ROSA POMIFERA 
R. friburgensis Lagger & Puget ex Deseglise in Bull. Soc. Bot. Belg. vol. xv. 
p. 583 {Cat. Rais. Ros. p. 328 [1877]) (1876). 
Stem tall, arching, green ; prickles uniform, slender, straight, scattered. 
Leaflets usually 7, large, oblong, doubly serrated, dull green and pubescent on 
both surfaces ; petioles pubescent and minutely glandular ; stipules broad, adnate, 
pubescent, with small, ovate, free points. Flowers few, corymbose ; peduncles 
short, densely aciculate and setose ; bracts ovate, pubescent. Calyx-tube globose, 
densely aciculate ; lobes 1 in. long, leaf-pointed, simple or compound, densely 
glandular on the back. Petals middle-sized, bright pink, sometimes ciliated with 
glands. Styles free, villous, not protruded beyond the disc. Fruit large, globose, 
pulpy, bright red, densely aciculate, ripening in September, crowned by the erect 
sepals. 
The Apple Rose is widely distributed in central Europe, ranging 
from the mountainous district of the south to Scandinavia, but not to 
Britain, where, however, it has long been cultivated. The Rosa pomifera 
of Gerard’s Garden Catalogue of 1596 is not this plant but Rosa 
spinosissima L. ; it is, however, the Rosa sylvestr is pomifera major of 
C. Bauhin 1 and the Rosa pomifera major of Parkinson, who figures it. 2 
Ray gives it as wild in the north of England, 3 but no doubt confuses it 
with Rosa mollis Sm., as did Linnaeus. There is a specimen in 
Buddie’s herbarium. It has been hybridized with Rosa cinnamomea L. 
and several other species. 
The great beauty of the Apple Rose lies in its handsome fruits, 
which are larger than those of Rosa rugosa Thunb., but not as large 
as those of Rosa macrophylla Lindl. They are of a rich deep red 
colour, and often remain on the plant far into the winter. It is very 
hardy and easily propagated by suckers. 
Some authors agree in rejecting the name pomifera as being less 
ancient than that of villosa L. (1753). Deseglise, on the contrary, 
affirmed that the name villosa was rejected by modern science as obscure 
and ambiguous. But this remains to be proved, and the law of priority 
still seems the best and easiest of application. If names were to be 
changed according to each one’s fantasy because badly applied, there 
would be a fresh confusion of tongues. Pomifera might also appear 
ambiguous. 
Crepin 4 was of opinion that Rosa spinulifolia Dematra and Rosa 
vestita Godet were hybrids of Rosa alpina and Rosa pomifera. It is 
probable there may be other hybrids of this same Rosa pomifera , for it 
crosses freely with other species, even with those not closely related to it. 
M iss Lawrance’s Rosa villosa 5 is Rosa villosa pomifera fl. 
multiplex Thory. 
The plate of Rosa pomifera, var., was made from a plant growing 
in the Rev. C. Wolley-Dod’s garden at Edge Hall, Cheshire. 
1 Pinax, p. 482 (1623). 2 Paradisus, p. 419 (1629). 
3 Synops. p. 968, fig. 11 (1690): “in montosis septentrionalibus Eboraccnsis & Westmorlandici agri 
copiose.” 
4 Btill. Soc. Bot. Belg. vol. xxi. p. 83 ( Primit . Monogr. Ros. fasc. vi. p. 743) (1882). 
5 Roses , t. 29 (1799). 
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