Brambles include not only roses, but also blackberries, raspberries, loganberries, and other plants.
Bramble bushes have a distinctive growth form. They send up long, arching canes that do not flower or set fruit until the second year. Many types of brambles set edible fruit. Many types also have vicious recurved thorns that dig into clothing and flesh when the victim tries to pull away from them. Some types also have hairlike thorns.
Brambles of the genus Rubus usually have trifoliate or palmately-compound leaves. Brambles of the genus Rosa usually have pinnately-compound leaves.
Brambles are not to be confused with briers, which are of the genus Smilax and quite unrelated although also thorny.