[Rosa carolina var. deamii (Erlanson) Deam, moreRosa carolina var. glandulosa (Crép.) Farw., Rosa carolina var. grandiflora (Baker) Rehd., Rosa carolina var. lyonii (Pursh) E.J.Palmer & Steyerm., Rosa carolina var. obovata (Raf.) Deam, Rosa carolina var. sabulosa Erlanson, Rosa carolina var. villosa (Best) Rehd., Rosa lyonii Pursh, Rosa palmeri Rydb., Rosa serrulata Raf., Rosa texarkana Rydb.]
Colony-forming shrub to 1 m tall Stem: slender, unbranched to few-branched, densely prickly near base but becoming sparse near tip. The slender, straight prickles vary in length, are circular in cross-section, with the base less than half as long as the body. Prickles that subtend stipules are 4 - 9 mm long and straight to slightly reflexed. Leaves: pinnately compound, stalked, with five to seven leaflets. The leaflets are 1.5 - 4 cm long, usually more then half as wide as long, elliptic to narrow egg-shaped with a pointed to blunt tip, coarsely toothed (fewer than fifteen teeth per side), sometimes glandular on margins, dull or slightly shiny above, and paler and softly hairy beneath. Flowers: borne one to four in a cluster on current season's stems, 3.5 - 5.5 cm across, with a stalked-glandular stalk and floral tube (hypanthium), non-persistent spreading to reflexed sepals gradually tapering to a linear tip, lobed outer sepals, and pink petals 2 - 3 cm long. Fruit: bony achenes surrounded by the mature floral tube (hip). The hip is red, 8 - 12 mm across, and nearly spherical. Achenes dark brown, 4 - 5 mm long, inversely egg-shaped, sometimes with one straight side. Stipules: subtending leaves, glandular-toothed to non-toothed, firm, narrow, flat.
Similar species: The typical variety of Rosa carolina is more or less hairless on the lower leaf surface.
Flowering: late June to early August
Occurence in the Chicago region: native
Etymology: Rosa is the Latin name for a rose. Carolina means "from the Carolinas." Villosa means "covered in soft hairs."