134— ROSA MACRANTHA Desp. 
Rosa macrantha : caulibus viridibus, arcuatis ; aculeis conformibus, sparsis, 
falcatis ; foliolis 5-7 , subcoriaceis, ovatis vel oblongis, acutis, simpliciter serratis, 
facie glabris, dorso pubescentibus ; rhachi pubescente et glandulosa ; stipulis 
adnatis, dorso pubescentibus, apice libero lanceolato ; fioribus paucis, corymbosis; 
pedunculis aciculatis et glandulosis ; calycis tubo subgloboso, leviter glanduloso ; 
lobis copiose pinnatifidis, dorso pubescentibus et glandulosis ; petalis magnis, 
roseis vel albis ; stylis liberis, dense villosis, protrusis ; fructu subgloboso, rubro ; 
sepalis deciduis. 
R. macrantha Desportes, FI. Sarthe , p. 77 (1838). — Grenier & Godron, FI. 
France , vol. i. p. 553 (1848). — Boreau, FI. Cent . France , ed. 3, vol. ii. p. 227 (1857). — 
Deseglise in Bull. Soc. Bot. Belg. vol. xv. p. 395 (Cat. Rats. Ros. p. 226 [1877]) 
(1876). — Franchet in Bull. Soc. Bot. France , vol. xxvii. pt. 2, p. 18 (1880). — Gentil 
in Bull. Soc. Agric. Set. et Arts de la Sarthe , vol. xxxvi. p. 66 (Hist. Roses Sarthe , 
p. 66) (1897). — Rouy & Camus, Flore de France, vol. vi. p. 270 (1900). 
Stem green, arching ; prickles uniform, scattered, falcate. Leaflets 5-7, sub- 
coriaceous, ovate or oblong, acute, middle-sized, simply sharply serrated, glabrous 
on the upper surface, pubescent beneath ; petioles pubescent and glandular ; stipules 
pubescent on the back, with small, lanceolate, free tips. Flowers few, corymbose ; 
peduncles aciculate and glandular. Calyx-tube subglobose, slightly glandular ; lobes 
copiously compound, pubescent and glandular on the back. Petals large, usually 
pink. Styles free, densely villous, protruded a little beyond the disc. Fruit sub- 
globose, red, late in ripening ; sepals deciduous. 
This beautiful Rose was found by M. Lemeunier growing near 
La Fleche in 1823. A plant was sent to Boreau, who planted it in 
his garden at Angers. It was first described by Desportes in his 
Flore de la Sarthe. Lemeunier sent a plant of another form collected 
in the same locality to Thory and it is figured and described in 
Redoutd’s Roses 1 as Rosa canina grandijlora. It is evidently of the 
same parentage, but comes much nearer to Rosa canina L. than does 
Rosa macrantha , in which the gallica characters are very pronounced. 
It is allied to Rosa alba L. and Rosa collina Jacq. and has much 
resemblance to those two Roses. 
It is to be regretted that Rosa macrantha has disappeared from 
its original habitat, as has also Boreau’s plant from the Angers garden, 
1 Vol. Hi. p. 75 (1824). 
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