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Rosa hemisphaerica J. Herrm.

Modern name

Rosa hemisphaerica Herrm.

Synonyms

R. sulphurea Ait.; R. glaucophylla Ehrh.; R. lutea var. sulphurea (Ait.) Reg.; R. rapinii Boiss. (wild state of species)

Growing on a wall, as this rose usually is in the British Isles, it will attain a height of 6 ft or more; branches slender, furnished with scattered, slender decurved prickles. Leaflets five to nine, obovate, 12 to 112 in. long, rounded and coarsely toothed at the apex, cuneate at the base, glabrous and of a glaucous hue above, more glaucous beneath. Flowers solitary, drooping, delicate sulphur-yellow, 2 in. across, with numerous petals. Flower-stalks and receptacle glabrous or with glands. Sepals 1 in. long, the tips coarsely toothed, leaflike.

This beautiful yellow rose is known to have been in cultivation early in the 17th century, but owing to its difficult cultivation has always been very rare. Near London especially it refuses to thrive, and in many places where it grows fairly well, its flowers do not expand properly. It is found in the gardens of Asia Minor, Persia, Armenia, etc. The English climate is too dull and damp to suit it, but one occasionally sees it doing well. In the garden of Bitton Vicarage, near Bath, Canon Ellacombe had it in splendid health for many years. The flowers do not open well in cold, wet summers.

The wild single-flowered state of the species (R. rapinii Boiss.) is a native of Asia Minor, the Caucasus, Russian Armenia and of northern and western Iran. It is near to R. foetida, differing in the following particulars: prickles more curved or even hooked, narrowing gradually from the base; leaflets obovate-cuneate, glaucous beneath, eglandular; stipules often distinctly toothed; flowers pale yellow; fruits orange or yellow.


Genus

Rosa

Other species in the genus