THE ROSE FAMILY 
81 
Burnet Rose, differing in having its flowers solitary or several in a cluster, pale pink ; the fruit red ; 
and the leaflets smooth above and downy beneath. 
Very rare. Ireland and in the north of England. May — August. Perennial. 
Soft-leaved Rose. (Rosa mollis, Sm.) — Flowers 1^-2 inches across, deep rose-colour to 
white, 1-3 in a cluster. Calyx-tube round, with entire or divided teeth remaining with the fruit 
(persistent ) ; petals 5 ; stamens numerous. Fruit roundish (globose), with gland-tipped hairs, 
scarlet. A shrub 3-8 feet] high, with uniform, nearly straight prickles. Leaves divided to the 
midrib into 2 or 3 pairs of egg-shaped (ovate), doubly toothed (serrate) leaflets, with 1 terminal 
leaflet (imparipinnate), all covered with soft white hairs. 
Fairly common. Hedges and bushy places, chiefly in the North. June — July. Perennial. 
Downy-leaved Rose. (Rosa tomentosa, Sm.) — A very similar shrub to the Soft-leaved 
Rose, with the calyx-tube longer and the teeth deeply divided and falling early from the more oval 
fruit ; and with the leaflets narrower and more pointed. {Plate 39. 
Very common. Hedges and thickets. June — July. Perennial. 
Sweet Briar, Eglantine. (Rosa rubiginosa, Linn.) — Flowers i\ inch across, rose- 
colour, 1-4 together. Calyx-teeth much divided ; petals 5 ; stamens numerous. Fruit pear- 
shaped, scarlet. An erect, compact bush, 2-4 feet high, with numerous large curved prickles 
mixed with smaller straight ones and gland-tipped bristles ; the leaves divided to the midrib into 
2 or 3 pairs of roundish, doubly toothed (serrate) small leaflets and 1 terminal one (imparipinnate), 
shiny above and thickly covered beneath with sticky fragrant glands which give the familiar sweet 
scent to the whole bush. This is commonly considered to be the eglantine of the poets, always 
excepting Milton, who evidently alluded to the Honeysuckle. 
Not uncommon on chalky heaths and sandy sea-shores, in hedges and bushy places. May — July. 
Perennial. 
Small-flowered Sweet Briar. (Rosa mierantha, Sm.)— A very similar bush to the 
Common Sweet Briar, having smaller and paler rose-coloured flowers, small egg-shaped (ovate) 
fruit, and long, arched branches with equal hooked prickles, and leaflets rounded at the base. 
Slightly scented. 
Not common. Hedges and bushy places. July — August. Perennial. 
Small-leaved Sweet Briar. (Rosa sepium, Thuill.) — Another similar bush, with the 
sepal teeth remaining with the fruit (persistent), fruit oval, stems with unequal hooked prickles and 
fewer gland-tipped bristles, leaves acute at the base. 
Very rare, local. Hedges and bushy places on heaths. June — July. Perennial. 
Blunt-leaved Rose. (Rosa obtusifolia, Desv.) — Flowers white or pale-pink, usually on 
stalks without prickles. Calyx-teeth turned back (reflexed) and falling quickly ; petals 5 ; stamens 
numerous. Fruit small, nearly round (sub-globular). A large bush, with long, arching branches 
and hooked prickles. Leaves divided to the midrib into 2 or 3 pairs of leaflets rounded at the 
base, and 1 terminal leaflet (imparipinnate), with a few glands underneath. 
Not common. Hedges and bushy places. June — July. Perennial. 
Common Dogf Rose. (Rosa canina, Linn.) — Flowers large, pink or white, sweet-scented, 
solitary or 3 or 4 together. Calyx-teeth frequently with only 3 deeply divided, and the other 2 
entire, turned back (reflexed), falling early in fruit ; petals 5 ; stamens numerous ; styles free. 
Fruit oval or nearly round. A large bush, 2-6 feet high, with curved or hooked prickles and no 
glands, and the leaves divided to the midrib into 2 or 3 pairs of egg-shaped (ovate), usually simple, 
toothed leaflets, and 1 terminal one (imparipinnate). {Plate 39. 
This is the rose usually found in our hedges, of which there are a large number of varieties. 
Very common. Hedges and thickets. June — July. Perennial. 
G 
