Rubus arcticus : Nagoon Berry

Scientific Name:

Kingdom: Plantae

Division:

• Tracheophyta (vascular)
• Spermatophyta (seed bearing)
Angiospermae (enclosed seed)

Class: Dicoteldonae (two seed-leaves)

Family: Rosaceae (Rose Family)

Genera: Rubus (Brambles) (Lat. rubeus= red; referring to the colour of the fruits of many species)

Species: arcticus

Synonym(s): R.acaulis

English Name(s):

Nagoon Berry, Dwarf Raspberry, Arctic Bramble

First Nation Names:

ts'eenakal

Structure:

• Herbacious plant from a subligneous (almost woody) base.

Leaves:

• Ternate (with 3-leaflets), 2-8cm long.
• Leaflets, 10-65mm long by 9-50mm wide. Broady ovate to rhombic in shape.

Reproductive Parts:

• Stamens (male parts) and pistils (female parts) numerous.
• Sepals 5, persistent (not falling off); Petals 5, deciduous (falling off).
• Flowers large, 1-3, usually standing above leaves.
• Petals 8-17mm long by 3-7mm wide, rich pink. Delicate, often some deformed or missing.

Seed:

• Fruit is an aggregate of many fleshy drouplets (mini-berries) around an enlarged succulent receptacle.
• Fruit (berries) red, consisting of a couple to numerous tiny druplets.

Not to Be Confused With:

• Fragaria virginiana (Wild Strawberry) has ternate (with 3 leaflets) lon longer peduncles (stalks). Also it usually has stolons (rooting branches) and its fruit is much different..
• Rubus chamaemorus is simmilar in structure but its leaves are 3-lobed not 3-foliate (with 3 leaflets) and its berries ripen salmon coloured.

Physiology:

• At least 3 subspecies in our region. One subspecies had 3-lobed rather than 3-foliate leaves. Some taxonomists call them each different species.

Life Cycle:

• Perennial

Seasonal Cycle:

• Leaves deciduous (falling off)

Animal Uses:

Habitat:

• Moist turfy places in tundra, heathlands, and woodlands.
• Subalpine meadows and alpine herbmats.

Modern:

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Traditional Gwich'in:

Folklore:

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Traditional Other:

Folklore:

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