Part 10

ROSE, with roundish seed-buds; flowers very small, flesh-coloured, and of a deep red in the centre; leaflets egg-shaped, sharp-pointed, and small, hairy beneath, with finely sawed glandular margins. It is a dwarf shrub; stem and petioles prickly; the spines of the branches are scattered and straight.

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This elegant little plant proves, as we imagined it would, distinct from the minor variety, whose flower and leaves we find subject to vary both in size and colour, but in the present true original species they are not. At present it is a very scarce Rose, and likely so to continue, from the difficulty annexed to its cultivation.

Our figure represents one-third of the entire and only plant in the collection of Messrs. Loddige, Hackney, the whole plant exhibiting an equal degree of luxuriant bloom. It very rarely attains the height of one foot; but this year it had not exceeded five inches, which gave an addition of singularity to its appearance. It begins to flower nearly at the same time as the Rose de Meaux, but does not remain quite so long in bloom.

ROSA semperflorens.

Ever-blowing Rose.

CHARACTER SPECIFICUS.

ROSA, germinibus subrotundis, pedunculisque læviter hispidis; floribus profunde rubris, semperflorentibus; petiolis aculeatis; foliolis oblongis, acuminatis, glabris; caule viridi, glabro, ad basin spinoso.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER.

ROSE, with roundish seed-buds, and slightly hispid peduncles; flowers of a deep rich red colour, ever-blooming; petioles prickly; leaflets oblong, sharp-pointed, and smooth; stem green, smooth, and thorny towards the base.

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This most beautiful species is perhaps the only one that could with any degree of propriety be termed an Ever-blooming Rose, the indica excepted, and which is by some supposed to be only a variety of the present plant; an idea probably resulting from the congeniality of their continual bloom: but admitting it to be only a pale variety of this dark Rose, there must be at least one or two intermediate varieties not yet imported, to smooth the gradual descent from its original; or otherwise the China Roses must be as distinct in their varieties as the generality of other Roses are in their species. It is a Rose of extreme latitude, particularly in the growth of its foliage. When cultivated in a pot, it is frequently not a fourth part of the size our figure represents; whilst on the contrary in the conservatory of G. Hibbert, esq. from whence our figure was made from a plant ten feet high, some of the foliage on the lower part of the plant was full three times the size we have delineated.

To the late G. Slater, esq. of Knots Green near Laytonstone, we are indebted for the introduction of this fine plant, in the year 1792.

ROSA muscosa Provincialis; Var. flore pallido.

Moss Province Rose; Pale-flowered Variety.

CHARACTER SPECIFICUS.

ROSA, germinibus ovatis; calycibus et pedunculis muscosis; petiolis ramulisque hispidis, et glanduloso-viscosis; floribus incarnatis; spinis ramorum numerosis, rectis.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER.

ROSE, with egg-shaped seed-buds; empalements and peduncles mossy; petioles and younger branches hispid, and glandularly viscous; flowers of a flesh-colour; the spines of the branches are scattered and straight.

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Our figure represents a delicate Pale Variety, of the common, old, (but ever favourite) species, taken from the nursery of Mr. Shailer of Little Chelsea, and at present considered as a rare plant; but which we regard as only a variety of colour, considering the latitude of growth to which Roses in general are subject, and the present species in particular, whose beautiful original when cultivated in a pot instead of the open ground experiences a diminution both in its mossy character and the brilliance of its colour, but frequently acquires a much more graceful habit from the confinement of its situation: and as the Rose is as much noticed under this treatment as in any other mode of culture, the Author has carefully selected from a number of fine specimens one of luxuriant but rapid growth; that, aided by its rich and higher coloured original, may serve as a criterion to ascertain the variety of form and character with which it may at different times meet the eye.

ROSA Bella Donna.

Maiden’s-blush Rose.

CHARACTER SPECIFICUS.

Rosa germinibus ovatis, pedunculisque hispidis: floribus confertis, pallide carneis: foliis patentibus: foliolis lato-ovatis, acuminatis: caule et petiolis aculeatis.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER.

Rose with egg-shaped seed-buds, and hispid peduncles. Flowers crowded, of a pale flesh colour. Leaves spreading. Leaflets broadly egg-shaped and sharp-pointed. Stem and petioles prickly.

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