Rosa tomentosa
ζ*R. tomentosa Smith ζ* has been collected from around Lake Heron, C. Canterbury, in 1972 and as far as is known this sp. did not escape from cultivation in the area, for it is hardly grown anywhere in N.Z. A rather spreading shrub; stems erect at first, arching downwards later, armed with slightly to moderately curved prickles and acicles; leaflets ovate to elliptic, ± densely hairy above and with eglandular hairs forming a tomentum beneath, pedicels, receptacle and sepals with numerous glandular hairs, the outer sepals with several linear lobes; petals 1.5-2 cm long, probably white or pale pink; styles scarcely exserted and closing receptacle mouth, hairy; fr. globose or subglobose, glandular-hairy, possibly sometimes glabrous, red. R. tomentosa belongs to sect. Caninae Rehder and is related to R. canina which is much less hairy and has strongly curved prickles. In addition, R. tomentosa has a rather resinous scent whereas R. canina is virtually scentless and the other wild members of the sect. described here, R. micrantha and R. rubiginosa, have a fruity scent. (Europe, Asia Minor, 1982).
