Rubus moluccanus L.

Rosberi hutan (Rubus moluccanus) is a climbing shrub up to 6 meters tall from the Rosaceae family spread from the Himalayas to Eastern Australia, spreading through seeds sown by birds. Its fruit can be eaten raw or processed into pies. Rosberi hutan is traditionally used to address dysentery, speed wound healing, and as a blood tonic.

Rosberi hutan plants can grow at elevations up to 3,000 m asl. Commonly found in forests, forest borders, thickets along rivers. Easily grown in well-drained loamy soil in sun or partial shade, and moist soil.

• Stem climbing, woody, hard, brownish-green, thorny, reaching a height of 2-3 m, with branches covered by hairy fuzz. Stem, buds, petiole, and lower leaf surface velvety.
• Leaves thin, flat, usually 3 to 5 lobed, deeply heart-shaped at the base, broadly ovate, and 5-15 cm wide. Upper surface hairy and appears reticulate when dry.
• Flowers about 2 cm in size, usually in small clusters, and arranged in a raceme form in the leaf axils and at branch tips. Calyx lobes ovate to lanceolate, entire or pectinate. Petals oblong, white, and shorter than the calyx segments.
• Fruit a bright red berry, about 1 cm in diameter, juicy, slightly sour, with many carpels, and a hairy receptacle.

• Propagation generatively with seeds. Seeds germinate best if given a period of cold stratification before sowing in containers. Stored seed requires one month stratification at a temperature around 3 °C and is best sown as early as possible in the growing season. Transplant when large enough to plant out.
• Vegetative propagation uses semi-mature wood cuttings.

Tannin, malic acid, citric acid, pectin, albumin, flavonoid, anthocyanin, hydroxy methyl furfural; 1,1,2,-triacetoxyethane; 2,4-dihydroxy-2,5-dimethyl-3(2H)-furan-3-one; 2-hydroxy-3-methyl-4-pyrone, alkaloid, amino acid, phenolic compound, glycoside, pentacyclic triterpene, rubonic acid, saponin.

Treats dysentery, induces labor, treats stomach ache, speeds wound healing, treats eye diseases, a remedy useful for nighttime urination in children (bedwetting), as a blood tonic, treats dysentery and other internal complaints, provides energy, and increases fertility in women, used for peptic ulcer disease. Has antihypertensive, abortifacient, astringent, and emmenagogue activity.

• Prepare rosberi hutan leaves, wash clean with running water then drain.
• Dry under sunlight or using an oven at 40 °C until moisture content reaches 10%.
• Blend into powder and sieve with a 60-mesh sieve.
• Store in a clean, airtight place.

Brebet, Berete (Java), Hereneus, Hereneus bodas (Sunda), Kemerang ni langkow, Kerembang ni langkow, Kunet kamerang, Merang in tua (Minahasa), Tundung (Lampung).