ROSA BRACTEATA. ll 
the midst of several ovate, imbricated, downy bracteas, 
finely pectinate at the edge ; tube of the calyx and se- 
pals, which are nearly simple, woolly on the outside ; 
petals large, obovate; disk much thickened, nearly 
flat; stamens 350-400; ovaria 140-170; styles distinct, 
naked. Fruit spherical, orange red, covered all over 
with woolliness; pericarps brownish, wrinkled, im- 
mersed in the unusually copious hairs of the receptacle. 
This plant, although a native of China and the 
northern provinces of India, is nevertheless tolerably 
hardy in our gardens, producing its fine milk-white 
flowers in profusion during the greater part of the sum- 
mer. For ripe fruit I am indebted to Mr. Lyell. 
For the present I have thought it better not to con- 
sider var. 6 as a distinct species; but itis probable that, 
by future observation, its characters may be found suf- 
ficient to entitle it to a place by itself. In general ap- 
pearance, it is similar to the plant described and figured 
by Wendland; yet when the two grow side by side, 
their aspect presents several marks of difference. The 
variety © is much less than the other; it forms a more 
compact bush; the prickles are nearly straight, not 
strong and hooked; the stem is covered with setz, of 
which there are no traces onthe other. This last cha- 
racter is of the most importance, because when setze 
are produced accidentally, they usually are occasioned 
by excessive luxuriance, and therefore ought to be 
found on the stronger plant of the two, and not on the 
weaker, as is the case here. Iam not disposed to lay 
much stress upon their different habitats , because, as I 
have already observed, it is probable that the present 
group extends across the continent of Asia in certain 
latitudes. 
