1 13— ROSA SANCTA Richard 
Rosa sancta ; caule brevi, erecto, viridi ; aculeis sparsis, robustis, falcatis, 
inaequalibus ; foliolis 5-7, oblongis, obtusis, subcoriaceis, rugosis, simpliciter cre- 
natis, facie glabris, dorso pubescentibus ; rhachi pubescente et glandulosa ; stipulis 
adnatis, glanduloso-ciliatis, apice libero ovato, acuto ; floribus paucis, corymbosis ; 
pedunculis setosis ; bracteis ovatis ; calycis tubo subgloboso ; lobis copiose pin- 
natifidis, apice foliaceis, dorso et margine glandulosis ; petalis magnis, rubellis ; 
stylis dense villosis, longe protrusis ; fructu ignoto. 
R. sancta A. Richard, FI. Abyss, vol. i. p. 262 (1847). — Walpers, Ann. vol. ii. 
p. 466(1851-1852). — Deseglise in Bull. Soc. Bot. Belg. vol. xv. p. 254 (Cat. Rais. Ros. 
p. 85 [1877]) (1876). — Crdpin in Bull. Soc. Bot. Belg. vol. xxvii. pt. 2, pp. 183-186 
(1888). 
A low, erect bush, with green stems. Prickles stout, scattered, falcate, unequal. 
Leaflets 5-7, oblong, obtuse, subcoriaceous, rugose, simply crenate, glabrous and 
dull green above, pubescent all over beneath ; petioles pubescent and glandular ; 
stipules adnate, gland-ciliated, with small, ovate, acute tips. Flowers few, corym- 
bose ; peduncles moderately long, setose ; bracts ovate. Calyx-tube subglobose ; 
lobes an inch long, conspicuously leaf-pointed, copiously pinnatifid, glandular on 
the back and edges. Petals large, pink. Styles free, densely villous, exserted. 
Fruit not seen. 
Rosa sancta is nearly allied to Rosa gallica , from which it differs 
by its hooked prickles, copiously compound calyx-lobes, much exserted 
styles and corymbose flowers. It was discovered in the province of 
Tigre, Abyssinia, by two French travellers, Quartin-Dillon and Petit, 
and described by Richard, who named it sancta from its having been 
found in the precincts of temples. There is a wild specimen in the Kew 
Herbarium, gathered by Schweinfurth and Riva on Mount Bizen in 
Italian Abyssinia at an elevation of 6,000-7,000 feet above sea-level. 
Hitherto it has not been successfully cultivated in England; it survives, 
and even flowers, but some conditions are clearly lacking which are 
necessary to its well-being. 
In June, 1888, Dr. Schweinfurth wrote to Crdpin describing the 
discovery of some remains of roses which had been found in an 
Egyptian tomb in the cemetery of Hownra by Flinders Petrie, and sent 
by him to Kew for identification. They had evidently been twined into 
a garland and laid in the tomb at the time of the interment, probably 
between the second and fifth centuries a.d. Crdpin relates how much 
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