Newsletter  (Sep 2014)  Page(s) 12.  
 
Sandy Frary. Reclaiming 'Devoniensis'.
Most people are not aware of Gregg Lowery's role in perpetuating both the bush and climbing form of the Tea, Devoniensis. According to Gregg, the bush form has only been found in one location in the United States - the old Rural Cemetery in Santa Rosa, California.....

Website/Catalog  (28 Jul 2011)  Includes photo(s).
 
Rosa ‘Devoniensis’
Tea rose.  ‘We have lately received from Messrs. Lucombe, Pince, and Co. of Exeter, specimens of a new rose, by them called ‘Rosa Devoniensis’.  The Flowers which we received were finely formed, very double, much above the average size; and it is evident that the plant has a vigorous and excellent habit.  We also found it deliciously fragrant; the colour is a clear, delicate, primrose yellow, with a somewhat deeper centre.  The flowers, though large and double, had expanded freely, without any imperfection or hard green eye.’  [Gard. Chron. 1841].  

Horticultural & Botanical History
‘Devoniensis’ won a Banksian Medal from the Horticultural Society in 1841.  Henry Curtis said of it: ‘On this splendid English rose it is hardly possible to bestow too much praise, and in a work devoted to roses it deserves the first place.’  [Henry Curtis p.1 vol.1/1850]. 
It is said to have been raised in Plymouth by Foster in 1838 and distributed through Lucombe and Pince, who purchased all rights to it.  Successful English-bred roses were unusual at this time, although it was later suggested, primarily by Rivers, that it was a French seedling, purchased by Foster.  In the 9th edition of ‘The Rose Garden, 1888, William Paul commented on the controversy: ‘Since the publication of an early edition of this work, I have been told that this fine Rose was not raised at Plymouth, but brought there from the west of France.  The story is a long one, and the evidence of it reliable and weighty.  Still the late Mr. Pince, of Exeter, in a letter now before me, clearly claims for it an English origin.’  [Paul (1848, 1863, 1888, 1903), Rivers (1854, 1857, 1863), MB p.169/1841, Amat].
The Floricultural Cabinet described it as a seedling from Rosa ochroleuca, the Yellow China rose, the other parent being unknown.  [FC p.194/1841].  In the first great National Rose show held in July 1858, ‘Devoniensis’ was listed amongst the roses appearing in multiple (8) winning collections.  [Gard. Chron. 1858].
The 'Devoniensis' growing at Camden Park and illustrated here shows little of the 'clear yellow' colour described in the Gardeners' Chronicle, although the ground colour is pale yellow in most blooms. Most of the flowers are very distinctly blush-coloured in the centre. It is a recent reintroduction to the gardens.

History at Camden Park
‘Devoniensis’ was obtained from the Sydney Botanic Garden on 28th October 1846.  [RSBG AB].  It was included in a handwritten list of roses dated 1861, probably intended for a new edition of the catalogue that was never printed.  [MP A2943].  It was described growing in the private garden of Charles Moor, Director of the Sydney Botanic Garden, in 1864.  [NSW Hort. Mag. vol.1 p.44/1864].

Book  (2008)  Page(s) 34.  
 
Macarthur's nursery enterprise [Camden Park] thrived and his roses were widely distributed.  Devoniensis was added to his nursery stock after it was obtained from the Sydney Botanic Gardens in 1846. 

Article (magazine)  (2004)  Page(s) 314-315.  
 
[RAPD-PCR analysis was used to answer questions regarding the identity of numerous varieties of roses. Utilizing ‘Katie Bell’s Devonianthus’, it was determined that roses grown today as “Tradd Street Yellow” and ‘Devoniensis’ are very likely the real, original, ‘Devoniensis’.]
‘Devoniensis’ is a historic Tea rose variety introduced in its shrub form in 1838 by Foster and the nursery Prince & Company, and in the climbing form in 1858 by Pavitt and Curtis (Cairnes, 1993). Growers in England and California have what they believe to be the original ‘Devoniensis’, and sell it as such. The rose currently grown appears to match old paintings and descriptions, but there has been no solid historic link to prove it to be the “real” thing. Charles Walker (North Carolina State University, Raleigh) grew a rose that Katie Bell had gotten from her mother, who had always called it “Devonianthus,” undoubtedly a mispronunciation of ‘Devoniensis’. Since the original rose was introduced in 1838, the further back in time a person can be found growing the rose under its name, the stronger the evidence becomes to believe that the rose is correctly named. Katie Bell’s family had been growing that rose prior to 1884 (C. Walker, personal communication). Another rose found in Charleston, SC, by Ruth Knopf, called “Tradd Street Yellow,” appears to be identical to the California form of ‘Devoniensis’ obtained from Vintage Rose Gardens, Sebastopol, Calif. All three varieties were analyzed via RAPD-PCR. As shown in Fig. 3A, each band in “Katie Bell’s Devonianthus” was found in both “Tradd Street Yellow” and ‘Devoniensis’. This leads to the conclusion that all three are the same rose and supports the idea that the rose grown commercially is the real ‘Devoniensis’.
 

Book  (1997)  Page(s) 381.  
 
Devoniensis ('Magnolia Rose') Tea. Foster (UK) 1838. Description... Very large flowers, creamy-white with an occasional blush of pink...

Book  (Nov 1994)  Page(s) 164.  
 
Devoniensis introduced in 1841, by Lucombe, a nurseryman at Exeter, famous for the hybrid oak bearing his name...

Book  (Nov 1993)  Page(s) 43.  
 
Devoniensis ('Magnolia Rose')

Book  (Sep 1993)  Page(s) 144-145.  Includes photo(s).
 
Devoniensis ('The Magnolia Rose') Tea. Foster 1841. Description... usually seen in its climbing version nowadays... a blend of cream and palest peach-pink...

Book  (Jul 1993)  Page(s) 60.  
 
'Devoniensis' was the first Tea Rose to be bred in England... creamy-white... flushed with pink and apricot at the centre... In the past this rose has been called the 'Magnolia Rose'...

Book  (Apr 1993)  Page(s) 131.  
 
Tea (OGR), white, 1838, ('Magnolia Rose'); Parentage uncertain, perhaps 'Smithii' x 'Yellow China'; Foster; Lucombe, Prince & Co., 1841. Flowers creamy white, center sometimes tinged blush, double, very large; fragrant; very vigorous growth; recurrent bloom.