This taxon is known mostly from central Appalachian regions (F). These plants differ from typical flagellaris in their much more pubescent leaves and relatively short upper simple bracts. Although often appearing distinct, it is not clear if full species status is warranted; see also notes under R. flagellaris. Included in the map here are a few records of the closely related taxa, R. temerarius Bailey and R. injunctus Bailey, which differ in their glabrous pedicels (F). Some records may also be derived from the cultivar of roribaccus from W.Va. named "Lucretia Dewberry", which was widely distributed after 1876 (SC). Plants similar to roribaccus with more condensed corymbs (versus small, ascendate clusters) have been referred to R. curtipes Bailey by Widrlechner (1998), including R. subtentus Bailey from Ky., but the rationale for this remains unclear (see also R. laudatus). Ladd & Thomas (2015) indicated that curtipes is intermediate in pubescence between enslenii and roribaccus; the most diminutive Rubus in Mo., with floricane leaflets small, round-tipped and "evocative of Potentilla canadensis"; and fairly common in old fields. R. meracus may be somewhat intermediate between flagellaris and roribaccus; Widrlechner (1998) distinguished it from roribaccus by its "primocane central leaflets elliptic, rounded at base" (versus ovate, cordate at base).