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Remarks on the Group Carolina of the Genus Rosa, 11. 



By G. N. Best. 



In the December number, 1887, of the Bulletin, I suggested 

 the advisability of dropping Rosa Incida, Ehrh., as a species and 

 placing it under Rosa Jutviilis, Marsh., as a variety. The reason 

 assigned for so doing was that these roses ran into each other to 

 such an extent that it was often impossible to separate them. In 

 the Eastern States the former seems to be the prevailing form ; 

 in the Southern and Western the latter; in New York, New Jer- 

 sey and Pennsylvania a sad mixture (to the botanist) of both is 

 encountered. 



Last winter Dn Porter and myself forwarded to M. Crepin 

 quite a nuniber of specimens collected in New Jersey and 

 lennsylvania. These we regarded as Rosa huniilis, and its varie- 



ties as described in the article already referred to. In our deter- 

 minations the learned rhodologist concurred, observing, however, 

 that none of our specimens, although some approached it, was 

 what he was pleased to call the '' true" Rosa hicidaJ^ The points 

 are these ; this rose is a rare or rarely observed form, quite dif- 

 ferent from what is commonly recognized as such by American 

 botanists; his knowledge of it depends largely, but not wholly, 

 on European cultures, from which it was described by Ehrhart; 

 he possesses two indigenous specimens, one from Boston, Mass., 

 the other from Warrick, R. I.; all the ordinary forms hitherto 



ranked under R, Incida and R. hitmilis are but variations of the 

 latter. 



To differentiate it from Rosa hicmilis, M. Crepin insists on its 

 sepals being entire, rarely the outer slightly lobed ; leaves nine- 

 foHolate, rarely seven-foliolate on flowering branches, the stipules 

 long and broad with toothed margins, the bush durable and roots 

 not surculose. 



The stipules, as I think, are so prone to reflect the changes 

 incident to growth as to be of comparatively little value as a spe- 

 cific indication. The sepals, the importance of which is in many 

 respects so great in diagnosis, just so far as being entire or slightly 

 lubed goes, possess little significance. M. Crepin in discussing the 



Nouvelles Remarques sur les Roses Aniericaines (suite)-^ fcv., l88y. 



