Rosa gymnocarpa Nutt.

Shrubs or subshrubs, usually loosely clustered. Stems erect, sometimes spreading, slender, (1–)3–15(–25) dm, sparsely or densely branched; bark sometimes glaucous, reddish brown with age, glabrous; infrastipular prickles 0–2, erect, subulate, 2–8(–10) × 1.5 mm, terete, internodal prickles similar or smaller, sparse to dense, sometimes absent on distal stems, mixed with aciculi, base terete, eglandular. Leaves (2–)4–10(–17) cm; stipules 5–15 × 2–5 mm, auricles flared, 2–3 mm, margins entire, stipitate-glandular, surfaces glabrous, eglandular; petiole and rachis with pricklets, glabrous, rarely finely puberulent, sparsely stipitate-glandular; leaflets 5–9(–11), terminal: petiolule (2–)5–12(–20) mm, blade elliptic to obovate or ovate to nearly orbiculate, (4–)10–40(–60) × (4–)10–20(–40) mm, membranous to ± leathery, margins 2+-serrate, teeth 7–13 per side, obtuse to acute, gland-tipped, apex obtuse, sometimes nearly acute, rounded, or truncate, abaxial surfaces pale green, glabrous, eglandular, adaxial green, dull, glabrous. Inflorescences corymbs, usually 1–3-flowered, rarely in multi-flowered candelabras. Pedicels erect, ± curved as hips mature, slender, 10–25(–35) mm, glabrous, stipitate-glandular, rarely eglandular (except var. serpentina); bracts ?some early caducous?, 1 or 2, attached near pedicel bases, ovate or lanceolate, 4–12 × 2–8 mm, margins entire, short stipitate-glandular, ?apex acute or rounded?, surfaces glabrous, eglandular. Flowers 1.5–3 cm diam.; hypanthium narrowly ovoid-urceolate, 2–4 × 1.5–2 mm, glabrous, eglandular, neck 0–1 × 1.5 mm; sepals ascending to reflexed, lanceolate, 5–10 × 2–3 mm, tip 0.1–5 × 1 mm, margins entire, abaxial surfaces glabrous, eglandular, sometimes stipitate-glandular; petals single, deep pink, 8–15 × 6–13 mm; ?stamens 57?; carpels 3–12(–16), styles exsert 1–1.5 mm beyond stylar orifice (1 mm diam.) of hypanthial disc (2–4 mm diam.). Hips scarlet, irregularly ellipsoid or ellipsoid to nearly globose, 7–15 × 5–13 mm, fleshy, glabrous, eglandular, neck 0–2 × 1.5–2.5 mm; sepals, styles, and distal receptacle collectively deciduous at fruit maturity along well-defined, circumscissile line, erect to reflexed. Achenes basiparietal, (1–)4–10(–12), cream to pale brown, (3–)4.5–7 × 2–4 mm.

Light shade (rarely in full sun) in open woodlands, forest edges, often near streams or rocky sites; at elevations up to 2,000 metres.

The fruit are occasionally used as food. The young leaves and stalks are boiled and drunk as a tea.

Can be grown by cuttings or seedlings. Seeds needs scarification.