The Identity of Rubuspekinensis Focke and R.crataegifolius Bunge (Rosaceae)

A critical examination of specimens, with literature and a field survey have shown that Rubuspekinensis is conspecific with R.crataegifolius. Their morphological variations range can be defined as: leaves at the base may be ovate, suborbicular, narrowly ovate, entire, at the middle, ovate, narrowly ovate, oblong-lanceolate, palmately 3-lobed or 5-lobed and at the top, ovate, lanceolate, entire or 3-lobed; flowers solitary in the axillae or several flowers clustered at the terminal of branchlets or formed into short racemes. Therefore, we treat the former species as a synonym for the latter one.