\6^ Mi: Woo,Ds on the British Species of Rosa. 



the most numerous. In the first case the divisions mostly take 

 place after the contraction of the leafit, which in the bud marks 

 the termination of the petals ; or if it occur in the lower and 

 broader part, it carries the appearance of a division not of an 

 offset, being wide at the base and contracted upwards ; whereas 

 the legitimate offset is uniformly contracted at the base and ex- 

 panded upwards, except in the few instances where it is capillary. 

 In the second case the receptacle is generally small, and the leaves 

 are expanded towards the apex. In both the receptacle is but 

 little contracted at the summit, and assumes somewhat of a tur- 

 binate form ; but the best security for the student will be to ex- 

 amine many examples, and to judge by comparison of their pro- 

 per form. 



i\nother word, which perhaps may require some explanation,' — 

 rather, however, from a peculiarity in the modeof growth in this ge- 

 nus than from any singularity in theuseof the term, — isSuiicuLus. 

 In many roses, perhaps in some degree in all, two appearances 

 may be observed ; and, if I may be allowed the expression, every 

 species under different circumstances has two distinct habits. A 

 seedling Rose of the family of R. canina, for instance, where this 

 property is very remarkable, usually comes up a small and feeble 

 plant; it soon puts forth branches, weak like the parent from 

 which they sprung. The aculei are icw, small, weak, and but 

 slightly hooked ; the flowers pale and solitary ; or, if in a favour- 

 able soil, two or even three flowers may be seen together ; and the 

 plant for several years probably will not exceed the height of four 

 or five feet. If in this state it be cut down, a strong shoot pro- 

 ceeds from the root or from the base of the stem, which in one 

 year will rise eight or ten feet in height, armed with abundance 

 of strong hooked prickles, whose base is nearly equal to their 



length ; 



