138 SUB-ALPINE PLANTS 



R. agresHs Savi, R. elliftica Tausch, R. eglanieria L., R. abielina 

 Gren. and R. glauca VilL 



Rosa alpina L. R. pendulina L. (Plate XII.) 



Stem 1-4 feet high, according to position. Prickles straight, 

 horizontal or pointing downwards, crowded on the barren shoots, 

 usually wanting on the flowering stems. Leaflets in 3-5 pairs, 

 elliptical, serrate, glabrous or hairy beneath, dark green on upper, 

 lighter on under side. Flowers solitary, deep rose-red, fragrant, 

 the size of an ordinary dog-rose. Calyx-teeth entire, broader near 

 the apex, as long or longer than petals. Hip scarlet, elliptical, but 

 narrowed to a neck at the top, or rarely globular, and sometimes 

 flask-shaped, fleshy, drooping, crowned by the erect calyx-teeth. 



Margins of woods, stony pastures, and bushy places from 3000 to 

 8000 feet, but not often above 6000 feet. June, July. 



Distribution. — Vosges, Jura, Cevennes, CorbiSres, Pyrenees. 

 Alpine chain from east to west. Dalmatia, Croatia, Transylvania. 



Rosa fomifera Herrm. (Plate XII.) 



Leaflets 5-7, lanceolate or elliptical, greyish green beneath, or 

 sometimes purplish, usually glandular-pubescent on both sides. 

 Sepals glandular-ciliate, usually all pinnatifid, as long as the petals. 

 Fruit globular, large, often covered with bristles, but very variable. 

 A rather low, tufted bush. 



Roadsides and mountain slopes up to 5000 feet. June, July. 



Distribution. — Eastern, Central, and Western Alps ; rare in the 

 Jura ; Central Europe ; Western Asia. 



SORBUS L. 



Sorbus Aria Crantz. White Beam-tree. (Plate XVIII.) 



Sometimes a mere shrub, but growing into a moderate-sized tree. 

 Leaves ovate or elliptic, green and glabrous on upper side, covered 

 with a soft white cotton on the under side, doubly toothed, or 

 occasionally slightly lobed, the lobes decreasing towards the base. 

 Flowers white, in corymbs at the ends of the short leafy branches. 

 Styles 2. Fruit an orange-red globular berry, with mealy pulp 

 and slightly acid taste. 



Woods and rocks among the mountains, extending at least to 

 4500 feet, as on the Col des Montets and the Col des Aravis in Haute 

 Savoie. On the latter Col there is a fine tree above the village of 

 La Giettaz. It flowers in May, and the fruit is ripe in September. 



Distribution. — Central and Southern Europe, extending north- 

 ward into Scandinavia and the British Isles, Central Asia, Altai 

 and Himalaya ; N. Africa. 



N.B, — See J). 261 for the closely allied S. scandica, etc. 



