Rubus moluccanus L., Sp. Pl. 2: 1197 1197 (1753)

Synonyms
Rubus angulosus Focke
Rubus dendrocharis (Focke) Focke
Rubus hasskarlii Miq.
Rubus hasskarlii ssp dendrocharis Focke
Rubus sundaicus var discolor Blume

Description
A climbing or scrambling, rarely creeping shrub with stems up to 6(-10) m long, stems tardily glabrescent, prickles small; leaves simple, ovate to broadly ovate in outline, variously lobed, 6-20 cm x 4-15 cm, base cordate to subtruncate, apex acute to acuminate, margin serrate, upper surface hairy, lower surface with a densely woven felt of long, thin, curly hairs all over, petiole 2-6 cm long, stipules pinnatilobed to pinnatipartite with 4-12 pairs of lobes, early caducous; terminal leafy compound raceme up to 20(-50) cm long, with up to 12 laterals, those up to 5(-9) cm long and with up to 10(-30) flowers; flowers bisexual, flower buds ovoid, pointed, hypanthium cupular, densely woolly, 4-7 mm across, sepals triangular to ovate, 4-9 mm x 2-6 mm, petals suborbicular to elliptical, 3-7 mm x 3-6 mm, long remaining, white, rarely pink, red or yellow, stamens 30-185, pistils 30-135, ovaries glabrous; collective fruit globular, about 1 cm in diameter when dry, red, falling off as a whole together with the dried torus.

Ecology
Found up to 2100 m elevation. It can spread via runners that sprout when they touch the ground and its seeds are dispersed by birds. Growing in natural forests, planted forests, ruderal/disturbed areas, and wetlands.

Distribution
From India and the Himalayas to Australia and the Pacific.

Uses
Regarded as a tasty edible fruit. Eaten out-of-hand, and used commercially to a limited extent in jams and sauces. Leaves are abortifacient, astringent and emmenagogue. Fruit can be used as a remedy for bed-wetting in children. A purple-blue dye can also be made from the fruit. Aboriginal people in Australia utilise the berries, which can be made into jams, jellies and pies. Tea brewed from the leaves can be used to treat diarrhea. In Malaysia, a decoction of the roots is used for dysentery and other internal complaints. In Indonesia, sap from the leaves or stems is applied to eye diseases. In the Eastern Highlands (Papua New Guinea), the leaves are chewed with traditional salt and spat on sores to promote healing. In Morobe Province, stem sap is drunk by patients suffering from diarrhoea or dysentery, until recovered. In New Britain (Papua New Guinea), the sap from young shoots is drunk in a single dose to induce labour. In New Ireland, the leaves are taken internally as a remedy for diarrhoea, and as an abortifacient. In Thailand, the roots and leaves are used for cough and as a blood tonic.

Local names
Indonesia: hareueus (Sundanese), berete (Javanese), karembang ne langkow (Minahasa).
Malaysia: akar kupur.
Papua New Guinea: auiteteya (Nupuru, Eastern Highlands), laolo (Vunanope, New Britain), fapa (Sililio, Morobe Province).
Philippines: sapinit (Igorot, Bagobo), bunut (Bontok), dagamit (Bisaya).
Vietnam: dum molucca.