Much like R. pensilvanicus, which might perhaps better be merged with it, but usually only sparsely armed, with few, small, and weak prickles, and with glabrous or subglabrous lvs. Often in open deciduous forest or on mt. ledges, as well as in disturbed habitats; Nf. and Que. to Minn., s. through N.Y. and along the mts. to n. Ga. June, July. (R. amicalis; R. kennedyanus; R. multilicius)
Gleason, Henry A. & Cronquist, Arthur J. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. lxxv + 910 pp.