A small edible fruit harvested from prickly shrubs related to the rose family and native to North America. It is much like a red raspberry, but it has a distinctively black color and is typically found in forests and field areas. This fruit is often referred to as the blackcap raspberry, a name derived from its distinctive cap-like shape. Prior to ripening, the black raspberry will have a white to pink color and then becomes increasingly deeper and darker in color as it ripens. This berry is most often used for pies, desserts, wines, liqueurs, and tea. A hybrid of the black and red raspberry is known as the purple raspberry, taking on the purple overtone, but having the same texture as the black or red and a mildly sweet flavor.