Wild Flowers East of the Rockies 165 



SWEETBRIER; EGLANTINE (Rosa rubiginosa) 



is a very beautiful species of wild rose introduced 

 from Europe. We may find it blooming quite com- 

 monly in dry, rocky pastures and waste places dur- 

 ing June and July. It is remarkable for and easily 

 identified by, the sweet-scented, aromatic fragrance 

 of its leaves. The stems are long and arching, grow- 

 ing from two to six feet in height; they are brown 

 and are armed at frequent intervals with short, de- 

 cidedly recurved thorns or prickles. 



At regular intervals along the stem, are close-set, 

 compact clusters of flowers and leaves. The leaves 

 are made up of five or seven very small leaflets, 

 rounded-ovate in form and with the edge finely 

 double-toothed, and covered beneath with fine, sticky, 

 glandular hairs . The flowers are also quite small, 

 especially when compared to the very common Pas- 

 ture and Swamp Roses, being only from one to two 

 inches in diameter. They are rather light colored, 

 a creamy-pink, and have five, heart-shaped petals, 

 the ends being slightly notched; the numerous, curv- 

 ing stamens are a bright yellow. All of the roses 

 have quite large fruit, red in color and with the 

 ends of the sepals spreading from its apex; that of 

 the present species is ovoid in shape. Eglantine is 

 found from Nova Scotia to Michigan and southwards 

 to Virginia and Tenn. 



SMOOTH ROSE (Rosa blanda) is a species that is 

 often wholly unarmed with prickles. The stem and 

 the underside of the leaves are covered with a light 

 bloom. The pale crimson-pink flowers measure near- 

 ly three inches across. The red fruit is either round 

 or pear-shaped, with persistent sepals. 



The Smooth Rose has a very northerly distribution. 

 It is found in rocky places from Newfoundland and 

 nothern New England westwards, chiefly along the 

 shores of the Great Lakes. 



