Shrub 1-4 m tall or more. Stems straight, arching in the upper part, not seldom climbing. Prickles more or less curved, uniform, unequally se t on the stems. Flowering branchlets sometimes unarmed. Leaflets 5-7, up to 40 mm long, ovate, elliptic, rarely obovate, acute or acuminate at apex, glabrous or pubescent, normally smooth or with glands on the veins, rarely glands numerous. Stipules rather narrow, with straight auricles. Flowers with bracts, solitary or in corymbose fascicles, pink or white, up to 35 (-45) mm in diameter. Pedicels usually as long or longer than fruit, smooth or covered with stalked glands, sometimes also pubescent.External sepals with lateral lobes, reflexed or patent after flowering, normally caduceus before fruit ripens. Styles glabrous or loosely pubescent. Orifice narrow. Fruit globose, ellipsoid or ovoid, smooth or rarely covered with stalked glands, red wh en mature.

Fl.Per.: May-July

Lectotype: Habitat in Europa. RCN 3744. Herb. Linn. 652.31 (LINN. Photo!). (Jarvis, Order out of Chaos 798.2007).

B-6 Chitral: Ziarat, Lowarai Pass, 6500 ft, J. D. Stainton 2582 (BM), Chitral: Bombrait, Beg 1544 (RAW), B-7 Swat: Madian (?),R. R. Stewart s.n. (RAW), C-6 Shalozan. Parachinar, S. Nasir & S. Abedin 1107 (KUH).

Distribution: Europe, N. Africa, S.W. Asia, C. Asia, occasionally naturalized.

Widely used as stock for cultivated roses, fruits are rich in vitamin C (Mabberley, Plant–Book: 621. 2000). Traditionally used for many gastrointestinal problems, presently only as a flavouring agent for teas. Seeds are diuretic and used for disorders of urinary tract (B.-E. van Wyk & Wink, Med. Plants World: 275. 2004).