Tas. 8218, ° 
ROSA SERICEA, var. PTERACANTHA, 
Western China and Manipur. 
Rosaceaz. Tribe Rosgaz. 
Rosa, Linn.; Benth, et Hook. f. Gen. Plant. vol. i. p. 625. 
Rosa (§ Caninae) sericea, Lindl., var. pteracantha, Franch. Plant. Delavay. 
pars i. 1889, p. 220; Gard. Chron. 1905, vol. xxxviii. p. 260, figs. 98 et 99; 
a typo aculeis ramorum compressis basi valde dilatatis confluentibus 
~ recedit. 
Frutex robustus, ramosus, circiter 3 m. diametro. /tami saepius dense setulosi, 
- aculeis magnis rubris compressis decurren'ibus basi elongatis 2-4 em. 
longis armati. Folia viridia, Y~13-foliolita, usyue ad 7 em. longa; foliola 
elliptico- vel obovato-oblonga, 1-1-5 cm. longa, 5-7 mm. lata, serrata, 
glabra; rhachis parce aculeolat:. Stipulae angustatae, adnatae, circiter 
1 cm. longae, glabrae, parte libera acuta. lores in ramis brevibus 
lateralibus solitarii, albi, 4-5 cm. diamotro; pedunculi breves, glabri. 
Receptaculum glabrum, obconicum. Calycis lobi ovato-lanceolati, circiter 
1 cm. longi, basi 3 mm. lati, acuti, apicem versus paucidentati, extra 
parece intus densius sericei. Petala saepius 4, .obovata, emarginata. 
Carpela pilosx, Fructus subglobosus, ultra 1 em. diametro, saturate 
ruber. 
Rosa sericea, var, pteracantha, occurs in company with the 
typical form which is abundant at elevations of from 3,000- 
11,000 ft. Of the Indian specimens which represent the 
true species at Kew, only those collected in Manipur by Sir 
George Watt have prickles as large as in this Chinese 
variety, though it is understood that occasionally shoots 
with bead prickles are to be met with in the Eastern 
Himalaya. 
The plant here figured differs from that described by 
Franchet in having glabrous leaves, but the specimens at 
Kew show intermediate forms which link the two. The 
stems are sometimes devoid of the setulose bristles which 
accompany the remarkably large, red, translucent prickles ; 
and the latter are often absent from the branches which bear 
the flowers. 
Descriprion.—Shrub, robust, much branched, forming a 
bush as much as 10 ft. in diameter. Branches often densely 
setulose ; prickles large, red, compressed, decurrent, elongated 
OctoseEr, 1908, 
