Shrub up to 2(-3) m tall. Twigs glabrous, often flexuose. Prickles straight, subulate, infrastipular, patent or sometimes slightly ascending, uniform or mixed with bristles, (glandular) acicles or stalked glands. Leaflets 5-7(-9), with up to 5-8 pairs of lateral veins, variable in size and shape, 5-25 mm long, orbicular, elliptic or obovate, acute, obtuse or tru ncate at apex, often glucous, glabrous or pubescent, smooth or glandular, simply or compound-serrate. Stipules broad, with short, straight auricles. Flowers with broad bracts, solitary or 3-5 in fascicles, 30-60 mm in diameter, pink, red or rarely white. Pedicels variable in length, smooth or with stalked glands, sometimes sparsely hairy. Sepals normally entire, erect or ascending in fruit, persistent. Styles densely pubescent, forming compact head. Orifice broad. Fruit variable in size, globose, ovoid or pyriform, red wh en mature.

Fl.Per.: June-August

Type (sntypes): ‘….at Lippa, in Kunawur and on the Kherung Pass, by Mr. Inglis‘.

A-7 Yasin, 85 miles from Gilgit, S. Omer 222 (KUH), c. 9 miles from Nishkol on way to Tirich and between Tirich loer zone and Parsing, K. Akhter & S. Nazimuddin & G. Khan 1585, Lusht, 21 miles from Nusko on way to Tirich Mir, K. Akhter, S. Nazimuddin & G. Khan 1631 (KUH), Chitral: Shoghor Gol, Karimabad village, W of Tirich Mir, c. 3200 m, S. Ghafoor & S. Omer 2942 pro parte (KUH), Naran – Saiful Maluk Lake, M. Qutabuddin & S. Hayat (RAW), Gilgit: Babusar village, c. 13000 ft, M. A. Siddiqi & Y. Nasir 2752 (RAW), Gilgit: Babusar village, M. Qaiser & A. Ali 5387 (KUH), Gilgit: between Gupis and Singla, c. 1900 m, M. Qaiser, S. Omer & S. Z. Husain 8299 (KUH), Chitral: Chew Pul Area, 5000 ft, M. Qutabuddin 1228 (RAW), Swat, Lahore students 53 (RAW), Swat: Shangla to Kwaza Khiela, M. Qutabuddin & S. Hayat 313 (RAW), Chitral: c. 28 km from Garm Chashma on way to Shah Saalem, c. 3000 m, T. Ali, S. Husain & G. Khan 2315 (KUH), Lusht, 21 miles from Nushko on way to Tirichmir, K. Akhter, S. Nazimuddin & G. Khan 1631 (KUH), Kashmir, Zajibal Gali, O. Polunin 733 (B), Hindukush: Yasin-Tal near Bar, NE von Dakot gegen den Garmush, Baumgartner (W), Chitral: South Barum Glacier, 1200 ft, Ghaudri 180-181 (RAW), Barum Gol, Shokhor Shal, 3500 m, 23.06.1950, Wendelbo s.n. (O, RAW, W), Chitral: Shoghot – Luthko, 6500 ft, 36/01 N – 71/45 E, Bowes Lyon 761 (BM), Chitral: Yarkhun, 8200 ft, between 36/30 N – 72/40 E and 36/48 N – 73/05 E, Bowes Lyon (BM), J. D. Stainton 930 (BM), Chitral: Chatiboigletscher/glacier Moröne, 3400 m, Stamm & Wöhrl 95 (W), Chitral: Gokshal, Chitral Gol, 2420 m, G. Khan 79 (RAW), Swat: Utror Tal bei Utror, 2300 m, H. Ern & P. Prelaz 7510 (B), A-8 Gulmit, Hunza, S. Omer 423 (KUH), Passu, Hunza, R. Akhter (RAW), Hunza valley, Passu village, Todd Nachowitz 203 (RAW), Baltit, Ultar, (?) 8000 ft, M.S.Z.A.Cheema s.n. (KUH), 25 miles from Karimabad on way to Gilgit, Kamal Akhter & M. Qaiser 521 (KUH), Gilgit: Hassanabad, c. 99 km from Gilgit, c. 2100 m, S. & T. Ali & W. Sugong 3281 (KUH), Hunza (Gilgit), c. 56 km from Khunjerab on way to Sost, S. I. Ali, W.Sugong, T. Ali & G. Ke 3372 (KUH), Hunza valley, c. 65 km from Sost on way to Aliabad, S.I.Ali, W. Sugong, T. Ali & G. Ke 3501 (KUH), Kashmir: Above Baltit, Hunza, Gilgit Dist. 8000 ft, R. R. Stewart s.n. (RAW), Kashmir: Baltit. Oasis, 2600 m, Schmid 1928 (RAW), B-6 About 5 miles from Lowari Top on the way to Chitral, M. Qaiser & A. Ghafoor 1831 (KUH), 3 miles from Loari Top towards Chitral, M. Qaiser & A. Ghafoor 1850 (KUH), Rosh Gol valley, K. Akhter & S. Nazimuddin 1711 (KUH), Chitral: Bombrait, 7200 m, Nasir 5024 (NA, RAW), Chitral: Tirich Mir. Rosh Gol NE of Tirich Mir, 1100 m, J. D. Stainton 2823 (BM), Chitral: Lowarai Pass, 7000 ft, J. D. Stainton 2550 (RAW), B-7 Swat,Otrore, Sadar Uddin s.n. (KUH), Hazara Dist., near Burawai, Gilgit – Kagan road, M. Qaiser & A. Ali 5345 (KUH), Karakorum: Beyond Satpura village towards Deosai plains, c. 3300 m, M. Qaiser, S. Omer & S. Z. Husain 8557 (KUH), Kagan valley, Babusar Pass, S. Abedin & M. Qaiser 9042 (KUH), 6 miles from Babusar on way to Gilgit, S. Abedin & M. Qaiser 9147 (KUH), Kashmir, Khelanmerg, 108000 ft, O. Polunin 790, Kashmir, Gulmarg, O. Polunin 119 (B), Chitral: Tirich Mir, at the foot of the middle part of North Barum Glacier, 3900 m, 36/15 N – 71/55 E, J. Majchrowicz 42 (KOR), Swat: Sho Nala, 7000-8000 ft, R. R. Stewart & M. A. Rehmani (RAW), Kalam, R. R. Stewart 24709 (W), Swat: Kalam, 6500 ft, Nasir & M. A. Siddiqi 967 (RAW), Swat: Kalam, 7000 ft, M. A.Rehmani 40 (RAW), Swat: Kalam 35/30 N – 72/30 E, c. 2200 m, K. H. Rechinger 19454 (W), Swat: in valle inter Kalam 35/26 N – 72/39 E et Kolalai 1800 m, K. H. Rechinger 30863 (W), Swat: Kalam to Utrot, 7000 ft, R. R. Stewart & M. A. Rahman 25161 (RAW), Swat: Bahrein, 4500 ft, Ali 26144 (W), Swat: Bahrein, 5000 ft, R. R. Stewart 24540 (RAW), Swat: Bahrain to Kolaila, J. Lamond 1758 (E), Swat: inter Madyan 35/10 – 72/30 E et Kolalai, K. H. Rechinger 30690 (W), Kashmir: S part of Nanga Parbat, Rupal valley, A. Zyzak 8 (KOR), B-8 Along Indus river, Mehdi Abadon on way to Parkutta, S. Omer, S. Nazimuddin E. A. Wahid 979 (KUH), Gilgit: Rama, 6 miles from Astore, S. Omer 358 (KUH), Gilgit: 4 miles from Astore on way to Rattu, S. Omer 329 (KUH), Gilgit: 3 miles from Astore on way to Rama, S. Omer 340 (KUH), Gilgit, Naltar, c. 9500 ft, S. Omer 99 (KUH), Dambu Das on way to Skardu Danba, S. Omer, S. Nazimuddin & E. Wahid 843 (KUH), Gilgit: c. 3 km NW of Naltar, 2800 m, 36/08 N – 74/10 E, Thompson & Brenner 880358 (RAW), Karakorum: Kahura near Skardu, 2300 m, M. Qaiser & S. Omer 8513 (KUH), Gilgit, Naltar, S. Omer 13 (KUH), Gilgit, Naltar, 9420 ft, S. Omer 88 (KUH), Baltistan, Thalle, S. Omer, S. Nazimuddin & S. A. Wahid 932 (KUH), Kashmir, Bandipur, 5200 ft, Koelz 9045 (NA), Kashmir, Apharwat, 12500 ft, O. Polunin 236 (B), Kashmir, Tangmarg 6000 ft, O. Polunin 312 (B), Baltistan, Shigar Nullah, 9000 ft, Koelz 9702 (NA), Baltistan, above Shigar, 9000 ft, Koelz 96098 (NA), Baltistan: Skardu, 7500 ft, Nasir & Webster 5783 (RAW, W), Kashmir. Gilgit. Naltar, R. R. Stewart 26580 (RAW), B-9 Baltistan, Brokdang, Shyok valley, 9500 ft, Koelz 9797 (NA), Kashmir, Imit, 3600 m, Schmid 2067 (RAW), Kashmir, Srinagar: Shankarargah hill, 1800 m, H. Freitag 7819 (Herb. Freitag), Kashmir: Shankargah, R. R. Stewart & Y. Nasir 22763 (RAW), C-7 Mana, c. 5 miles from Parachinar, S. Nasir & S. Abedin 1065 (KUH).

Distribution: Afghanistan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Kyrghystan, Kazakhstan and S. W. China.

One of the most polymorphic species of the genus, very difficult to understand and define satisfactorily. Rosa webbiana represents a complex of numerous morphotypes, sometimes differing extremely from each other. These morphotypes, differ, however, in quantitative characters, and are linked by a full scale of intermediates. The situation is more complicated by intensive hybridization with Rosa beggeriana and Rosa macrophylla. Field studies on ecology, phenology and distribution of particular biotypes, as well as caryological investigations may help to explain the problem.