Climbing prairie rose (Rosa setigera) COSEWIC assessment and status report addendum: chapter 6

Species information

Name and classification

Rosasetigera Michaux, climbing prairie rose, is an arching/climbing shrub in the rose family (Rosaceae). This species was first included as part of R. carolina In the late 1700s. In 1803 Michaux described it as a new species. It is taxonomically distinct in its northern range. Details of taxonomic revisions are given in the original status report (Ambrose, 1986) and Lewis (1958).

Description

Climbing prairie rose is a robust shrub with arching or climbing branches, often several metres long and forming peripheral plants where tips of branches touch the ground. Prickles are broad based and recurved. Leaflets are three on flowering branches and three or five on juvenile or vegetative branches. Flowering occurs in late June to mid-July with terminal corymbs (Figure 1) on current year lateral shoots from the previous year’s long shoots. Petals are 2-3 cm long, pink; styles are united into an exserted column, fruit is globose and reddish-orange. It is further described and illustrated in Soper & Heimburger, 1982. A photograph is given on the Royal Ontario Museum/ Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (ROM/OMNR) website.

Distinguishing characteristics from other roses: long arching branches, leaflets 3 on flowering stems and 3-5 on vegetative and juvenile stems, prickles broad-based and recurved.


Figure 1. Flowers of Climbing Prairie Rose

Flowers of Climbing Prairie Rose

Jason M. Spangler, Austin, Texas.

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