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cluster rose, cluster wild rose, peafruit rose, swamp rose

bristly rose, Nootka rose, wild rose

Habit Shrubs, loosely clustered or in dense thickets. Shrubs, loosely clustered or forming dense thickets.
Stems

ascending to erect, (2–)4–20(–25) dm, openly branched;

bark ± glaucous when young, dark reddish brown or dull red with age outer layer may exfoliate as thin ash gray peel, glabrous;

infrastipular prickles usually paired, erect, rarely curved, usually subulate, 2–10 × 2–4 mm, base glabrous, internodal prickles rare or absent.

erect or spreading, stout or lax, 4–25(–40) dm, densely or openly branched;

bark dull reddish brown, older wood with gray exfoliate, glabrous;

infrastipular prickles 0–2, erect, curved, or hooked, often flattened, stout, subulate, sometimes deltoid, (2–)3–15(–20) × 2–10(–15) mm, base glabrous, internodal prickles usually sparse or absent, smaller, mixed with aciculi, sometimes absent.

Leaves

5–10(–13) cm;

stipules 8–22 × 2–5 mm, auricles flared, 2–5 mm, margins usually entire, sometimes erose or lobed, finely ciliolate to ciliate, eglandular, surfaces glabrous or sparsely pubescent, sparsely stipitate-glandular or eglandular;

petiole and rachis sometimes with pricklets, glabrous or hairy hairs to 1 mm, sometimes stipitate-glandular;

leaflets 5–7(–9), terminal: petiolule 8–12 mm, blade elliptic-ovate, (15–)20–45(–60) × 9–16(–20) mm, widest at or below middle, membranous, base cuneate to obtuse, margins 1(–2)-serrate, teeth 12–22 per side, on distal 3/4–4/5 of margin, acute, eglandular, apex acute, sometimes obtuse, abaxial surfaces pale green, usually sparsely pubescent, eglandular, adaxial green, dull, glabrous, rarely puberulent.

(3–)5–12(–17) cm;

stipules 12–20(–28) × 3–5(–10) mm, auricles flared, 3–6(–10) mm, margins sinuate or shallowly serrate, sparsely to ± densely stipitate-glandular, surfaces glabrous, rarely pubescent, eglandular;

petiole and rachis with pricklets absent or sparse, glabrous or pubescent, sessile- or stipitate-glandular;

leaflets 5–7(–9), terminal: petiolule (3–)5–17 mm, blade ovate, elliptic, or suborbiculate, rarely cordate or oblong, (14–)20–55(–63) × (6–)10–30(–40) mm, firm, base cuneate to obtuse, margins 1–2+-serrate, teeth 8–20 per side, often broad-based 2–4 mm, acute to obtuse, eglandular or gland-tipped, apex acute or obtuse, rarely acuminate, abaxial surfaces green, glabrous or sparsely pubescent, eglandular or sessile-glandular, adaxial green, dull, glabrous.

Inflorescences

corymbs, sometimes panicles or solitary flowers, 1–12-flowered.

corymbs, 1–3(–9)-flowered.

Pedicels

erect, sometimes recurved, slender, 10–22 mm, usually glabrous, sometimes finely puberulent, eglandular, rarely stipulate-glandular;

bracts 2–3, lanceolate, 8–14 × 3–6 mm, margins entire, sometimes serrate, irregularly stipitate-glandular and/or erose, surfaces glabrous or pubescent, eglandular.

erect or recurved, slender to stout, 10–20(–33) mm, glabrous, eglandular or sparsely stipitate-glandular;

bracts 1 or 2(or 3), ovate, 13–20 × 4–9 mm, margins entire, surfaces glabrous, glandular or eglandular.

Flowers

2.4–3.8 cm diam.;

hypanthium ovoid-urceolate, 3–5 × 2.5–3.5 mm, glabrous, rarely setose, eglandular, neck (0–)0.5–1 × 2 mm;

sepals spreading, ovate-lanceolate, 10–17 × 1.5–3 mm, tip 3–7(–10) × 1.5–2.5 mm, margins entire, abaxial surfaces sometimes puberulent, densely or sparsely stipitate-glandular, rarely eglandular;

petals single, pink to deep pink, 12–18 × 10–18 mm;

stamens 75;

carpels 22–35, styles exsert 1–2 mm beyond stylar orifice (1 mm diam.) of hypanthial disc (3.5 mm diam.).

(3.5–)4.5–7(–8.5) cm diam.;

hypanthium globose to subglobose or ovoid, 4–10 × 5–8.5 mm, glabrous, eglandular, sometimes setose-glandular, neck (0–)0.5–1.5 × 3–6 mm;

sepals spreading, lanceolate, 14–25(–35) × (2–)3–4 mm, tip 5–10(–20) × 1–3 mm, margins entire, abaxial surfaces glabrous or slightly hairy, stipitate-glandular and sessile-glandular or eglandular;

petals single, pink to deep rose, (15–)20–32 × (15–)20–32 mm;

stamens 100;

carpels 28–58, styles exsert 1 mm beyond stylar orifice (2–2.5 mm diam.) of hypanthial disc (5 mm diam.).

Hips

scarlet, globose, sometimes subglobose or ovoid, 7–15 × 7–13 mm, fleshy, glabrous, eglandular, rarely setose- or stipitate-glandular, neck (0–)1–1.5 × 1.5–3.5 mm;

sepals persistent, erect.

red, orange-red, or purplish red, globose, depressed-globose, ovoid, oblong, or urceolate, (8–)10–20(–24) × 10–20(+) mm, fleshy, glabrous, sometimes setose, eglandular or glandular, neck (0–)1–2 × (4–)5–8 mm;

sepals persistent, erect, sometimes spreading.

Achenes

basiparietal, 5–35, tan, 3–4 × 1.5–2.5 mm.

basiparietal, (1–)16–40, tan to dark tan, 4–6 × 2–4 mm.

2n

= 14, 28.

Rosa pisocarpa

Rosa nutkana

Distribution
from FNA
CA; OR; WA; BC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AK; AZ; CA; CO; ID; MT; NM; OR; UT; WA; WY; BC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Subspecies 2 (2 in the flora).

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Subspecies 3 (3 in the flora).

Rosa nutkana is a widespread, polymorphic, hexaploid species that occurs from coastal Alaska to northern California, and eastward in the Rocky Mountains from Montana to New Mexico (W. H. Lewis and B. Ertter 2007). Flowers and hips are usually solitary and significantly larger than in most sympatric species, and sepal tips are usually conspicuously prolonged and expanded. Eglandular and stipitate-glandular or setose hips can occur in the same population.

A presumed hybrid between subsp. nutkana (6x) and Rosa rugosa (2x) has been reported from Washington state. In Colorado, at the southeasternmost range of R. nutkana, a putative hybrid between subsp. melina and R. acicularis subsp. sayi has been recognized as R. ×engelmannii S. Watson. It is based on such intermediate characteristics as few infrastipular prickles with interspersed aciculi on distal stems and fertile branches, sparsely stipitate-glandular abaxial sepal surfaces, petioles and rachises with few pricklets, and blade margins 1- or multi-serrate.

Among the Lillooet and Thompson tribes of southwestern British Columbia, Rosa nutkana is considered of high value for use in traditional medicine (N. J. Turner 1988). They do not distinguish R. acicularis and R. woodsii from R. nutkana and use them similarly; R. gymnocarpa is distinct in name and use. Root extracts of R. nutkana, probably subsp. nutkana, were found to be active against an enteric coronavirus in antiviral screening (A. R. McCutcheon et al. 1995).

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Key
1. Inflorescences (1–)3–12-flowered; sepal abaxial surfaces usually stipitate-glandular, tips to 10 mm; infrastipular prickles (1–)2; hips usually globose, rarely subglobose, abruptly narrowed to necks 1.5–3 mm diam.; leaflets most commonly 7, terminal blade 15–35 mm.
subsp. pisocarpa
1. Inflorescences 1–3(–10+)-flowered; sepal abaxial surfaces usually eglandular, rarely stipitate-glandular, tips to 7 mm; infrastipular prickles 0–1(–2); hips subglobose to ovoid, gradually to abruptly narrowed to necks 2.5–3.5 mm diam.; leaflets most commonly 5, terminal blade 20–45(–60) mm.
subsp. ahartii
1. Stems 4–10(–15) dm, internodes 2–2.5 cm; prickles (fertile branches) usually curved or hooked, rarely erect, rarely absent; sepal abaxial surfaces sessile- or stipitate-glandular; 2500–3800 m, s Rocky Mountains to Wasatch Mountains.
subsp. melina
1. Stems (6–)10–30(–40) dm, internodes 2–6.5 cm; prickles (fertile branches) erect, rarely curved, sometimes absent; sepal abaxial surfaces stipitate-glandular or eglandular; 0–2300 m, coast to n Rocky Mountains
→ 2
2. Shrubs densely branched; internodes 2–4 cm; infrastipular prickles rarely absent; terminal leaflets abaxially glandular or eglandular, margins usually 2+-serrate, teeth gland-tipped; Alaska to n California w of Cascade Mountains.
subsp. nutkana
2. Shrubs openly branched; internodes 5–6.5 cm; infrastipular prickles usually absent; terminal leaflets abaxially usually eglandular, margins 1-serrate, teeth eglandular; e Cascade Mountains to n Rocky Mountains.
subsp. macdougalii
Source FNA vol. 9, p. 109. FNA vol. 9, p. 112.
Parent taxa Rosaceae > subfam. Rosoideae > tribe Roseae > Rosa > subg. Rosa > sect. Rosa Rosaceae > subfam. Rosoideae > tribe Roseae > Rosa > subg. Rosa > sect. Rosa
Sibling taxa
R. acicularis, R. arkansana, R. blanda, R. bracteata, R. bridgesii, R. californica, R. canina, R. carolina, R. cinnamomea, R. foliolosa, R. gallica, R. glauca, R. gymnocarpa, R. laevigata, R. lucieae, R. minutifolia, R. mollis, R. multiflora, R. nitida, R. nutkana, R. palustris, R. pinetorum, R. rubiginosa, R. rugosa, R. setigera, R. sherardii, R. spinosissima, R. spithamea, R. stellata, R. tomentosa, R. virginiana, R. woodsii
R. acicularis, R. arkansana, R. blanda, R. bracteata, R. bridgesii, R. californica, R. canina, R. carolina, R. cinnamomea, R. foliolosa, R. gallica, R. glauca, R. gymnocarpa, R. laevigata, R. lucieae, R. minutifolia, R. mollis, R. multiflora, R. nitida, R. palustris, R. pinetorum, R. pisocarpa, R. rubiginosa, R. rugosa, R. setigera, R. sherardii, R. spinosissima, R. spithamea, R. stellata, R. tomentosa, R. virginiana, R. woodsii
Subordinate taxa
R. pisocarpa subsp. ahartii, R. pisocarpa subsp. pisocarpa
R. nutkana subsp. macdougalii, R. nutkana subsp. melina, R. nutkana subsp. nutkana
Name authority A. Gray: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 8: 382. (1872) C. Presl: Abh. Königl. Böhm. Ges. Wiss., ser. 5, 6: 563. (1851)
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