burr rose

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• chestnut rose
• chinquapin rose
• Burr Rose

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Rosa microphylla
• Juzepczukia roxburghii
• Rosa roxburghii f. candida
• Rosa roxburghii f. esetosa
• Rosa roxburghii f. normalis
• Rosa roxburghii var. plena
• Rosa microphylla var. plena
• Rosa forrestii

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta within the class Equisetopsida. Further taxonomic placement includes the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Rosaless, eventually reaching the family Rosaceae. It is specifically identified under the genus Rosa.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a wide geographical range across several distinct Asian regions. In China, its distribution is quite extensive, covering the South-Central, North-Central, and Southeast territories. It is also documented to grow within the high-altitude landscapes of Tibet. Beyond China, the species can be found spanning the East Himalaya region. Collectively, these areas form a diverse habitat for the medicinal species throughout the Indian Subcontinent and East Asia.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Rosa roxburghii is characterized by its preference for lowland environments, where it thrives within specific altitudinal gradients. This species is typically found across an elevational range that begins at a minimum of 500 m AMSL and extends up to a maximum of 2500 m AMSL. Within this vertical distribution, the plant maintains a mean elevation of approximately 1500 m AMSL, indicating its ability to adapt to varying montane and sub-montane ecological conditions.

Elevational range max:

2500 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

1500 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

500 m AMSL

Habitat :

Lowland

Life history

The life history of Rosa roxburghii is characterized by its nature as a perennial plant, ensuring its presence in the ecosystem across multiple growing seasons. As a phanerophyte, specifically classified under the phanerophyte life form categories, it maintains its conducting shoots well above the ground level. The plant exhibits a deciduous habit, shedding its foliage seasonally as part of its natural phenological cycle.

Deciduousness :

deciduous

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Rosa roxburghii is characterized by a woody growth form, primarily functioning as a shrub. This species exhibits significant variation in plant height, with dimensions ranging from a minimum of 1 m to a maximum of 25 m, maintaining an average height of approximately 17.5 m. As a terrestrial plant, it is neither aquatic nor semi-aquatic, and it grows as an independent organism rather than acting as a parasite or an epiphyte. In terms of its structural habit, the plant is classified as self-supporting, lacking the climbing characteristics of a liana or a vine.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

shrub

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

25 m

Plant height mean:

17.5 m

Plant height min:

1 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Rosa roxburghii is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its metabolic processes and carbon fixation efficiency. The morphological characteristics of its foliage play a significant role in its physiological performance, specifically regarding light interception and gas exchange. The leaves exhibit a variable size distribution, with a mean leaf length of 1.5 cm, ranging from a minimum of 1 cm to a maximum of 3 cm. Correspondingly, the leaf width shows a mean of 0.9 cm, varying from a minimum of 0.6 cm to a maximum of 2 cm. These dimensions reflect the plant's adaptive capacity in managing its surface area for transpiration and photosynthetic activity within its natural habitat.

Leaf length max:

3 cm

Leaf length mean:

1.5 cm

Leaf length min:

1 cm

Leaf width max:

2 cm

Leaf width mean:

0.9 cm

Leaf width min:

0.6 cm

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Rosa roxburghii involves both sexual and asexual processes, with the latter being notably present. Sexual reproduction is facilitated by its flowers, which possess a length ranging from a minimum of 4 cm to a maximum of 6 cm. Following pollination, the plant produces fruits that vary in size; the fruit length typically averages 3.5 cm, with a minimum measurement of 3 cm and a maximum of 4 cm. Similarly, the fruit width shows a mean of 3.5 cm, spanning from a minimum of 3 cm to a maximum of 4 cm. Within these fruits, the seeds are quite small, characterized by a mean seed mass of 0.01493 g, with a minimum mass of 0.01476 g and a maximum mass of 0.0151 g.

Flower length max:

6 cm

Flower length min:

4 cm

Fruit length max:

4 cm

Fruit length mean:

3.5 cm

Fruit length min:

3 cm

Fruit width max:

4 cm

Fruit width mean:

3.5 cm

Fruit width min:

3 cm

Reproduction asexual :

present

Seed mass max:

0.0151 g

Seed mass mean:

0.01493 g

Seed mass min:

0.01476 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Rosa roxburghii has 2 reported plant parts identified across 11 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include fruit, root.

Fruit

1. Pest management science
2. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry
3. Food additives & contaminants. Part A, Chemistry, analysis, control, exposure & risk assessment
4. Gene
5. Foods (Basel, Switzerland)

Root

1. International journal of molecular sciences

Chemicals

Rosa roxburghii has 31 reported phytochemicals identified across 11 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include vitamin C, Flavonoids, ellagic acid, kaji-ichigoside F1, polyphenols.

vitamin C

1. Current issues in molecular biology
2. Food additives & contaminants. Part A, Chemistry, analysis, control, exposure & risk assessment
3. Frontiers in nutrition
4. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
5. BMC plant biology

Flavonoids

1. Current issues in molecular biology
2. Frontiers in nutrition
3. Pharmacology & therapeutics
4. Foods (Basel, Switzerland)
5. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

ellagic acid

1. Frontiers in nutrition
2. International immunopharmacology
3. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)

kaji-ichigoside F1

1. Frontiers in pharmacology
2. International journal of molecular sciences
3. Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity

polyphenols

1. Food science & nutrition
2. Current issues in molecular biology
3. Frontiers in nutrition

triterpenoids

1. Current issues in molecular biology
2. Frontiers in nutrition
3. Pharmacology & therapeutics

Polyphenol

1. Frontiers in microbiology
2. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry

Triterpenes

1. Pharmacology & therapeutics
2. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

quercetin

1. Food science & nutrition
2. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)

ARGININOSUCCINIC ACID

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Activities

Rosa roxburghii has 6 reported activities identified across 11 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, Hepatoprotective, Hypoglycemic, Hypolipidemic.

Antioxidant

1. Frontiers in nutrition
2. Current issues in molecular biology
3. Pharmacology & therapeutics
4. Foods (Basel, Switzerland)
5. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Antimicrobial

1. Frontiers in plant science

Hepatoprotective

1. Current issues in molecular biology

Hypoglycemic

1. Frontiers in nutrition

Hypolipidemic

1. Frontiers in nutrition

Neuroprotective

1. Current issues in molecular biology

Medicinal Uses

Rosa roxburghii has 36 reported medicinal uses identified across 11 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include inflammation, oxidative stress, hyperlipidemia, Acute lung injury, acute lung injury.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations