ζr. chinensis
ζ*R. chinensis ζ* hybrids. Two specimens purporting to be from wild plants have been seen; these were collected from roadsides near Ngatea (Hauraki Plains), and the Hutt Valley. However, although the majority of roses now cultivated in N.Z. can be grouped under the general title of R. chinensis hybrids, it is difficult to understand how any could escape from cultivation because they are grafted plants with other roses as stocks (see under R. canina and R. multiflora), and are usually double-flowered, rarely producing hips with viable seed. The spp. mainly crossed with R. chinensis Jacq. are R. gigantea Crépin (R. × odorata (Andrews) Sweet, hybrid tea roses), and R. moschata (R. × noisettiana Thory, noisette roses), whilst dwarf polyantha roses are R. × multiflora × various tea and hybrid tea roses. The wild specimens cannot be assigned to a particular group of hybrids. They are ± erect bushes with scattered prickles and acicles on the flowering shoots; lvs with 1-2 pairs of leaflets and glandular-hairy stipule margins and rachises; leaflets broadly elliptic to almost orbicular; petioles and midribs hairy, at least when young. Fls solitary or few in clusters, double, produced from spring to late autumn; pedicels and receptacles with glandular hairs or glabrous; sepals with eglandular hairs and fringed glandular hairs, at least the outer sepals pinnately lobed; petals 2-3 cm long, whitish or pink; styles free or nearly so, exserted, hairy. The record of R. indica wild in N.Z. [Kirk, T., Trans. Proc. N.Z. Inst. 2: 138 (1870)] was almost certainly based on R. chinensis or a hybrid of it. R. chinensis belongs to sect. Chinenses (Séringe) Rehder. (Cultivated hybrids, 1870).
