Rubus elegans Hayata (1906), not P. J. Mueller (1858), nor Utsch (1885), nor Sudre (1898).

Subshrubs ca. 10 cm tall. Stems ascending, brown, glabrescent. Leaves imparipinnate, to 10 cm, 9–15-foliolate; petiole 1–2 cm, petiolule of terminal leaflet shorter, 2–4 mm, lateral leaflets sessile or subsessile, petiolule and purplish red rachis glabrous, with curved minute prickles; stipules lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, 6–10 mm, glabrous; blade of leaflets elliptic to broadly oblong, lateral leaflets sometimes obovate, 0.7–1.5 cm × 5–9 mm, both surfaces glabrous, only sparsely pubescent along midvein abaxially, base cuneate, margin sharply serrate above middle, becoming entire toward base, apex acute or obtuse. Inflorescences with flowers solitary or in pairs; bracts linear-lanceolate, 3–5 mm, glabrous. Pedicel 2–4 cm, glabrous, with curved minute prickles. Flowers 1–2 cm in diam. Calyx abaxially glabrous or sparsely soft hairy; sepals erect in fruit, ovate or triangular-ovate, 6–8 × 2–4 mm, margin slightly tomentose, apex shortly caudate. Petals white, broadly ovate to suborbicular, rarely oblong, 7–10 × 5–6 mm, glabrous or sparsely hairy, base shortly clawed, apex obtuse or rounded. Stamens many, shorter than petals; filaments linear or somewhat broadened and flattened. Pistils numerous, shorter than stamens; style and ovary glabrous. Aggregate fruit red, subglobose, 7–9(–12) mm in diam., glabrous. Fl. Jun–Jul, fr. Aug–Sep. 2n = 14*.

Mountains; 1500--3000 m. C Taiwan.