Shrubs, ˂compact˃, usually forming thickets; rhizomatous, ˂rhizomes absent or relatively short˃. Stems erect, arching, or spreading, 7–30(–50) dm; distal branches glabrous, eglandular; infrastipular prickles paired or single, curved or appressed, rarely erect, flattened, stout, internodal prickles rare, smaller, or aciculi, sometimes absent. Leaves deciduous, rarely persistent, 4–11(–18) cm, membranous to leathery; stipules persistent, adnate to petiole, auricles flared, margins entire, rarely slightly crenate, ˂sometimes densely glandular-ciliate˃, stipitate-glandular or eglandular; leaflets 5–7(–9), terminal: petiolule 5–17(–40) mm, blade ovate, obovate, orbiculate, or elliptic, sometimes oval or ovate-lanceolate, 10–45(–65) × 8–30(–50) mm, abaxial surfaces pubescent or tomentose (sometimes on midveins) or glabrous, eglandular or glandular, ˂with or without resinous glands˃, adaxial ˂pale, light, or dark green, sometimes glaucous˃, lustrous to dull, ˂tomentulose or pubescent, sometimes glabrous˃. Inflorescences panicles, sometimes corymbs, 1–4(–7)-flowered. Pedicels erect or reflexed, stout, (5–)11–20(–35) mm, glabrous, eglandular or stipitate-glandular; bracts persistent, 1 or 2, margins glandular-serrate or stipitate- or ciliate-glandular. Flowers 2.5–5 cm diam.; hypanthium globose, ovoid, obovoid, oblong, or urceolate, glabrous, usually eglandular, ˂base sometimes stipitate- or setose-glandular˃; sepals persistent or deciduous, appressed-reflexed, spreading, or erect, lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate, 10–25 × 2–5 mm, margins (outer) often deeply pinnatifid, abaxial surfaces glabrous, eglandular, densely glandular, or stipitate-glandular; petals single, pink or rose, rarely white; carpels 25–65, styles free, lanate or villous, rarely glabrous, stylar orifice 1–2.5(–3.5) mm diam., hypanthial disc flat or conic, 2–5 mm diam. Hips red to purplish or orange, globose, depressed-globose, obovoid, ovoid, oblong, urceolate, ellipsoid, or pyriform, 10–25 × 6–22 mm, glabrous, sometimes setose, eglandular or stipitate-glandular; sepals deciduous or persistent, spreading, reflexed, or erect. Achenes basiparietal.

Species ca. 20 (5 in the flora): introduced; Europe, Asia, n Africa; introduced also in Mexico, Central America, South America, Pacific Islands (New Zealand), Australia.

All species of sect. Caninae are polyploid, mostly pentaploid (2n = 35), but also triploid (2n = 21) and tetraploid (2n = 28) or all three polyploid levels for a single species, with a hemisexual, matroclinal (maternal) reproduction unlike that known for any other flowering plant (H. Nybom et al. 2000). In addition, unknown elsewhere in Rosa, apomixis appears to occur to a limited extent among Caninae species, which complicates further their reproductive anomaly (G. Werlemark 2000). Even though over 350 taxa have been described in the section, the relatively few species now recognized are highly complex groups of microspecies, and the authors agree with the editors of W. J. Bean (1970–1988, vol. 4) that no attempt should be made in modern floristic works to take account of every character-state combination. Further, those editors believed that the species of Caninae are cryptohybrids, that is, they are all products of ancient hybridizations between species that no longer exist, at least not in their primitive states.

In addition to the species treated here, Rosa obtusifolia Desvaux is marginally naturalized in California, New Mexico, and Virginia; it differs from R. canina in having hairy leaflets that are usually glandular abaxially.