i53— ROSA SERAFINI Viv. 
Rosa Serafiui : caule humili, erecto, ramoso ; aculeis copiosis, inaequalibus, 
falcatis ; foliolis 5-7, parvis, orbiculari-ovatis, obtusis, duplicato-serratis, rigidulis, 
viridibus, facie parce glandulosis, dorso dense glandulosis, leviter pubescentibus ; 
rhachi dense glandulosa ; stipulis adnatis, dense glanduloso-ciliatis, apicibus liberis, 
parvis, ovatis ; floribus saepissime solitariis ; pedunculis brevibus, nudis ; calycis 
tubo nudo, globoso ; lobis ovato-acuminatis, dorso glandulosis, majoribus parce 
pinnatifidis ; petalis parvis, rubellis ; stylis liberis, inclusis, glabris ; fructu globoso, 
rubro, nudo ; sepalis demum deciduis. 
R. Serafiui Vivian i, FI. Libyc. Spec. p. 67 (1824). — Seringe in De Candolle, 
Prodr. vol. ii. p. 625 (1825). — Bertoloni, FI. Ital. vol. v. p. 194 [ex parte) (1842). — 
Gussone, FI. Sic. Syu. vol. i. p. 564(1842). — Ddsdglise in Bull. Soc. Bot. Belg. vol. xv. 
p. 525 {Cat. Rais. Ros. p. 270 [1877]) (1876). — Burnat Sc Gremli, Roses Alp. Mar. 
p. 82 (1879). — Hooker f. in Bot. Mag. vol. lvii. t. 7761 (1901). — Keller in Ascherson 
Sc Graebner, Syu. Mitteleur. FI. vol. vi. p. 131 (1901). 
R. graveoleus, var. Corsica Grenier Sc Godron, Ft. France , vol. i. p. 561 (1848). 
Stems short, erect, branched ; prickles copious, unequal, falcate, the largest 
i in. long. Leaflets 5-7, small, orbicular-ovate, obtuse, in. long, doubly toothed, 
rather firm, green, slightly glandular on the upper surface, densely glandular and 
slightly pubescent beneath ; petioles densely glandular ; stipules adnate, densely 
gland-ciliated, with small, ovate, free tips. Flowers usually solitary; peduncles short, 
naked. Calyx-tube globose, naked ; lobes ovate-acuminate, glandular on the back, 
the largest sparingly pinnatifid. Petals small, pink. Styles free, included, glabrous. 
Fruit globose, naked, bright red ; sepals finally deciduous. 
Rosa Serafini resembles Rosa sicula Tratt. and Rosa ferox 
M. Bieb. in its dwarf, compact habit and small, densely glandular 
leaves. It is closely allied to Rosa agrestis Savi, from which, how- 
ever, it differs in habit as well as in some of its characters. It grows 
in Corsica, Sardinia and Sicily, and sparingly on the Italian main- 
land. It was described by Viviani, the Genoese botanist, in 1824, and 
dedicated to his friend Serafino. Arcangeli found it growing on the 
rocky slopes of the Apuan Alps. Two varieties are found in the 
Maritime Alps. 
This Rose is seldom seen in cultivation, but from its dwarf habit 
it is admirably adapted for the rock garden, where small-growing Roses 
which do not spread at the roots are invaluable. Its small, deep-red 
globular fruit makes it one of the most beautiful of Roses in the autumn. 
At Tresserve, where it is growing in a border of my garden in 
rich soil, it has not lost any of its characters, though forming a larger 
bush than it is described as making in its native habitats. 
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