164 Rosacce—Rosa. 
with slender branches, armed here and there with curved 
prickles. Leaves shining, strongly tinted with dark purple, 
composed of 3 to 5 
ovate-lanceolate den- 
tate leaflets. Flowers 
solitary at the ex- 
tremities of the 
branches, double or 
semi-double, deep 
crimson, almost scent- 
less. The calyx-tube 
is shortly obovoid and 
glabrous, and the re- 
curved calyx-leaves 
are deciduous. Ac- 
cording to Dr. Lindley 
this is the only Rose 
that loses its stamens 
at the same time as 
the petals, a character 
which distinguishes it 
from the Tea Rose; 
but a still greater difference pointed out by that eminent 
botanist is the smaller number (about fifteen) of ovaries in 
each flower of the typical Bengal Rose, whilst the Tea Rose 
has from forty to fifty. The first Bengal Rose appears to have 
been introduced into England about the year 1771, by whom 
it is uncertain; but it is averred that an Englishman named 
Ker brought it from Canton in 1780, and that another Eng- 
lishman, Slater, introduced a second variety from the same 
country about the same time. Hence the name China Rose, 
R. Chinénsis, given to it by some authors, whilst others con- 
sider it to be a mere variety of R. Indica. Innumerable 
varieties are referred to this species by horticulturists. 
It is scarcely possible to distinguish specifically the Bourbon 
Rose, R. Borbinica (fig. 90), from R. Indica, which differs 
only in its larger stature, the presence of bristles intermixed 
with the spines on the branches and petioles, leaves of 5 to 7 
leaflets, and flowers in corymbs 3 to 7 on the same peduncle. It 
is very probable that it is not really indigenous in the Isle of 
Bourbon, but imported thither from China or India. Its in- 
Fig. 89, Bengal Rose. (% nat. size.) 
