There is significant disagreement over the number of true rose species. Some species are so similar that they could easily be considered variations of a single species, while other species show enough variation that they could easily be considered to be different species. Lists of rose species usually show between 100 and 150 with most botanists agreeing that the actual number is probably nearer the lower end of that range.
Subgenera and sections
The genus Rosa is subdivided into four subgenera:
- Hulthemosa (formerly Simplicifoliae, meaning "with single leaves") containing one or two species from southwest Asia, R. persica and R. berberifolia (syn. R. persica var. berberifolia) which are the only roses without compound leaves or stipules.
- Hesperrhodos (from the Greek for "western rose") has two species, both from southwestern North America. These are R. minutifolia and R. stellata.
- Platyrhodon (from the Greek for "flaky rose", referring to flaky bark) with one species from east Asia, R. roxburghii.
- Rosa (the type subgenus) containing all the other roses. This subgenus is subdivided into 11 sections.
- Banksianae - white and yellow roses from China
- Bracteatae - three species, two from China and one from India
- Caninae - pink and white species from Asia, Europe and North Africa
- Carolinae - white, pink, and bright pink species all from North America
- Chinensis - white, pink, yellow, red and mixed-color roses from China and Burma
- Gallicanae - pink to crimson and striped roses from western Asia and Europe
- Gymnocarpae - a small group distinguished by a deciduous receptacle on the hip; one species in western North America (R. gymnocarpa), the others in east Asia
- Laevigatae - a single white species from China
- Pimpinellifoliae - white, pink, bright yellow, mauve and striped roses from Asia and Europe
- Rosa (syn. sect. Cinnamomeae) - white, pink, lilac, mulberry and red roses from everywhere but North Africa
- Synstylae - white, pink, and crimson roses from all areas
Species
Dog Rose (Rosa canina)
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Rosa multiflora
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Rosa rugosa
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Rosa gallica
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- Rosa acicularis - Arctic Rose, Prickly Rose (Rosa)
- Rosa x alba (possibly R. canina x R. gallica)
- Rosa alpina see Rosa pendulina
- Rosa anemoniflora
- Rosa arkansana (syn. R. pratincola, R. suffulta) - Wild Prairie Rose, Arkansas Rose (Rosa)
- Rosa arvensis - Field Rose, Trailing Rose (Synstylae)
- Rosa banksiae (Banksianae)
- Rosa beggeriana - (Gymnocarpae)
- Rosa blanda
- Rosa bracteata - Chicksaw Rose, Macartney Rose (Bracteatae)
- Rosa brunonii - Himalayan Musk Rose, Brown's Musk Rose (Synstylae)
- Rosa californica - California Wild Rose (Rosa)
- Rosa canina - Dog Rose (Caninae)
- Rosa carolina - Carolina Rose, Pasture Rose (Carolinae)
- Rosa x centifolia (complex hybrid possibly containing R. rubra, R. phoenicia, R. moschata, R. canina)
- Rosa chinensis var spontanea - China Rose (Chinensis)
- Rosa cinnamomea see R. majalis
- Rosa clinophylla (R. involucrata) (Bracteatae)
- Rosa x coryana (R. macrophylla x R. roxburghii)
- Rosa corymbifera (Caninae)
- Rosa cuspidata see Rosa tomentosa
- Rosa cymosa (Banksianae)
- Rosa x damascena ((R. moschata x R. gallica) x R. fedtschenkoana)
- Rosa davidii - Father David's Rose (Rosa)
- Rosa dumalis - Glaucous Dog Rose
- Rosa dumetorum
- Rosa ecae (syn. R. xanthina var. ecae) (Pimpinellifoliae)
- Rosa eglanteria see Rosa rubiginosa and R. foetida
- Rosa elegantula - Threepenny Bit Rose (Rosa)
- Rosa fedtschenkoana (Rosa)
- Rosa filipes
- Rosa floribunda see R. micrantha
- Rosa foetida (syn. R. lutea) - Austrian Briar (Pimpinellifoliae)
- Rosa foliolosa
- Rosa forrestiana
- Rosa gallica - French Rose, Rose of Provins (Gallicanae)
- Rosa gentiliana (syn. R. polyantha grandiflora)
- Rosa gigantea (syn. R. x odorata gigantea) (Chinensis)
- Rosa giraldii
- Rosa glandulosa see Rosa maximowicziana
- Rosa glauca (syn. R. rubrifolia) - Redleaf Rose
- Rosa gymnocarpa (Gymnocarpae)
- Rosa helenae (Synstylae)
- Rosa hemisphaerica (syn. R. sulphurea) - Sulphur Rose (Pimpinellifoliae)
- Rosa henryi
- Rosa holodonta (syn. R. moyesii rosea)
- Rosa hugonis - Father Hugo's Rose, Golden Rose of China
- Rosa involucrata see Rosa clinophylla
- Rosa x kochiana
- Rosa kokanica (Pimpinellifoliae)
- Rosa kordesii
- Rosa laevigata (syn. R. sinica) - Cherokee Rose, Camellia Rose, Mardan Rose (Laevigatae)
- Rosa laxa (syn. R. gebleriana) (Rosa)
- Rosa longicuspis
- Rosa luciae see Rosa wichuraiana
- Rosa lucida see Rosa virginiana
- Rosa lutea see Rosa foetida
- Rosa x macrantha
- Rosa macrophylla (Rosa)
- Rosa majalis (syn R. cinnamomea) - Cinnamon Rose (Rosa)
- Rosa maximowicziana (syn. R. glandulosa)
- Rosa micrantha (syn. R. floribunda, R. numerosa, R. rubiginosa)
- Rosa minutifolia (Hesperrhodos)
- Rosa moschata - Musk Rose
- Rosa moyesii (Rosa)
- Rosa moyesii var. rosea see Rosa holodonta
- Rosa mulliganii (Synstylae)
- Rosa multibracteata (Rosa)
- Rosa multiflora - Multiflora Rose (Synstylae)
- Rosa nitida (Carolinae)
- Rosa numerosa see R. micrantha
- Rosa nutkana - Nootka Rose, Nutka Rose
- Rosa obtusifolia
- Rosa x odorata var. gigantea see Rosa gigantea
- Rosa omeiensis
- Rosa omissa see Rosa sherardii
- Rosa oxyacantha
- Rosa palustris - Swamp Rose (Carolinae)
- Rosa pendulina (syn. R. alpina) - Alpine Rose
- Rosa persica (syn. Hulthemia persica, R. simplicifolia) (Hulthemosa)
- Rosa phoenicia
- Rosa pimpinellifolia (syn. R. spinosissima) - Burnet Rose, Scots Rose (Pimpinellifoliae)
- Rosa pinetorum
- Rosa pisocarpa
- Rosa polyantha var. grandiflora see Rosa gentiliana
- Rosa pomifera see Rosa villosa
- Rosa primula - Incense Rose (Pimpinellifoliae)
- Rosa roxburghii - Chestnut Rose, Burr Rose (Platyrhodon)
- Rosa rubiginosa (syn. R. eglanteria) - Sweetbriar, Eglantine (Caninae)
- Rosa rubrifolia see Rosa glauca
- Rosa rugosa - Rugosa Rose, Japanese Rose (Rosa)
- Rosa salictorum
- Rosa sempervirens - Evergreen Rose (Synstylae)
- Rosa seraphinii see Rosa sicula
- Rosa sericea - Winged Rose (Pimpinellifoliae)
- Rosa setigera - Prairie Rose (Synstylae)
- Rosa setipoda
- Rosa sherardii (syn. R. omissa)
- Rosa sicula (syn. R. seraphinii)
- Rosa simplicifolia see Rosa persica
- Rosa sinica see Rosa laevigata
- Rosa soulieana (Synstylae)
- Rosa spinosissima see Rosa pimpinellifolia
- Rosa squarrosa
- Rosa stellata - Gooseberry Rose, Sacramento Rose (Hesperrhodos)
- Rosa stellata var. mirifica (Hesperrhodos)
- Rosa suffulta see Rosa arkansana
- Rosa sulphurea see Rosa hemisphaerica
- Rosa sweginzowii
- Rosa tomentosa (syn. R. cuspidata)
- Rosa villosa (syn. R. pomifera) - Apple Rose (Caninae)
- Rosa virginiana (syn. R. lucida) - Virginia Rose (Carolinae)
- Rosa webbiana
- Rosa wichuraiana (syn. R. luciae) - Memorial Rose (Synstylae)
- Rosa willmottiae (Gymnocarpae)
- Rosa woodsii - Mountain Rose
- Rosa xanthina - Manchu Rose
