90 ROSA RUBIGINOSA. 
R. micrantha was first proposed as a species by Sir 
James Smith in English Botany, and has been more re- 
cently adopted by Mr. Woods, who attempted to dis- 
criminate it by its long fruit and the equal size of the 
prickles. But these appearances are very inconstant, 
and may not unfrequently be observed on indisputable 
R. rubiginosa. It is common in the south of England 
with very small flowers; but Mr. Lyell, who has con- 
stant opportunities of watching it, is unable to distin- 
guish it essentially from the common sweetbriar. The 
scent of the leaves is equally variable in both. There 
are, however, some peculiarities which, though not of 
much importance, will help to distinguish it with to- 
lerable certainty. Frequently it produces long, ram- 
bling, unarmed shoots, which are rarely observed in R. 
rubiginosa. The styles are often without pubescence, 
and the sepals usually drop off before the fruit is quite 
ripe. It appears to be the R. rubiginosa triflora_of 
German botanists, and the variety nemoralis of Re- 
douté.: Jacquin’s figure in Mora Austriaca seems to be 
this, but the detached fruit is rounder than I have ever 
observed it. Crantz describes his R.**, in Stirpes 
austriacee, with entire sepals; otherwise I perceive no 
material difference in his account of it. 
The American Sweetbriar, R. suaveolens of Pursh, 
is admitted by American botanists to be an imported 
species, now naturalized in many parts of the United 
States. Sir James Smith, with his usual liberality, has 
permitted me to examine ‘the specimens from which he 
framed his account in Rees’s Cyclopedia. They were 
sent from Pennsylvania by Muhlenberg, and differ in 
no respect from the European plant. The leaflets are 
by no means rounder than they often are in this coun- 
try. Pursh had no specimens; therefore what he says 
about the undivided calyx was probably taken from 
Andrews’s wretched figure ; on which, it is evident, no 
reliance whatever can be placed. 
- umbellata is very common in the gardens, with 
flowers in a semidouble state. Its aspect is that of R. 
caucasea. I have counted as many as forty flowers in 
