Description: Erect trailing or scandent shrubs, mostly with prickles, glabrous to pubescent, glandular hairs also often present.
Leaves pinnate, rarely 1-foliolate, leaflets mostly toothed; stipules fused to petiole.
Flowers showy, solitary or in corymbs. Hypanthium urn-shaped, floral parts strongly perigynous. Sepals usually 5. Petals 5 or more. Stamens numerous, inserted on rim of hypanthium. Carpels numerous, ovaries superior, styles protruding through a narrow aperture in hypanthium.
Achenes included within enlarged swollen hypanthium commonly known as a 'hip'.
Distribution and occurrence: World: 250 species, Europe, Asia & North America. Australia: c. 8 species (naturalized), Qld, N.S.W., Vic., Tas., S.A.
Many species and hybrids are cultivated for their flowers.
Text by G. J. Harden & A. N. Rodd
Taxon concept:
Taxa not yet included in identification key
Rosa luciae,
Rosa wichuraiana
| | Key to the species | |
| 1 | Hypanthium and hip glabrous and without prickles or sometimes with scattered fine prickles; outer sepals pinnatifid | 2 |
| Hypanthium and hip densely hairy or covered with bristles or fine prickles; outer sepals entire or shortly lobed | 3 |
| 2 | Leaves glandular below; peduncles with glandular hairs and fine prickles | Rosa rubiginosa |
| Leaves not glandular; peduncles glabrous, without prickles
Back to 1 | Rosa canina |
| 3 | Branches, hypanthium and hip densely hairy, prickles absent from hypanthium and hip; flowers with prominent bracts | Rosa bracteata |
| Branches, hypanthium and hip glabrous, covered with bristles or fine prickles; flowers without prominent bracts
Back to 1 | 4 |
| 4 | Leaves with 3 or rarely 5 leaflets | Rosa laevigata |
| Leaves with 9–15 leaflets
Back to 3 | Rosa roxburghii |
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