Brambles (Rubus L. sect. Rubus and sect. Corylifolii Lindley, Rosaceae) of the Channel Islands

The history of the investigation of the predominantly apomictic genus Rubus L. in the Channel Islands (Les lies Anglo-Normandes) is outlined and the records made to date are listed and critically assessed. Of species currently admitted to the British Isles list, 39 inclusive of two naturalised horticultural taxa are considered reliably recorded: 26 from Jersey. 23 from Guernsey. 14 from Sark and II from Alderney. Though these totals roughly correlate with island size, they are each made up of different species in substantial part. They include
one apparent endemic, R. core/ati/o/ius (Rogers ex Riddelsd.) D. Alien, shared by Guernsey and Sark. Many unnamed entities, however. also occur, one or two in each main island relatively widely, but the group has been too little investigated on the French mainland to tell how far any extend there sufficiently to merit being described should they not prove to belong to ex isting taxa. Dispersal and other factors determining the presence or influencing the frequency of certain species in the islands are also examined.