CLASS XII. ORDER III.] HOSA. 71 1 



a few strictly setaceous, and a few real seta often occur immediately 

 under the inflorescence ; occasionally the flowering ramuli, and some- 

 times the points of leafy shoots, are altogether unarmed. Leaflets 

 broadly elliptical or ovate, of a rather pale green, and somewhat 

 shining and slightly hairy above; beneath more hairy, and sprinkled 

 copiously, as are the petioles, and usually the stipules, with rusty 

 glands, diffusing a fragrance similar to that of the Sweet Briar, but 

 less powerful, and sometimes, according to Woods, intermixed with a 

 turpentine odour. Peduncles setose. Calyx tube naked, or with a 

 few seta, those at its base not in general larger than the others, its 

 segments with a long leafy point, and narrow lanceolate pinna;, fringed 

 with gland-pointed teeth. Petals small, shorter than the calyx, pale 

 pink. Styles included, not hairy. Stigmas slightly protuberant. 

 Fruit coral red, or scarlet, pulpy when ripe, and flavoured like that of 

 R. canina, the primordial bluntly elliptical, never pear-shaped, the 

 secondary orate, with a slight neck, often somewhat oblique." 



Habitat. Open bushy commons, thickets, and hedges, especially in 

 the South of England ; near Cork, Ireland. Mr. Drummond. 



Shrub ; flowering in June and July. 



We must confess that we are incapable of distinguishing this as a 

 species from R. rubiginosa ; but Mr. Borrer's authority is deserving 

 the greatest consideration : we have, therefore, thought it best to give 

 his own description, as given in the British Flora, where be also adds 

 that " It is difficult to distinguish this plant satisfactorily by characters 

 from R. inodora ; yet it differs considerably in habit, its ramifications 

 being more tufted, although it sends out long arched shoots, and also 

 in its lengthened calyx segments and its small fruit;" and be further 

 observes, " It is, in fact, more likely to be united to R. rubiginosa by 

 Botanists who separate these two, yet deny to this the rank of a species. 

 The justice of its claim to such rank we are far from asserting posi- 

 tively ; yet its uniform and much less numerous prickles, its small 

 pulpy fruits all rounded at the base, and its deciduous calyx segments, 

 seem constant characters; and its smaller pale flowers, and arched 

 straggling shoots, distinguish it from R. rubiginosa at first sight." 



The flowers are of an extremely beautiful pale colour, and exhale a 

 very delicate fragrance, much more so than that from the leaves ; but 

 the difference in the secretions of the leaves and flowers is not so 

 remarkable in this as some other species, that of (he leaves having a 

 turpentine odour, while from the flower the fragrance is most pleasant. 

 Many other plants besides the Roses furnish us with perhaps much 

 more striking differences in their secretions on a superficial examina- 

 tion ; but this may be sufficient to excite the further investigation of 

 the student into the inquiry as to by what means, and why are these 

 secretions different in one part of the plant than another; and he will 

 find they are almost as various as those of the animal creation, but the 

 powers of that Being who created them is perhaps in plants more won- 



