621 



ROSA. 



ROSA.CE/E. 



ROSA (from the Latin Rosa, through the medium of th o French 

 Rose ; the Latin Rosa and the Greek 'Pttiov are evidently the same), 

 the name of the most universally admired and cultivated genus of 

 plants, forming the type of the natural order Rosacea. 



The Rose was known in early times, and was as great a favourite 

 among the nations of antiquity as it is in modern times. The Rose is 

 found generally in almost every country of the northern hemisphere, 

 both in the Old and New World : from Sweden to the north of Africa ; 

 from Kamtchatka to Bengal, and from Hudson's Bay to the mountains 

 of Mexico. It is not found in South America or in Australia. All the 

 species are included between 70 and 19 N. lat. It is found more 

 generally on dry and free soils than on those which are wet and tena- 

 cious. In the north of Europe it occurs with single flowers, but in 

 Italy, Greece, and Spain more frequently double. 



The characters of the genus Rosa are calyx 5-parted, tube fleshy, 

 ureeolate; petals five; stamens numerous, attached to the calyx and 

 corolla ; ovaries attached to the inner surface of the tube of the calyx ; 

 style long, stigma projecting beyond the mouth of the calyx ; achenia 

 numerous, hard. The species are mostly shrubs with alternate pinnate 

 leaves and beautiful odoriferous flowers. There are few better marked 

 genera amongst plants than this, but as of all plants it has been the 

 greatest favourite, and thus surrounded by the greatest variety of 

 external influences, its species and varieties are the most difficult to 

 distinguish. 



Dr. Lindley, in his 'Rosarum Monographia,' arranges the species 

 under eleven divisions, the first of which, including but one species, 

 has since been made into the genus Loicea. We shall here give the 

 remaining divisions, and point out the species which, on account of 

 their ornamental flowers or uses, are most frequently cultivated. 



1. Fences, with branches permanently tomentose and naked fruit. 

 They are generally low shrubs, remarkable for thick hoary branches 

 clothed with numerous prickles, and hence their name. There are 

 only three species belonging to this division, of which Rosa ferox, the 

 Hedgehog-Rose, is most common. 



2. Bracteatce. The species of this division have not only their 

 branches, but also their fruit clothed with a persistent tomentum. 

 They have mostly bright-green leaves, and their organs of fructification 

 are in the highest state of development of any of the genus. They 

 belong to the class of evergreen roses. R. bracteata, the Macartney 

 Rote, is a native of China, and was introduced into this country by 

 Lord Macartney. It has upright branches, 5-9-leaflets, stout prickles, 

 with large white terminal solitary flowers, and large globose orange- 

 red fruit. It is a handsome plant, flowering abundantly late in the 

 season. B. microphylla, Small-Leaved Rose, resembles R. bracteata, 

 but differs in being smaller, and having prickly fruit and ovate-obtuse 

 leave*. 



3. Cinnamomect, distinguished by their long lanceolate leaflets, with- 

 out glands, bracteated flowers, and delicate disc, but little thickened. 

 The shoots are either with or without seta). There are several species 

 in this division, but comparatively few are known out of the herba- 

 rium. R. lucida, the Bright- Leaved Rose ; R. laxa, Loose or Spreading 

 Carolina Rose ; and R. Carolina, the True Carolina Rose, belong to 

 this division. 



4. Pimpindlifolia. Branches either crowded with nearly equal 

 prickles or unarmed ; leaflets ovate or oblong ; bracts absent ; sepals 

 connivent and persistent. Although this division approaches the last 

 in artificial character!), it is essentially different in habit. S. ipino- 

 tisiima, the Scotch Rose, is a dwarf, compact, green bush, with creep- 

 ing roots ; it ban unequal prickles, flat, glabrous, simple serrated 

 leaflets, and small, solitary, white, or bluish-coloured flowers. It is 

 found native in the mountainous districts and sea-coasts of all Europe, 

 and also in the Caucasus. It was the only rose found by Sir W. Hooker 

 in Iceland. A great number of varieties are found in the gardens of 

 Britain, produced from the wild plant found in the North of England 

 and Scotland, R. lulphurea, the Double- Yellow Rose, and R. alpina, 

 the Boursalt Rose, are also example*. 



5. Cenlifoliie, clothed with bristles and prickles ; flowers bracteate ; 

 leaflets oblong or ovate, rugous, disc thickened, closing the throat; 

 epals compound. This division comprehends those species which 

 have ever been most interesting to the florist, as also probably those 

 that were earliest known. Although the garden, varieties of this 

 division would probably amount to several hundred, there are only 

 three species. 



R. centifolia, the Hundred-Leaved Cabbage, or Provence Rose, is 

 known by its large unequal prickles, glandulous leaflets, pendulous 

 flowers, and oblong fruit. This rose has been said to be a native of 

 France, but this is doubtful. It has been found wild in thickets on 

 the eastern side of the Caucasus. It is the same plant as the R. pro- 

 rincialii of Miller. A botanical variety of this species, the R. centi- 

 folia mutcoia, is the parent of the beautiful family of moss-roses. 



It. trallica, the French Rose, has equal small prickles, erect flowers, 

 ovate sepals, and globose fruit. It is found wild about Montalbanum, 

 Walzenberg, and Geneva, also in Austria, Piedmont, and the Caucasus. 

 This is supposed to be the species to which Pliny refers (' Hist. Nat.,' 

 xxi. 18, 25, 72, 73). R. pwnila of Jacquin is a variety of this species. 

 Hundreds of varieties of this rose are found cultivated in gardens. 



A great number of varieties of roses found iu gardens are hybrids 

 between R. Oallica and R. centifolia. They mostly combine the long 



graceful shoots of the last with the rich crimson hues of the first. 

 Hybrids are also produced between R. Gallica and R. Jndica, but 

 differ from the last in not being perpetual. They have a pleasing 

 glossy sub-evergreen foliage. 



R. Damaicena, the Damask Rose, has unequal prickles ; the larger 

 ones falcate, sepals reflexed, fruit elongated. This plant is supposed 

 to have been originally brought from Damascus, and to be a native of 

 Syria. It is much cultivated in gardens, and has not fewer varieties 

 than the two last. 



6. Villosw. Root-shoots erect; prickles nearly straight; leaflets 

 ovate or oblong, with diverging serratures, sepals persistent, conni- 

 vent ; disc thickened, closing the fauces. The best known species of 

 this division is the R. alba, White Rose ; it has rugose glaucous leaves, 

 with simple serratures and acicular unequal prickles, by which it 

 may be distinguished from both R. tomentosa and R. canina, with 

 which it is liable to be confounded. It is a native of Piedmont, 

 Cochin-Chma, Denmark, France, and Saxony. Its flowers are very 

 large, exhaling a delicious fragrance. R. Hibernica, the Irish Rose, 

 belongs to this division, and is interesting to the botanist as being 

 entirely confined to Ireland. 



7. Rubiginosce. Unequal and sometimes bristly prickles, ovate or 

 oblong leaflets, with glands and diverging serratures, persistent sepals, 

 thickened disc, and arched root-shoots. To this division belongs the 

 R. rabiyinosa, Eglantine, or Sweet Briar. It is common in Britain in 

 bushy places on a dry gravelly soil. R. lutea, the Austrian Briar, is 

 nearly allied to the latter. 



8. Canina. With equal hooked prickles ; oval eglaudulose leaflets, 

 with counivent serratures, deciduous sepals, and thickened disc closing 

 the throat. To this division belong many of the varieties called 

 Autumnal or Perpetual Roses, on account of their blooming late in the 

 season and continuing in flower a long time. Of the roses iu this 

 group that have afforded varieties for the garden, the R. Indica, 

 Chinese Rose, stands first. There is a hybrid variety between this 

 species and the R. odorata, which is well known in gardens under the 

 name of R. Indica odorata, Tea-Scented China Rose. This rose is the 

 parent of a great number of sorts in gardens. 



The Bourbon Rose (R. Bourboniana) is a natural hybrid between 

 R. Indica and a variety called Red Four-Seasons. This hybrid was 

 found amongst a number of the latter plants iu a hedge in the Isle of 

 Bourbon. It was brought to Paris, and has since produced many 

 beautiful varieties. 



The Noisette Rose was grown from seeds produced from R. moachata 

 impregnated with R, Indica. It was first reared in America. 



11. Lawranceana, the Minature or Lawrance Rose, named after Miss 

 Lawrance, who published a collection of drawings of roses, belongs to 

 this division. It was first brought from China, and is probably only 

 a dwarf variety of R. Indica or S. temperjiorens, which it closely 

 resembles in structure. 



R. canina, the Dog-Rose, is one of the most common species of the 

 division in this country, and from its varying characters has given 

 origin to a great number of names supposed to represent species. This 

 is the species used for making conserve of roses. 



9. Syityla. Styles cohering in an elongated column; stipules adnate. 

 The habit of the plants of this division is nearly the same as that of 

 the last. Jt. arvensii, the Field or White Dog-Rose, belongs to this 

 group. It is a very common plant in many parts of England, adorning 

 the hedges with its elegant snowy blossoms. It has cord-like shoots, 

 unequal falcated prickles, leaflets glaucous beneath ; diverging stipules, 

 and ovate crimson fruit. The varieties of this and allied species, as 

 R. multiftora and R. lempervirem, produce the climbing roses of the 

 garden, of which there are a great number now to be had. 



R. moschaia, the Musk-Rose, is one of the oldest inhabitants of our 

 gardejs. It is found native in the North of Africa, and in the 

 temperate and warm provinces of Spain. 



10. anksiance. Nearly free subulate stipules, usually deciduous ; 

 ternate shining leaflets and climbing stems. This is the last division 

 of the species of roses. The most remarkable species in this group is 

 the R. Banksice, Bauksiau Rose, named after Lady Banks. It is a 

 native of China, and has very numerous double sweet-scented nodding 

 flowers, which are arranged in umbel-like corymbs. 



The roses are used in the arts for obtaining their delicious perfume, 

 which is called Attar of Roses. The petals are also used in medicine. 

 [ROSE, in ARTS AND Sc. Div.] 



(Lindley, Monographia Rosarum, 1820 ; Miss Lawrance, A collection 

 of Roiet from Nature, 1799; Redoute and Thory, Lea Roses; Guille- 

 man, L'Hist<iire Naturelle de la Rose, 1800; Thory, Prodrome de la 

 Monographic du Genre Rosier, 1820; T. Rivers, of Sawbridgeworth, 

 Rose-Amatewr'i Guide, with Descriptive Catalogue of Roses, 1836 (a very 

 excellent account of the garden varieties and their cultivation) ; Sir 

 J. B. Smith, the article ' Rosa," in Rees's Cyclopaedia ; Don, ' Genus 

 Rosa,' in Miller's Gardener's Dictionary.) 



ROSA'CEA. [ACALEI-HJE.] 



ROSA'CE^E, a natural order of Polypetalous Exogenous Plants, 

 witli 4-5-lobed calyx ; 4 or 5 regular petals ; indefinite perigynous 

 stamens; exalbuminous seeds; and alternate stipulate leaves. The 

 plants of this order are allied to C'/trysobalanacect, from which they 

 may be distinguished by their styles proceeding from the side of the 

 ovariurn near the apex, and not from the base, and by their regular 



