Website/Catalog  (1 May 2009)  Includes photo(s).
 
[From www.atlantides.it]
Translation:
Rosa serafinii
It is a deciduous shrub with a prostrate or ascending habit, Nanophanerophyte for the Raunkiær system, belongs to the Rosaceae family.
The general morphology of the plants varies according to the growth habitat. In rupicolous or stony environments, they tend to form short and intricate branching and remain adherent to the substrate forming small bushes. On the other hand, on richer soils, in particular if moderately cool-humid even in the summer period, there is a greater development of the branches which assume an erect-ascending habit. In these cases, the plants can form bushes up to one meter high. The branches are rigid, often red in color, thickly covered with prickles of various sizes, arched and rigid.
The foliage is imparipinnate and formed by one, two or three pairs of segments, from orbicular to elliptical with the apex obtuse and sometimes acute. The upper side is glabrous, glossy and of an intense green colour. The underside opaque and moderately glandular. The edge is finely toothed, the teeth oriented towards the apex and, often, also denticulate. The flowers are relatively abundant and scattered around the plant, single or in small groups, supported by a short peduncle. The sepals only lanceolate, variously elongated by apical appendages. The margin is entire or has irregular filiform appendages. The petals are vaguely heart-shaped due to a large irregular inlet present at the apex. The color varies from pink to deep purple. However, the nail and the basal segment remain whitish but hidden by the thick tuft of stamens and anthers, both yellow. Flowering falls mainly in the months of May and June.
The fruit, or false fruit, is an ovoid rosehip with a diameter of about ten millimeters; it is shiny and bright red. Inside it contains numerous achenes: the real fruits.
Rosa Serafinii (Rosa di Serafini) is an uncommon and vegetative species in Sardinia, in nearby Corsica and in some regions of the Italian peninsula (Tuscany, Liguria, Emilia Romagna and Basilicata) In Sardinia it grows on the main hills over 800 meters above sea level, regardless of the substrate. It is not very widespread and overall it can be considered a rare species. This description and the attached images refer to populations present in the central-eastern sector of Sardinia and on the Gennargentu mountains, up to one thousand seven hundred meters above sea level. The growth environment is that of garrigue and mountain meadows but also outcropping rocks and stony ground, in all cases with the presence of a certain level of humidity.

Book  (Nov 1994)  Page(s) 84.  
 
R. serafinii Mediterranean. Rosa apennina. ...exceedingly dense, twiggy...about 3 feet....copiously armed with small hooked prickles.... leaves with five or seven small rounded leaflets, densely glandular on the margin and stalk...Pretty, little pale pink single blooms...Rosa sicula is very similar but has straight prickles. Rosa biebersteinii is an allied species.

Book  (1992)  Page(s) 66-67.  
 
R. glutinosa, R. sicula, R. serafinii and R. horrida are the dwarf varieties of the canina roses from the Mediterranean. They attain a maximm of 1 m on their own roots, remain often shorter. Despite their provenance, they flourish in our climate and are sufficirntly hardy. They naturally expect a fully sunny location. They can be set in a stone garden....R. sicula and R. serafinii are both very dwarf, in Wilhelmshöhe they attain only 30 to 30 cm. R. sicula has straight prickles and pink blooms. She suckers, contrary to R. serafinii with its curved prickles and whitish pink blooms. Both species produce ovoid 1 cm large hips, which are elongated for R. sicula.

Book  (1988)  Page(s) 172.  
 
location 69, R. serafinii Viviani, CANINAE, Meditteranean islands, Bulgaria, southern Yugoslavia, 1914, pink-white, single, small, bushy, arching, branched, 0.3-1 m, many prickles, light red small glossy rounded fruit

Book  (1988)  Page(s) 18.  
 
R. serafinii Viv. A dwarf relative of R. rubiginosa up to 50 cm [approx. 20 in.] with hooked or curved prickles. Leaflets 5-7...glandular benearth, aromatic. Hips smooth, red. Native of Corsica, Italy, Sicily, Sardinia and Bulgaria where it grow on dry rocky mountains.

Website/Catalog  (1985)  Page(s) 42.  
 

Rosa serafini....bright red hips.

Website/Catalog  (1982)  Page(s) 35.  
 
Rosa serafinii Short growing species with ample foliage. Single pink flowers. 1914. (S) 2 x 2’.

Book  (1981)  Page(s) 265.  
 
R. serafinii Viv.
Low shrub, 1-2.6 feet high, never suckers. Short arching stems very densely covered with short, stour hooked unequal prickles. Leaflets 7-11, very glossy, sharply serrate..Flower solitary or 2-3, whitish pink. Hips abovoid, bright red. Native to Islands of the Mediterranean Sea, Bulgaria, S. Yugoslavia.

Book  (1981)  Page(s) 141.  
 
[mentioned only in connection with R. sicula Tratt.] [Rosa sicula] resembles R. biebersteinii (horrida) in its dwarf habit, small leavesa and abundant spines, but differs in the particulars...[Rosa sicula] is very similar to and confused with R. serafinii Viv., which difers from R. sicula in its hooked prickles and glabrous styles.

Book  (1937)  Page(s) 78.  
 
Serafini Viv. (Can.-Rubig.) [pollen quality] 90% [ploidy] 35 ([thereof univalents:] 21)
Seraphinii Viv. (synonym of serafini Viv.)