I2 5 — ROSA DAMASCENA, var. RUBROTINCTA Hort. 
hebe’s lip 
Rosa damascena , var. rubvotincta : a typo recedit petalis albis, apice rubro- 
tinctis. 
Stem green, erect. Prickles very irregular, the largest stout, strongly hooked, 
intermixed with copious unequal straight aciculi. Leaflets 5-7, oblong, obtuse, 
rather rugose, simply crenate, dull green and glabrous above, slightly pubescent 
beneath, the end one cordate at the base ; petioles pubescent and slightly glandular ; 
stipules narrow, adnate, with small ovate free tips. Flowers few in a corymb ; 
Peduncles densely setose. Calyx-tube globose, naked ; lobes ovate-cuspidate, 
glandular on the back, the outer copiously pinnatifid. Petals large, white, with 
outside edges lightly tinged with pink. Styles villous, free, not protruded. Fruit 
globose, late in ripening; sepals deciduous. 
Th is beautiful old garden favourite is a variety of the Damask 
Rose, in which the characters of Rosa gallica L. predominate. From 
the typical Rosa gallica it differs by its larger and stouter hooked 
prickles, less coriaceous leaves, longer peduncles, more abundant 
flowers, white petals edged with pink after the manner of a picotee, 
and sepals falling at an earlier stage of the fruit. It is consequently 
nearly allied to Rosa damascena Mill, and Rosa alba L. No doubt 
it is a garden hybrid, of which Rosa gallica is the predominant parent, 
and perhaps Rosa alba the other. By William Paul 1 it is classed as 
a “ Hybrid Perpetual,” but nothing is really known of its origin. It 
is popularly known as “ Hebe’s Lip ” or “ Reine Blanche.” 
In a paper on “ Decorative Roses ” read by Mr. Girdlestone at 
the Rose Conference of the Royal Horticultural Society at Chiswick 
on July 2nd and 3rd, 1889, 2 reference is made to Hebe's Lip , “a 
garden variety classed as a hybrid Sweet Briar, beautiful exceedingly, 
having large, substantial, creamy white petals with a picotee edge of 
purple.” The description of the flower would answer to Rosa 
damascena (Hebe's Lip), but the mention of Sweet Briar points to 
Janet' s Pride , whose flowers could likewise be described as picotee 
edged. 
1 Rose Garden , ed. 9, p. 288 (1888). 
2 Journ. Hort. Soc. vol. xi. pt. iii. p. 200. 
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