About Rubus parvus Buchanan
Bush lawyer is the common name for a group of climbing blackberry plants that belong to subgenus Micranthobatus of the genus Rubus. These plants are native to New Zealand, where many grow as rampant forest vines. All five native bush lawyer species found in New Zealand are endemic to the country, and the Māori name for this plant is tātarāmoa. Tātaramoa, also called bush lawyer, has hooked thorns that snag clothing and tear or prick skin. The English common name is often said to come from the fact that once this thorny plant catches on you, it will not let go until it has drawn blood. Rubus cissoides is one species of this group, and the meaning of its common name is often appreciated by North American visitors. In New Zealand, this thorny vine is most widely known as bush lawyer. It grows across the country at elevations up to 1000 meters. This plant has hand-shaped leaves with three to five toothed leaflets, white flowers, and a yellowish-red fruit shaped like a small blackberry. Early Europeans once used this fruit to make jams and jellies. The plant's most prominent feature is its thorns. The backward-pointing prickles on its stems help the vine climb up to a forest's open canopy, but they also catch unwary trampers who leave marked trails. When you encounter bush lawyer, you will recognize it immediately: its thorns will scrape painfully across your bare arms or thighs and draw blood quickly. Just like a lawyer, once this plant gets a hold of you, it does not let go easily.
