Article (magazine)  (2009)  Page(s) 30.  
 
R. sericea Lindl.   Source TAMU [Collection of Texas A. M. University] Chromosome Number 14

Website/Catalog  (2009)  
 
Rosa sericea Lindl.
Habitat : The temperate Himalayas from Chamba eastwards to Bhutan and Assam at altitudes of 2,500 to 4,200 m.

[Name in] Folk : Jangali Gulaab. (Flowers—white or yellow, fruit—red.)
Action : Fruits—rich in vitamin C.

Article (magazine)  (2008)  Page(s) 919, 928.  Includes photo(s).
 
The Rosa sericea complex contains R. omeiensis, R. sericea and R. mairei. They are morphologically similar to one another and the systematic status of R. omeiensis has been controversial. In this study we examined ca. 2000 herbarium specimens of the three taxa in major herbaria in China and conducted field observations in Sichuan and Yunnan. We also performed SEM study of pollen morphology and seed coat structure. We further carried out intensive morphometric study on the leaflet, pollen, and seed morphology. Our results showed that R. mairei can safely be distinguished from other two, while there are no obvious discontinuities in pollen morphology, seed coat structure and plant morphology in general for R. omeiensis and R. sericea. Nevertheless, in most cases R. omeiensis and R. sericea can be distinguished from each other to some extent. They also have different geographical distributions. Therefore we here sink R. omeiensis to be a variety of R. sericea. Six forms related with these two taxa are synonymized. The four synonyms of R. sericea var. sericea include R. omeiensis f. glandulosa T. T. Yu & T. C. Ku, R. omeiensis f. pteracantha Rehder & E. H. Wilson, R. sericea f. glabrescens Franchet, and R. sericea f. pteracantha Franchet, while two synonyms of R. sericea var. omeiensis include R. omeiensis f. paucijuga T. T. Yu & T. C. Ku and R. sericea f. glandulosa T. T. Yu & T. C. Ku.

Key to taxa of Rosa sericea complex
1a. Leaflets 5–9(–11), smooth adaxially, pubescent adaxially and abaxially; hip red, pedicel not fleshy; pollen grains 29.02 (23.92–33.24) μm×22.42(19.61–27.94) μm, exine with long striae, striae with smooth margins; relative volume (length×width×height) of seeds 51.37(29.35–92.88) mm3, seed coat with secondary reticulate structure…………………………1. R. mairei
1b. Leaflets (5–)9–13(–17), crumpled or smooth adaxially, glabrous on both sides or pubescent abaxially; hip yellow, bright to deep red or purple-brown; pedicel fleshy throughout or only at tip; pollen exine with long or short striae, striae regulate on margins; relative volume of seeds much lower, seed coat with no secondary reticulate structure………………..………………2
2a. Leaflets (5–)7–11, crumpled adaxially, sericeous villous abaxially; hip yellow or red, pedicel slightly fleshy only at tip; pollen grains 29.83(25.39–34.61) μm×26.67(23.73–29.22) μm, exine with short striae; relative volume of seeds 24.19(14.32–34.2) mm3, lumina on seed coat irregular polygonal………………2a. R. sericea var. sericea
2b. Leaflets 9–13(–17), smooth adaxially, glabrous on both sides or sparsely hairy along midrib; pollen grains 23.81(21.37–28.04) μm×21.94(16.27–24.80) μm, pollen exine with long or short striae; relative volume of seeds 31.84(19.62–47.28) mm3, lumina on seed coat rectangular or irregular polygonal…………2b. R. sericea var. omeiensis

Article (misc)  (Jun 2007)  
 
R. sericea .... is is the typical rose of the higher reaches of the Himalayas, quite widespread in distribution. It is a stiff erect shrub with leaves with small leaflets and solitary white to cream flowers. The plants can reach heights in excess of 4 meters.
On the same route to the Valley of Flowers we could see bushes in large numbers, but only above 3000 meters.
It has the unique distinction of being four-petalled.

Book  (1 May 2003)  
 
Rosa sericea Lindley, Ros. Monogr. 105. 1820.
Rosa tetrapetala Royle; R. wallichii Trattinnick.

Shrubs erect, 1–2 m tall. Branchlets robust; prickles absent or in pairs below leaves and scattered, terete, to 1.2 cm, fine to robust, abruptly flaring to a broad base, or prickles winglike, to 1.2 cm and 3.5 cm in diam.; bristles sometimes dense. Leaves including petiole 3.5–8 cm; stipules mostly adnate to petiole, free parts auriculate, pubescent or glabrous, margin glandular; rachis and petiole pubescent, sometimes sparsely prickly and glandular-pubescent; leaflets (5–)7–11(–13), ovate or obovate, rarely obovate-oblong, 8–20 × 5–8 mm, abaxially sericeous-villous or subglabrous to glabrous, glandular or not, adaxially glabrous, rugose, base broadly cuneate, margin serrate in upper part, entire below, apex rounded-obtuse or acute. Flower solitary, axillary, 2.5–5 cm in diam.; pedicels 1–2 cm, glabrous; bracts absent. Hypanthium obovoid or globose, subglabrous. Sepals 4, ovate-lanceolate, abaxially sparsely pubescent or subglabrous, adaxially villous, margin entire, apex acuminate or acute. Petals 4, white, broadly obovate, base broadly cuneate, apex emarginate. Styles free, shorter than stamens, slightly exserted, villous. Hip red or purple-brown, obovoid or globose, 8–15 mm in diam., glabrous, with persistent, erect sepals; pedicel 1–2 cm, glabrous, usually not fleshy. Fl. May–Jun, fr. Jul–Aug. 2n = 14.

Sparse woods, forest margins, scrub, valley slopes, dry valleys, cliffs, mountain summits, gravels, dry sunny places; 2000--4400 m. Guizhou, Sichuan, Xizang, Yunnan [Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Sikkim].
Four forms can be recognized: f. sericea, which has leaflets abaxially pubescent, non-glandular; f. glandulosa T. T. Yü & T. C. Ku (Acta Phytotax. Sin. 18: 503. 1980), which has leaflets abaxially pubescent and glandular; f. glabrescens Franchet (Pl. Delavay. 220. 1890), which has leaflets abaxially glabrous or subglabrous; and f. pteracantha Franchet (loc. cit.), which has branches with broad, flat, winglike prickles
 

Book  (2001)  Page(s) 442.  
 
Rosa sericea Lindl., Ros. monogr. (1820) 105, t. 12, flor. per error. pentapetalis.
Rosa wallichii Tratt., Rosac. Monogr. 2 (1823) 293; R. tetrapetala Royle, Ill. Bot. Himal. (1835) 208, t. 42.
Chapala, durkunja (India, Kumaon).
India, China.
In India cultivated as hedge, the fruits are used, too.
Ref.: Wealth of India 9, 1972.

Book  (Nov 1993)  Page(s) 20.  
 
The only species rose with four petals instead of five.

Book  (May 1992)  Page(s) 4-5.  
 
The species of the genus Rosa can be conveniently divided into four groups, each from geographically defined areas of the northern hemisphere where they are to be found growing wild. These areas are Europe, Asis, the Middle East and America... all wild roses have single flowers comprised of five petals; except one, R. sericea, which has just four. All, in their natural habitat, will reproduce true-to-type from seeds when pollinated by themselves or others of the same species...

Book  (1988)  Page(s) 17.  Includes photo(s).
 
bush and blooms

Book  (1981)  
 
R. sericea 2n=14