154 Rosacea@—Rosa. 
R. sulphirea, Sulplur-coloured Rose.—A bush 3 to 6 feet 
high; leaves with 7 glaucescent leaflets; stem armed with un- 
equal spines intermingled with bristles. The flowers are large 
and very double, of the most beautiful yellow; but they do not 
open well, which may perhaps be attributed to unfavourable 
conditions of cultivation. The celebrated Banks affirms having 
seen it flower in the most perfect manner upon swampy ground. 
Linneus confounded this species with the Eglantine, R. lutea, 
which is now known to be an entirely distinct species. It 
is not known whence it comes, but we have reason for believing 
it to be a native of Western Asia. Its principal varieties are 
the Old Yellow with large very full flowers of a bright yellow, 
and the Yellow Pompon which differs only in its smaller 
dimensions. 
R. alpina, the Alpine Rose, is found on all the principal 
mountain chains of Europe, and grows from 5-10 feet high. 
The stems are erect, almost spineless, or sparsely furnished with 
spines, often of a purple-brown colour. Leaves with 7 to 9 
oval or elliptical acute dentate leaflets. Flowers solitary, of 
a reddish carmine ; fruits orange-red when ripe. This species, 
like most of the others, is extremely variable according to 
localities, and consequently its synonomy is very complicated. 
Cultivated for a long time in our gardens, it has produced a 
great many varieties, doubtless through intercrossing with other 
species, of which the Boursaults are the most important. 
These are supposed to have been the result of a cross between 
this species and the Tea Rose of China. Amadis is one of the 
best of this class, being very hardy, a profuse bloomer, and 
almost destitute of thorns, with a climbing habit. The flowers 
are large, semi-double, and of a deep purple colour. No class 
of Roses is better suited than this for covering trellis-work or 
dwelling-houses. 
V. Rosa Centiroiia, the Provence or Cabbage and Moss Roses, 
form the most interesting group in the genus, and contain those 
races longest in cultivation. Here also, and perhaps more than 
elsewhere, we find great divergence of opinions among bota- 
nists as to the number of specics and the characters they should 
rest upon. For our own part we are inclined to look upon the 
whole group as one species, which, either by natural variation 
or hybridisation with other specics, has given birth to all these 
secondary forms. We shall pays in revicw the principal 
varieties. 
