BOTANICAL CLASSIFICATION. 



25 



Gerard, and was formerly much valued for its musky- 

 fragrance, when that scent Avas the fashionable perfume. 

 The Persian attar of roses is said to be obtained from this 

 species. The musk rose does best trained against a wall, 

 on account of the length and weakness of its branches; 

 and Miller adds that it should always be pruned in spring, 

 as in winter it will not bear the knife. It requires very 

 little pruning, as the flowers are produced at the extremi- 

 ties of the shoots, which are often 10 feet or 12 feet in 

 length. It flowers freely, and is well worthy of cultiva- 

 tion. This rose is thought by some to be the same as that 

 of Gyrene, which Athenoeus has mentioned as aflbrding a 

 delicious j^erfume, but of this there is no certain evidence. 

 It seems to have been rare in Europe in the time of Gess- 

 ner, the botanist, who, in a letter to Dr. Occon, dated 

 Zurich, 1565, says that it was growing in a garden at 

 Augsburg, and he was extremely anxious that the doctor 

 should procure some of its shoots for him. Rivers men- 

 tions that Olivier, a French traveler, speaks of a rose tree 

 at Ispahan, called the " Chinese Rose Tree," fifteen feet 

 high, formed by the union of several stems, each four or 

 five inches in diameter. Seeds of this tree were sent to 

 Paris and produced the common Musk Rose. 



BANKSIAN^.— Banksia Roses. 



(So caUed because all the species contained in this section agree in 

 character with It. JSanksice^ a rose named in honor of Lady Banks.) 



Stipules nearly free, subulate, or very narrow, usually 

 deciduous. Leaflets usually ternate, shining. Stems 

 climbing* The species of this section are remarkable for 

 their long^ graceful, and often climbing, shoots, drooping 

 flowers, and trifoliate, shining leaves. They are particu- 

 larly distinguished by their deciduous, subulate, or very 

 narrow stipules. Their fruit is very variable. 



R. Banksiae^ H, Br, — Lady Banks' or Banksia Rose. 

 — Without prickles, glabrous, smooth. Leaflets 3 to 5, 

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