7. Rubus cryptopetalus A.Beek sp. nov.

Type:— SOUTH AFRICA. KwaZulu-Natal: Road from Vryheid to Louwsburg, 3.1 km before the exit to Louwsburg, south side of the road, 14 February 2018, Beek 2018.07 (holotype L; isotype NBG). (Figs 5C–D)

Diagnosis: —Primocane very densely greyish brown hairy; adaxially hairy, abaxially densely soft hairy, often tomentose, green or greyish; central leaflet narrow ovate or (ob-)ovate, with rounded or emarginate base, gradually attenuate into rather long tip; inflorescence dense; petals whitish or pinkish, 2–3 mm long.

Primocane (Fig. 5E) arching or scrambling, roundish to bluntly angular, diam. 5–9 mm, very densely greyish brown hairy, with stellate hairs; prickles 7–25 per 5 cm, unequal, subulate or compressed, with curved tip, up to 2–4 mm long; stipules 7–11 mm, linear, hairy. Leaves pinnate 5- to 7-foliolate, adaxially hairy (Fig. 5F), abaxially densely soft hairy, often tomentose, green or greyish; serrature with (rather) fine roundish short mucronate teeth, often double, with 2–5 teeth compound into unit; petiole 2.5–7.0 cm long, with 4–7 short, thick, curved, conic or somewhat compressed prickles, densely short hairy; central leaflet 48–82 mm long, narrow ovate or (ob-)ovate, with rounded or emarginate base, gradually attenuate into rather long tip, width–length index 0.56–0.59, length of petiolule 12–23% of length of leaflet; petiolule between lowest yokes 2–4 cm, petiolule of lowest leaflets 2–4 mm. Flowering branch (Fig. 5G) obtuse angular, very dense short hairy; prickles unequal, subulate or from 1–4 mm broad base bluntly compressed, with curved tip, up to 3–5 mm long. Leaves (Fig. 5H) pinnate 5- to 7-foliolate; serrature with (rather) fine roundish short mucronate teeth, often double, with 2–5 teeth compound into unit; central leaflet 44–75 mm long, elliptic-obovate, with attenuate to subemarginate base, gradually to rather abruptly attenuate into moderate tip, width–length index 0.52–0.67, length of petiolule 12–22% of length of leaflet. Inflorescence short pyramidal, with leafy base, very densely short hairy, with thick curved prickles; peduncles ascending, apical ones almost patent, basal with 5–20 flowers; pedicels 5–10 mm, densely tomentose, with 2–10 pricklets. Flowers: sepals (Fig. 5I) narrow, long pointed, 2–3 × 6–9 mm, clasping, grey, densely tomentose, with few subsessile glands and often some prickles; petals whitish or pale pink, very small, 2–3 mm; anthers glabrous; ovaries glabrous or with few hairs on tip becoming glabrous; receptacle with few hairs.

Ecology: —Roadsides, hedges, light woods.

Distribution: — KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape, South Africa. How far the distribution spreads northward is not clear. Some plants from Mpumalanga correspond rather with R. adolfi-friedericii as Gustafsson (1934) already remarked.

Note: — Harvey & Sonder (1862: 288) consider the possibility that Ecklon & Zeyher 1707, which is a specimen of R. cryptopetalus, might be a separate species, but they leave this open, presenting it as a doubtful species.

Specimens:— SOUTH AFRICA. Mpumalanga: Buffelskloof Nature Reserve, near zig-zag road, 28 May 2019, Magoele 2919 (PRE0863891-0); High Forest entrance road, Uitkyk Plantations, 1785 m, 2 May 1985, Burrows 4644 (BNRH0010128-1); Dullstroom, Lydenburg District, Drews 186, (PRE); Pilgrimsrest District, Mariepskop, 1400 m, 12 January 1964, Bos 1081 (PRE). KwaZulu-Natal: Utrecht District, Donkerhoek, 21 January 1961, Devenish 530 (PRE0458414-0); Richmond, 7 December 1961, Maree 28 (PRE); Kokstad, Insizwa, 22 February 1972, Strey 10731 (PRE). Eastern Cape: Nieuwepost ad Katrivier, Ecklon & Zeyher 1707 (‘ R. rigidus Sm?’) (BREM, inserted as R. ecklonii; NBG).