Rosa canina L. subsp. canina

Spice

Family: ROSACEAE

Genus: Rosa

Catalan common name: Gavarrera. Gavarrera canina. Roser caní. Roser gavarrer.

Province distribution: Balearic Islands. Barcelona. Girona. Lleida. Tarragona.

Distribution in the islands: Mallorca.

General distribution (Phytogeography): Eurosiberian

Uses and properties: Aphrodisiac. Edible or foodstuffs. Medicinal. Perfumery.

IUCN Category: LCLeast concern

Flowering time: JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Life-forms: Caducifolious. Phanerophyte.

Habitats: Hedges. Cultivated fields, path and road sides, disturbed zones. Fields sides and humid soils. Bramble patch.

Characteristics: A robust shrub that grows up to 6 m. Stems is covered with spiny appendages. From top to bottom. Leaves have 5-7 folioles and do not give of an aroma. The flowers are large, white or pink coloured. The sepals are directed out or downwards and fall off before the urnula matures. Urnula is spherical or ellipsoidal and dark red in colour.

Observations: This species is very polymorphous and a classification key is indispensable to correctly identify all of the rose species.