Rubus malifolius Focke Hooker's Icon. Pl. 20: t. 1947. 1890.

Huang, Tiran, Yu, Liping, Li, Juntao, Wang, Wenhe, Yang, Aizhen, Wang, Wenping, Wang, Cong, Yang, Mingfeng, Wang, Hong & Ma, Lanqing, 2022, Nomenclatural and taxonomic notes on Rubus davidianus Kuntze and R. viburnifolius Franch, PhytoKeys 211, pp. 13-32 : 13

2. Rubus malifolius Focke Hooker's Icon. Pl. 20: t. 1947. 1890.

R. viburnifolius Franch. Bull. Mus. Hist. Nat. (Paris) 1: 63. 1895. Non Focke (1910: 75) nec Rydberg (1913: 446) Type: China, les bois à Tchen-fong-chan. Yunnan, J.M. Delavay, Sep 1894, s. n. (lectotype P00746144! (designated here by Ti R. Huang); isolectotype P00746145!).

R. arbor H. Lév. & Vaniot Bull. Soc. Bot. France 51: 217. 1904. Type: China, Kouy-Tchéou Siao-tchang, Pin-fa, J. Cavaleri, May. 1903, no. 1003 (holotype: E [E00010623]!; isotypes: A [A00040529] (with an image of E00010623)!, E [E00313554]!, K [K000737664]!).

R. limprichtii Pax & K. Hoffm. Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 12: 406. 1922. Type: China, Yatschou fu, Taldes Ya ho oberhalb Tschu schi ping, Hänge des Passes Tsiu gang schan, H.W. Limprich, Jun. 1914, no. 1564 (holotype: A [A00040666]!).

Type.

China, Chienshih, Hubei, A. Henry, 1885, no. 5794 (lectotype designated here by Ti R. Huang: K [K000737665]!; isolectotypes: BM [BM000622260]!, GH [GH00040667]!, US [ US 00097945]!) .

Distribution and habitat.

Rubus malifolius grows in slopes, ravines, stream sides, montane valleys, forests and thickets. Its elevation ranges from 400-2200 m. It is endemic to China and is distributed in Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hubei, Hunan, Sichuan and Yunnan Provinces.

Phenology.

Flowering from May to June and fruiting from July to August.

Taxonomic notes.

Rubus malifolius is similar to R. preptanthus Focke, the differences being: the latter has leaves narrowly obovate or broadly ovate-lanceolate to narrowly lanceolate, base rounded to subtruncate; stamens glabrous or anthers slightly villous; styles ca. as long as or slightly longer than stamens.

Additional specimens examined.

China. Yunnan. E.E. Maire, no. 104 (IBSC0340297) ; 15 July 1934, H.T.Tsai, no. 62641 (IBSC0340298); 16 May 1973, Zhihao Hu, no. 1382 (IBSC0340299; PE01833218); 24 May 1973, Bixing Sun et al., no. 401 (IBSC0340301; PE01833217); 14 August 1934, H.T.Tsai, no. 62641 (NAS00366395); 8 May 1964, Wang Shouzheng, no. 205 (KUN711739); 4 June 1959, Anquan Wu, no. 8240 (KUN711742); 15 July 1934, H.T.Tsai, no. 62641 (KUN757822; PE01833216, PE00252217); 12 August 1947, K.M. Feng, no. 11103 (PE00252220); 13 April 1940, C.W.Wang, no. 88450 (PE00252221); 20 August 1985, Zhanhe Ji Shunyin Song & Xintang Ma, no. 601 (PE01833194, PE01833216); 6 April 1993, Yumin Shui, no. 2131 (PE01840835). Sichuan: 1932, T.T. Yu, no. 848 (IBSC0340264; PE00252196) ; 12 May 1941, Wenpei Fang, no. 16617 (IBSC0340273; PE00252199); 12 May 1941, Wenpei Fang, no. 16619 (IBSC0340277; PE00252200); Jinguiyuan, Huangjing , Gulin County , 29 May 2010, PE-GulinExpediton Team, no.40 (PE01864955); Xixi, Shuiwei, Xuyong County, Liang Zhang Xinmao Zhou & Wenbin Ju, no. HGX14303 (CDBI0226242; CDBI0226243) . Guizhou: 22 June 1935, S.W.Teng, no. 640 (IBSC0340289) ; 3 July 1936, S.W.Teng, no. 90506 (IBK00065627, IBK00065634; IBSC0340283; NAS00366394; KUN711716; PE00252176); 14 July 1931, S.S.Sin, no. 51134 (IBSC0340287; IBSC0340291); 22 May 1930, Y.Tsiang, no. 5030 (IBSC0340288); 13 June 2003, Ye He, no.1-197 (PE01833201); 29 May 2016, Xinyun Lu, no. KKS1602173 (ZY0000066).