THK GKNUS ROSA 25 1 



between it on the one hand, and the Afzeliance, Eucaniiue, 

 Rubiginoice. Agresfes^ Villosce and Tomenlosce on the otiiei". To 

 determine hybrids of such origin would, at first sight, seemto 

 present httle, if any, difficulty, so sharp is the break between 

 the latter six sections and the Piinpinellifolia. In spite of 

 this, so used were rhodologists to the gentle way in which 

 their multitudinous species appeared to merge into one 

 another, that even in such cases they followed, without 

 hesitation, their usual proclivities for the erection of new 

 species. Any hybrid on its discovery thus passed with its 

 real nature unrecognised into the wordy chaos which over- 

 whelmed all rose forms — species, microgene, variety and 

 hybrid alike. This being so, before referring to our local 

 forms, we shall endeavour to trace the steps by which the 

 real genetical character of these forms was ultimately 

 established. 



History of recognised Rose Hybrids. 



Their history may be stated to have commenced with the 

 finding of Rosa hibernica in County Down. This rose, 

 although collected by Templetoji in 1795, remained undescribed 

 until 1803 when he published a short diagnosis in the Trans- 

 actions of the Dublin Society ; independently. Smith followed 

 this by another and only slightly more comprehensive one in 

 English Botany, tab. 2196 in 1810. Borrer's detailed 

 description in British Flora III, p. 231 (1833) supplements both 

 but, significantly enough of his attitude towards it, he ends 

 his remark with the following phrase : — " A satisfactorily 

 distinct species intermediate in habit and in size of leaves 

 between Rosa spinosissiina {pimpiuellifolia) and R. collina 

 /3. Woods, but in its fruit and in the presence of setas nearer 

 to the former." As Woods applied the name " collina " to a 

 Eucanine form this was an excellent representation of its 

 relationship in the light of the knowledge of the " thirties " of 

 the nineteenth century. Baker in his Monograph (1867) 

 could add little to these descriptions but, nevertheless, brought 

 forward new localities in England, as well as in Ireland, and 



