Progress with the study of Rubus fuscus and the Rubus fruticosus aggregate in Swaledale and neighbouring districts

摘要

At a national level the most noteworthy Rubus species to be found along Swaledale is Rubus fuscus. Until relatively recently this species was only known to occur in two 10km squares in the Richmond area of North-west Yorkshire (VC65) these being SE19and NZ10. Early voucher specimens of a bramble with bright pink flowers and red-based styles were collected from Billy Bank Wood and Hipswell Lodge by J Ward in 1866 and are held at Manchester Museum (MANCH). Having viewed these specimens at MANCH Alan Newton visited the Richmond area during the early 1970s to trace the bramble collected by Ward. Newton later classified Ward's gatherings as Rubus fuscus in 1976. The Richmond population of this bramble is most intriguing as the nearest known population occurs as an isolated record somewhat further south in Nottinghamshire (vc56) with the main British populations occurring in several counties to the north of London (Newton & Randall 2004). At an international level the distribution of Rubus fuscus is classed as widespread in northwestern Europe (Edees & Newton 1988).