List of Rosa species


There is significant disagreement over the number of true rose species. Some species are so similar that they could easily be considered varieties or even forms of a single species. Lists of rose species usually show more than 320. The range of 320 to 350 is accepted by most botanists, but as Liberty H. Bailey has pointed out, the extreme lumpers Bentham and Hooker only allowed for 30 species, while the extreme splitter Michel Gandoger allowed 4,266 species just in Europe and West Asia.

Subgenera and sections

There are currently four subgenera in Rosa, although there have been some disputes over the years.
The four subgenera are:
  • Hulthemia containing one or two species from Southwest Asia, R. persica and R. berberifolia which are the only species without compound leaves or stipules.
  • Hesperrhodos with two species, both from southwestern North America, R. minutifolia and R. stellata.
  • Platyrhodon with one species from East Asia, R. roxburghii.
  • Rosa containing all the other species. This subgenus is subdivided into 11 sections.
  • *Banksianae – white and yellow species from China
  • *Bracteatae – three species, two from China and one from India
  • *Caninae – pink and white species from Europe, Asia and North Africa
  • *Carolinae – white, pink and bright pink species, all from North America
  • *Chinensis – white, pink, yellow, red and mixed-color species from China and Burma
  • *Gallicanae – pink to crimson and striped species from Europe and West Asia
  • *Gymnocarpae – a small group distinguished by a deciduous receptacle on the hip; one species in western North America, the rest in East Asia
  • *Laevigatae – a single white species from China
  • *Pimpinellifoliae – white, pink, bright yellow, mauve and striped species from Europe and Asia
  • *Rosa – white, pink, lilac, mulberry and red species from all areas except North Africa
  • *Synstylae – white, pink, and crimson species from all areas

    Species

The following species are accepted: