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cluster wild rose, pearhip rose, prairie rose, Wood's rose

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

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

erect, slender to stout, 2–20(–50) dm, densely or openly branched;

bark dark red, glabrous;

infrastipular prickles usually paired, sometimes absent, erect or curved to hooked, declined, or introrse, usually subulate, sometimes terete or flattened, stout, (0.5–)2–7(–13) × 1–5 mm, base glabrous, internodal prickles usually sparse to dense, often intermixed with aciculi.

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.

Leaves

2.5–8(–12) cm;

stipules (6–)9–16(–25) × 2–5 mm, auricles usually flared, 2–6 mm, margins usually entire, sometimes undulate, sparsely serrate, eglandular or glandular, surfaces glabrous, eglandular, rarely glandular;

petiole and rachis with pricklets sparse or absent, usually puberulent-velutinous hairs 0.1(–0.5) mm, rarely glabrate, eglandular, rarely stipitate-glandular;

leaflets 5–7(–9), terminal: petiolule 3–12 mm, blade obovate, elliptic, or ovate, rarely cordate, (6–)12–35(–40) × 6–20(–26) mm, usually widest at or above middle, membranous, base cuneate, rarely obtuse, margins 1(–2+)-serrate, teeth (5–)7–14 per side, on distal 1/2–4/5 of margin, acute, usually eglandular, apex acute or obtuse, abaxial surfaces pale green, glabrous, sometimes pubescent or puberulent, eglandular, sometimes glandular, adaxial green, rarely glaucous, dull, glabrous.

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.

Inflorescences

usually panicles, sometimes corymbs or solitary flowers, 1–10(–25+)-flowered.

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

Pedicels

erect, slender, 10–20(–33) mm, glabrous, eglandular, rarely stipitate-glandular;

bracts 2, ovate or lanceolate, (6–)9–20 × 4–9 mm, margins entire or ciliate, eglandular, sometimes sparsely glandular, surfaces pubescent, eglandular.

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.

Flowers

(2–)3–3.5(–5) cm diam.;

hypanthium ovoid, rarely oblong or globose, 3–6 × 3–5 mm, glabrous, eglandular, rarely stipitate-glandular, neck (0–)0.5–1 × 1.5–3.5 mm;

sepals spreading, ovate-lanceolate, 8–15(–21) × 1.5–2.5 mm, tip 4–6 × 0.3–1(–2) mm, margins usually entire, abaxial surfaces glabrous, eglandular, sometimes sessile- or stipitate-glandular;

petals single, pink to deep rose, 15–20(–25) × 15–20(–25) mm;

stamens 65;

carpels (16–)20–40(–50), styles exsert 1–2 mm beyond stylar orifice (2–2.5 mm diam.) of hypanthial disc (3–5 mm diam.).

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.).

Hips

red, orange-red, or purplish red, globose, depressed-globose, ovoid, oblong, or urceolate, 6–13(–16) × 5–12(–15) mm, fleshy, usually glabrous, eglandular, neck (0–)1–2 × 3–4(–7) mm;

sepals persistent, erect to spreading.

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.

Achenes

basiparietal, 15–40, tan to dark tan, (3.5–)4–5(–6) × 2–4 mm.

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

2n

= 14, 28.

Rosa woodsii

Rosa pisocarpa

Distribution
from FNA
AK; AZ; CA; CO; IA; ID; KS; MN; MT; ND; NE; NM; NV; OK; OR; SD; TX; UT; WA; WY; AB; BC; MB; NT; ON; SK; YT; n Mexico
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; OR; WA; BC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Subspecies 6 (6 in the flora).

Rosa woodsii is the most common and most variable rose species in central and western North America (W. H. Lewis and B. Ertter 2007, 2010). Among its diagnostic features are relatively slender prickles, usually 1-serrate, eglandular leaflets, and a finely velutinous indument of 0.2–0.5 mm hairs on petioles and rachises. Its range extends from the prairies of Canada and the United States to inland Alaska and to north-central New Mexico, California east of the Cascade Mountains and Sierra Nevada, and northern Mexico.

At least 25 species names have been proposed to accommodate variation encompassed here within Rosa woodsii; some of these names have been used extensively (for example, R. fendleri Crépin, R. macounii Greene). The six subspecies recognized here represent significant morphological tendencies occurring in well-defined ecogeographic settings (W. H. Lewis and B. Ertter 2007, 2010). Localized varieties are recognized within two of the subspecies. Plants with intermediate characteristics often occur in transitional zones, and occasional anomalous collections display features not otherwise characteristic of a given ecogeographic region.

Leaves of Rosa woodsii inhibit HIV-1 replication in acutely infected cells. Both oleanolic and pomolic acids were identified as anti-HIV agents (Y. Kashiwada et al. 1998). Root decoctions of R. woodsii were drunk by the Shoshoni as a blood tonic for general debility and to treat diarrhea, and also by the Paiute for treating diarrhea (W. H. Lewis and M. P. F. Elvin-Lewis 2003).

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

Subspecies 2 (2 in the flora).

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

Key
1. Infrastipular prickles usually erect (erect or curved in subsp. gratissima, rarely curved in subsp. woodsii), sometimes absent; sepals abaxially eglandular, rarely stipitate-glandular (except subsp. woodsii n of 49° parallel); mostly w of Wasatch Range or e of Continental Divide
→ 2
1. Infrastipular prickles usually curved or hooked, rarely absent; sepals often abaxially stipitate-glandular (except subsp. puberulenta); centered in Colorado Plateau Subprovince
→ 4
2. Shrubs 2–10(–20) dm; stems usually densely branched; terminal leaflets usually obovate; centered in prairies and plains e of Continental Divide, occasionally extending w through passes.
subsp. woodsii
2. Shrubs usually 10–30(–50) dm; stems openly to densely branched; terminal leaflets ovate, ovate-elliptic, obovate, or elliptic; mostly within or w of Wasatch Range and n Rocky Mountains
→ 3
3. Prickles sparse or absent on distal stems and branches; stems openly branched; inflorescences (1–)3–10(–25)-flowered; centered in n Great Basin and Columbia Plateau.
subsp. ultramontana
3. Prickles usually abundant on distal stems and branches; stems densely branched; inflorescences 1–3(–5+)-flowered; centered in Mojave Desert.
subsp. gratissima
4. Shrubs 2–10(+) dm; stems usually densely branched; terminal leaflets obovate, sometimes ovate or elliptic; high montane forests to scrub oak woodlands, 2100–3300 m.
subsp. manca
4. Shrubs 10–25+ dm; stems openly branched; terminal leaflets elliptic, rarely cordate or ovate; riparian sites in bottomlands, extending into mountains along waterways, 1300–2400 m
→ 5
5. Sepals usually eglandular abaxially; prickles usually falcate, sometimes erect, declined, or introrse; terminal leaflets 20–40 mm; center of Colorado Plateau Subprovince.
subsp. puberulenta
5. Sepals usually densely stipitate-glandular abaxially; prickles usually strongly curved or hooked, sometimes introrse; terminal leaflets 10–30 mm; Apachian and s edge of Colorado Plateau Subprovinces.
subsp. arizonica
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
Source FNA vol. 9, p. 105. FNA vol. 9, p. 109.
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. pisocarpa, R. rubiginosa, R. rugosa, R. setigera, R. sherardii, R. spinosissima, R. spithamea, R. stellata, R. tomentosa, R. virginiana
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
Subordinate taxa
R. woodsii subsp. arizonica, R. woodsii subsp. gratissima, R. woodsii subsp. manca, R. woodsii subsp. puberulenta, R. woodsii subsp. ultramontana, R. woodsii subsp. woodsii
R. pisocarpa subsp. ahartii, R. pisocarpa subsp. pisocarpa
Name authority Lindley: Ros. Monogr., 21. (1820) A. Gray: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 8: 382. (1872)
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