Rosaceae

Rose family

From Streeter et al., (2016), 'Family key':

"Flowers regular; petals free; stamens numerous (usually >2x the number of sepals).

Herbs, shrubs and trees; leaves alternate, usually with stipules; sepals 5, epicalyx often present; petals 5; carpels of herbaceous species free, ovary superior"

For the specimen(s) below, hover over image in gallery for description and select for a full screen preview.

ID: 033

Date: 10 Jun 2024

Locality: Just off of Stratford Road, Buckingham

Location (Lat/Long): 52.003, -0.978

Landscape/habitat: In a hedge at the side of a driveway and a (mown) footpath. Flower above head height.

Identification notes: The stem on this had prickles/thorns, like a garden rose.

From Streeter et al. (2016, p. 260) description with my observations:

• Stems: 'Prickles hooked' (as per photos), although  hard to see if they were 'unequal in size, mixed with stout bristles'

• The leaflets looked to be 'covered beneath with sweet-scented glands' (hopefully visible in photos, including the one through a hand lens). When I crushed the leaf in my fingers I thought it did smell sweetly of apple.

• The flower was 'bright pink'

The key on p.245 directed me to this result. The final choice was between Sweet-briar R. rubiginosa or Small-flowered Sweet-briar R. micrantha but the flowers were bright pink rather than pale and the sepals did not look reflexed to me, hence R. rubiginosa as the ID.

Name: Sweet-briar, Rosa rubiginosa

References

Streeter, D., Hart-Davies, C., Hardcastle, A., Cole, F. and Harper, L. (2016) Collins wild flower guide. Revised and updated 2nd edition. edn. London: William Collins.