Rosa sericea, the silky rose, is a species of flowering plant. The closely related Rosa omeiensis is sometimes treated as a subspecies of R. sericea.

Distribution

It is native to south-western China (Guizhou, Sichuan, Xizang, Yunnan), Bhutan, northern India (Sikkim), Nepal and Myanmar; it grows in mountains at altitudes of 2000 - 4400 m.

Description

It is a shrub growing 2 m tall and is often very spiny. The leaves are deciduous, 4 - 8 cm long, with 7–11 leaflets with a serrated margin. The flowers are 2.5 - 5 cm diameter, white, with (unusually for a rose) only four petals. The hips are red, 8 - 15 mm diameter, with persistent sepals, and often bristly.

Forms

There are four formae:

Cultivation and uses

Rosa sericea f. pteracantha is grown as an ornamental plant for its large, bright red thorns.

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