93 



BEVIEW OF THE BRITISH ROSES, 

 ESPECIALLY THOSE OF THE NORTH OF ENGLAND. 



By J. G. Baker, Esq., of Thirsk. 



Part IV.— CANINE. 



Robust bushes with more or less conspicuously arching main stems 

 and diffuse branches. Prickles uniform, robust below and narrowed 

 gradually from the base to the point. Leaves simply or doubly serrated, 

 glabrous or slightly hairy above, glabrous or somewhat hairy beneath, 

 but never more than slightly glandular. Sepals reflexed or erecto-patent 

 on the fruit, deciduous or sub-persistent, usually glabrous, but sometimes 

 glandular on the back. Peduncles usually naked, occasionally aciculate 

 and setose. Styles free, varying from almost glabrous to densely villose. 



XI. — R. Canina. Linn. The plants included here differ from one 

 another widely, if we take the extremes, in many points of importance, 

 especially in the shape, toothing and clothing of the leaves and stipules, 

 the texture and time of ripening of the fruit, and the direction and 

 duration of the sepals ; but in spite of this, each of them^ is always 

 connected with the one that is nearest to it very closely. We have here 

 an excellent illustration of what one school of botanists considers to be a 

 single variable species, and what another school considers to be a large 

 group of closely allied species. As furnishing an illustration bearing 

 instructively upon the question of the nature of species, I have taken 

 considerably more pains with the English Caninse, than I should other- 

 wise have done. The following are as good descriptions as I am in a 

 position to furnish of the English Dog-roses which have come under my 

 notice, and I would ask the particular attention of my readers to the two 

 points to which allusion has just been made, how widely the extremes 

 differ, but how gradual is the transition between them, by intermediate 

 stages of gradation. With the kind aid of M. Deseglise, to whom I am 

 indebted for excellent specimens of nearly all the Canince described in his 

 Monograph, I have identified as far as I can our plants with those of the 

 Continent, with what result will appear from the list. Nearly all the 

 forms have arched stems from six to ten or even twelve feet in height, 

 plentifully furnished with lithe greenish ascending branches. The prickles 

 are uniform and either falcate or uncinate, their base from three-eighths to 

 half an inch deep, the prickle curving gradually from this to the point, 



