Book  (14 Dec 1910)  Page(s) Vol. 1, Part IV, p. 69-70.  
 
22— ROSA PHOENICEA Boiss.
THE PHOENICIAN ROSE
Rosa phoenicea: ramis elongatis, sarmentosis ; aculeis sparsis, conformibus, falcatis ; foliolis 3-7, oblongis, obtusis, teneris, dentibus simplicibus, ovatis, apertis, facie ciliatis, dorso parce pubescentibus ; rhachi pubescente et aciculata, parce glandulifera ; stipulis adnatis, apicibus liberis ovatis, parvis ; floribus pluribus, corymboso-paniculatis, ramis inferioribus foliis compositis stipatis ; pedicellis nudis vel glandulosis ; calycis tubo angusto, nudo ; lobis ovatis, acuminatis, copiose pinnatifidis ; petalis albis, magnitudine mediocribus ; stylis glabris, coalitis, protrusis ; fructu globoso, parvo, rubro, nudo; sepalis deciduis.
R. phoenicea Boissier, Diagn. PI. Orient. Nov. fasc. x. p. 4 (1849); FI. Orient. vol. ii. p. 688 (1872). — Déséglise in Bull. Soc. Bot. Belg. vol. xv. p. 206 (Cat. Rais. Ros. p. 37 [1877]) (1876).— Crépin in Bull. Soc. Bot. Belg. vol. xviii. pp. 318-322 (Primit. Monogr. Ros. fasc. v. pp. 564-8) (1880); vol. xxxi. pt. 2, pp. 57-61 (1892). — Christ in Boissier, FI. Orient. Suppl. p. 228 (1888). — Koehne, Deutsche Dendrol. p. 278 (1893). — Post, Fl. Syria , p. 309 (1896).

Branches long, sarmentose ; prickles scattered, uniform, hooked, moderately large. Leaflets 3-7, oblong, obtuse, thin, the end one 1-1½ in. long, openly simply bluntly toothed, glabrous on the upper surface when mature, slightly pubescent beneath ; petioles pubescent, aciculate, slightly glandular ; stipules adnate, with small ovate free points. Flowers many, arranged in a corymbose panicle, the lower branches of which are subtended by compound leaves ; pedicels naked or glandular. Calyx-tube narrow, naked; lobes ovate-acuminate, ½-¾ in. long, copiously compound. Petals pure white, middle-sized. Styles glabrous, united in a protruded column. Fruit globose, bright red, naked, ½ in. diameter ; sepals spreading, deciduous.

Rosa phoenicea ranges from the Troad eastward to Syria, and is one of the commonest Roses in Palestine, ascending the mountains to an altitude of 6,000 feet. Its area ol distribution thus forms a link between Rosa sempervirens L., which does not extend eastward beyond Greece, and Rosa moschata Mill , which is found in Persia on one side and in Abyssinia and the south of Arabia on the other. Although a perfectly distinct and well-marked species, it has been persistently misunderstood by the various botanists who collected it on Mount Taurus, at Damascus, Beyrout, etc. Boissier was the first to distinguish it clearly as a new species and to describe it under the name of Rosa phoenicea. In affinity it stands next to Rosa moschata Mill., from which it differs by its thin, obtuse leaflets, usually five in number, with open ovate teeth, the lower branches of the panicle subtended by compound leaves, its glabrous styles and very compound sepals. The flowers are white and in appearance much resemble Rosa moschata Mill. ; the form of inflorescence is likewise similar, frequently displaying as many as forty flowers to a panicle. With Rosa sempervirens L. it has also some affinity, but is easily distinguishable from that species by the difference in some of the most important characters. It is not often met with in cultivation, but is perfectly hardy in England.

Book  (1909)  Page(s) 31.  
 
Les autres espèces botaniques appartenant à cette section [Synstylae] sont: R. microcarpa Lindl., R. Colletti Crép.; R. tunquinensis Crép.; R. phoenicea, Boiss.; presque toutes existent dans les jardins, mais seulement dans les collections scientifiques.

Book  (1900)  Page(s) 351.  
 
Rosa phoenicia. (Hamburger Garten- und Blumenzeitung 1888, 560.) Hardy. Rose with climbing stems, armed with scattered hooked prickles, pinnate leaves with 3-5 elliptic obtuse coarsely-toothed leaflets, and corymbose panicles of white flowers. Syria.

Article (magazine)  (1897)  Page(s) 129-130.  
 
R. phœnicia Boiss.

a. Feuille. — Poils simples, longs, parois épaisses, nombreux sur l'épiderme inférieur, assez communs sur le supérieur. Poils glandulifères nuls. Epidermes recticurvilignes, le supérieur, d'une épaisseur de 20 μ, à cellules moyennes ou petites ; l'inférieur, d'une épaisseur de 16 μ et à cellules petites. Cuticules minces. Stomates d'une longueur maximum de 30 μ, plus grands que les cellules environnantes ou au moins égaux à elles. Mésophylle bifacial, d'une épaisseur moyenne de 136 μ, comprenant 7-8 assises, les 2-3 supérieures transformées en palissades remplissant 1/2-2/3 de l'épaisseur totale. Parenchyme spongieux lacuneux. Faisceaux libéro-ligneux des nervures pourvus de fibres péridesmiques.

b. Tige. — Cuticule de moyenne épaisseur. Collenchyme en massifs saillants intérieurement et plus ou moins soudés entre eux par les deux assises périphériques. Périderme non développé sur les rameaux d'un an. Parenchyme cortical composé de 13-14 assises de petites cellules 2-3 fois plus longues que larges tangentiellement Liber puissant. Moelle à cellules de dimensions moyennes.

c. Pédoncule floral. — Collenchyme en massifs très inégaux et plus ou moins soudés entre eux. Faisceaux libéro-ligneux au nombre de 17-19. Moelle à cellules de dimensions moyennes.