered secure.
Range Extent Comments
Rubus flagellaris occurs in eastern North America, from Nova Scotia and Minnesota south to Florida and Texas in the United States and Canada (Weakley and the Southeastern Flora Team 2025). Range extent was estimated to be over 4 million square kilometers using herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data collected between 1994 and 2025 (GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, NatureServe 2025, RARECAT 2025, SEINet 2025).
Occurrences Comments
By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1994 and 2025, it is estimated that there are over 1,500 occurrences rangewide (GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, NatureServe 2025, RARECAT 2025, SEINet 2025). Due to different treatments of this entity, herbarium records and photo-based observations may overrepresent its true abundance.
Threat Impact Comments
Although threats are not widely documented, Rubus flagellaris is potentially threatened by development, invasive species, and other threats in some places. However, their overall impact is likely negligible given the species' broad range, large number of occurrences, tolerance of disturbance, and affinity for typically abundant habitats, as well as no obvious intrinsic vulnerabilities.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Rubus flagellaris occurs in "old fields, woodlands, roadsides, [and] disturbed areas" (Weakley and the Southeastern Flora Team 2025). In New England, it is also found in cliffs, balds, ledges, and meadows (Native Plant Trust 2025).

Ecology

Rubus species are typically early colonizers of disturbed sites, often appearing along roadsides, pastures, and forest clearings (Native Plant Trust 2025, Weakley and the Southeastern Flora Team 2025).

Reproduction

Rubus flagellaris produces flowers from March through June (FNA 2014).
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest/WoodlandForest Edge
Other Nations (2)
CanadaNNR
ProvinceRankNative
Nova ScotiaSNRYes
OntarioSNRYes
QuebecSNRYes
New BrunswickSNRYes
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
AlabamaSNRYes
MassachusettsSNRYes
IndianaSNRYes
OhioSNRYes
MichiganSNRYes
VirginiaSNRYes
WisconsinSNRYes
TexasSNRYes
MaineSNRYes
District of ColumbiaSNRYes
VermontS5Yes
New YorkSNRYes
IowaS1Yes
DelawareSNRYes
NebraskaSNRYes
West VirginiaSNRYes
South CarolinaS5Yes
IllinoisSNRYes
GeorgiaS5Yes
MissouriSNRYes
New JerseySNRYes
New HampshireSNRYes
ConnecticutSNRYes
PennsylvaniaSNRYes
OklahomaSNRYes
MarylandSNRYes
FloridaSNRYes
Rhode IslandSNRYes
ArkansasSNRYes
KansasS3Yes
LouisianaSNRYes
TennesseeSNRYes
KentuckyS5Yes
MinnesotaSNRYes
North CarolinaS5Yes
MississippiSNRYes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
Unknown/undetermined———

—

Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)Yes
Roadless Areas (7)
Arkansas (1)
AreaForestAcres
Pedestal RocksOzark-St. Francis National Forest21,957
Tennessee (1)
AreaForestAcres
Beaver Dam CreekCherokee National Forest5,070
Virginia (5)
AreaForestAcres
Adams PeakGeorge Washington National Forest7,135
Beaver Dam CreekJefferson National Forest1,135
James River AdditionJefferson National Forest1,140
Oak KnobGeorge Washington National Forest10,882
Ramseys Draft AdditionGeorge Washington National Forest12,781
References (13)
  1. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2014b. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 9. Magnoliophyta: Picramniaceae to Rosaceae. Oxford University Press, New York. xxiv + 713 pp.
  2. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2025. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2025).
  3. iNaturalist. 2025. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2025).
  4. Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
  5. Kartesz, J.T. 1999. A synonymized checklist and atlas with biological attributes for the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. First edition. In: Kartesz, J.T., and C.A. Meacham. Synthesis of the North American Flora, Version 1.0. North Carolina Botanical Garden, Chapel Hill, N.C.
  6. Native Plant Trust. 2025. Go Botany website. Online. Available: https://gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org (accessed 2025).
  7. NatureServe. 2025. NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia.
  8. <p>NatureServe's Rapid Analysis of Rarity and Endangerment Conservation Assessment Tool (RARECAT). 2025. Version: 2.1.1 (released April 04, 2025).</p>
  9. Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2025. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2025).
  10. Weakley, A.S., and Southeastern Flora Team. 2023. Flora of the southeastern United States. Edition of April 14, 2023. University of North Carolina Herbarium (NCU), North Carolina Botanical Garden, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. 2105 pp.
  11. Weakley, A.S., and Southeastern Flora Team. 2025. Flora of the southeastern United States Web App. Edition of February 18, 2025. University of North Carolina Herbarium (NCU), North Carolina Botanical Garden, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Online. Available: https://fsus.ncbg.unc.edu (accessed 2025).
  12. Widrlechner, M. P. 1998. The genus <i>Rubus </i>L. in Iowa. Castanea 63: 415-465.
  13. Yatskievych. G. 2013. Steyermark’s Flora of Missouri, Volume 3. Revised Edition. Missouri Botanical Garden Press, St. Louis, MO. xvii + 1382 pp.