A deciduous shrub up to 10 or 12 ft high, the stout stems erect, arching at the much-branched top, biennial, glabrous except for a few spines. Leaves pinnate, 4 to 7 in. long, composed of five or seven leaflets which are ovate, 3⁄4 to 11⁄2 in. long, the terminal one larger, often three-lobed, and 3 in. long, glabrous above or becoming so, covered beneath with a close white felt; coarsely, often doubly toothed. Flowers small, pink, 1⁄4 in. wide produced in narrow, cylindrical racemes 2 to 4 in. long, terminating the shoot, and in shorter ones from the axils of the terminal leaves. Fruits small, very dark red, or black.
Native of Central and W. China; introduced by Wilson in 1907. A very vigorous, pinnate-leaved bramble, allied to R. cockburnianus, but with dark purplish brown stems.