Shrubs, forming dense clumps and thickets; stoloniferous. Stems ± climbing, spreading, or vinelike, sometimes decumbent, 30–50 dm; distal branches densely puberulent to tomentose, stipitate-glandular; infrastipular prickles usually paired, curved or hooked, flattened, stout, internodal prickles curved or hooked, sometimes erect and slender, usually mixed with aciculi and stipitate glands. Leaves persistent or semipersistent, 4.5–6.5 cm, leathery; stipules persistent, adnate to petiole at bases, margins pectinate cleft into segments, sparsely stipitate-glandular; leaflets (5–)7–9(–11), terminal: petiolule 3–5 mm, blade narrowly obovate, sometimes elliptic, 14–30 × 5–15 mm, abaxial surfaces glabrous, sometimes pubescent, stipitate-glandular, adaxial lustrous. Inflorescences panicles, 1 or 2(–8)-flowered. Pedicels erect, stout, 3–6 mm, densely white sericeo-tomentose, eglandular, setae dense; bracts caducous, 6–8, closely subtending short pedicels and covering 1/2 or all of hypanthia, margins deeply laciniate, eglandular. Flowers 5–7(–10) cm diam.; hypanthium urceolate, densely white sericeo-tomentose, eglandular; sepals persistent, spreading or reflexed, ovate, 12–17 × 3–6 mm, margins (outer) sometimes pinnatifid, abaxial surfaces densely white-sericeous, eglandular; petals single, white; carpels 60–68, styles free, pilose, stylar orifice 2.5–3 mm diam., hypanthial disc flat, 7–9 mm diam. Hips orange-red, subglobose or globose, rarely oblong, 7–30 × 8–30 mm, sparsely to densely white sericeo-tomentose, not setose, eglandular; sepals tardily deciduous, spreading or reflexed. Achenes basiparietal.

Distribution

Asia, introduced also in West Indies, Europe, Australia.

Discussion

Species 2 (1 in the flora).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

Rosa bracteata