Much branched shrub up to 2-3 m tall. Prickles distinctly compressed, very broad at base, (young) chestnut-red, numerous, often contiguous, sometimes mixed with needle-l ike prickles. Leaflets 9-17, up to 30 mm long, oblong-elliptic, acute at apex, simply serrate, often entire in the lower half, glabrous or pubescent. Stipules narrow, with divergent auricles. Flowers solitary, up to 35 mm in diameter, petals 4, white. Sepals 4, entire, erect or ascending in fruit, persistent. Styles densely pubescent, forming compact head. Orifice broad. Fruit pyriform, on short thickened pedicel, red wh en ripe.

Holotype: Gossainthan, 1829, Wallich 695A (K) (Ghora & Panigrahi, l.c. 306).

Distribution: Himalaya, eastward to SW China.

Rosa sericea has been reported several times from the north-east Pakistan. This info rmation is not documented by available herbarium material, occurrence of the species, however, within the Flora of Pakistan area is rather probable. It is easy to recognize by white flowers with 4 sepals and petals, elongated leaflets with almost parallel sides and often very broad, distinctly laterally compressed prickles.

The fruits are edible.