53 — ROSA LAXA Retz. 
Rosa laxa : caule arcuato ; aculeis major i bus, robustis, falcatis, saepe geminis 
infrastipularibus, aciculis intermediis, inaequalibus, setaceis additis ; foliolis 7-9, 
oblongis, subacutis, firmulis, simpliciter serratis, utrinque glabris vel dorso parce 
pubescentibus ; rhachi glabra vel pubescente, haud glandulosa ; stipulis adnatis, 
apicibus liberis ovatis, parvis, patulis ; floribus paucis, corymbosis vel solitariis ; 
pedunculis nudis vel hispidis ; calycis tubo oblongo, nudo ; lobis ovatis, longe 
acuminatis, simplicibus, dorso nudis ; petalis albis vel rubellis, magnitudine medio- 
cribus ; stylis liberis, villosis ; fructu globoso, nudo, rubro, pulposo ; sepalis conni- 
ventibus, coronato pedunculo subcernuo. 
R. laxa Retzius in Hoffmann, Phyt. Bldtt. p. 39 (1803). — Seringe in De Candolle, 
Prodr. vol. ii. p. 605 (1825). — Fries, Smmna Veg. Scand . p. 172 (1846). — Crepin in 
Bull. Soc . Bot. Belg. vol. xiii. pt. 2, p. 26 ( Primit . Monogr. Ros. fasc. iii. p. 320) 
(1875). — Deseglise in Bull. Soc. Bot. Belg. vol. xv. {Cat. Rais. Ros. p. 107 1877 
(1876). — Regel in Act. Hort. Petrop. vol. v. p. 330 {Tent. Ros. Monogr. p. 46 [1877 
{excl. syn.) (1878). — Koehne, Deutsche Dendrol. p. 295 (1893). 
R. soongarica Bunge ex Ledebour, FI. Alt. vol. ii. p. 226 (1830). 
R. Gebleriana Schrenk in Bull. Rhys. Math. Acad. Sci. St. Petersbourg , vol. i 
p. 80 (1843). — Ledebour, FI. Ross. vol. ii. p. 76 (1844). 
R. cinnamoniea , var. soongarica Ledebour, FI. Ross. vol. ii. p. 76 (1844). 
Stem arching ; prickles rather large, robust, falcate, some in infrastipular pairs 
with unequal setaceous aciculi also present. Leaflets 7-9, oblong, subacute, simply 
serrated, moderately firm in texture, glabrous on both surfaces or slightly pubescent 
beneath, the end one i-ii in. long ; petioles glabrous or pubescent, not glandular; 
stipules adnate, with small, spreading, ovate free tips. Flowers 1-3 ; pedicels naked 
or hispid. Calyx-tube oblong, naked ; lobes simple, ovate, with a very long point, 
J-f in. long, naked on the back. Petals white or pink, middle-sized. Styles free, 
hairy. Fruit globose, naked, bright red, pulpy, crowned with the persistent conni- 
vent sepals ; fruit peduncle subcernuous. 
Although described in 1803 it was not until 1846 that this Rose 
was clearly understood. This will explain the many synonyms met 
with in its early history. The accounts given by Wikstrom , 1 Trattin- 
nick , 2 Sprengel , 3 Seringe and Bunge 4 threw very little light upon the 
identity of Retzius’ type, but the careful descriptions given by Fries 
1 Nagra Arter of Vaxtsldgtet Rosa in K. V. Acad. Handl. No. 3, t. iii. fig. 3 (1820). 
2 Ros. Monogr. vol. ii. p. 13 (1823). 
3 Syst. Veg. vol. ii. p. 548 (1825). 
4 In Ledebour, FI. Alt. vol. ii. p. 226 (1830). 
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