Shrub up to 1, 5(-2) m. Young branches brown, glabrous to densely pubescent. Prickles irregularly se t on the stem, light brown, straight or curved, often declining, gradually dilated at base, sometimes mixed with small acicles and stalked glads. Leaflets 5-7(-9), up to 15(-20) mm long, variable, (broadly) elliptic or obovate, rarely orbicular or oblanceolate, subacute, rounded or tru ncate at apex, usually pubescent beneath, glandular on both sides or only below, rarely smooth. Stipules narrow, with divergent auricles. Flowering branchlets glabrous to densely pubescent, sometimes with stalked glands. Flowers normally solitary and without bracts, petals yellow up to 15 mm long. Pedicels smooth or with stalked glands, rarely hispid, sometimes pubescent. Sepals not dilated at apex, entire, rarely with 2-3 minute lobes in the upper part, ascending or patent in fruit, persistent. Styles densely pubscent, forming large, compact head. Orifice wide. Fruit up to 15 mm in diameter, globose or pyriform, violet-brown wh en mature.

Type: Described from Central Asia (LE).

B-8 Kashmir, Baltit Hunza, Gilgit, 8000 ft, R. R. Stewart s.n. (RAW), C-10 Dras Ladak, 3100 m, S. Billier & J. Leonard 6896 (KUH) – form with hairy stems, E-4 Baluchistan: Ziarat, M. A. Siddiqi 2046 (RAW).

Ditribution: Central Asia, Afghanistan.

The nomenclature of Rosa kokanica is not fully clear and for this reason in some central-Asiatic floras the names Rosa divina Sumnev. or Rosa sumneviczii Korotkova are often used for this species. Forms of Rosa kokanica with densely pubescent and ± glandular young stems are separated as Rosa ovczinnikovii Koczk. From my observation, however, it appears that the indumentum characters as glands and hairs in the genus Rosa are generally ‘weak’, facultative. They occur with different frequency in different, not related species.