Densely branched shrub up to 1.5(-2) m. Young sterile stems yellowish-brown, flexuose, glabrous or rarely pubescent. Prickles straight, strongly laterally compressed, with broad decurrent base, usually densely se t on the stems, chestnut-red wh en young, acicles or bristles normally lacking. Flowering branches very short, up to 5 (-10) mm. Leaflets (5-) 7-9, up to 5 (-8) mm long, variable in shape, obovate, oblanceolate or broadly elliptic, subacute to tru ncate at apex, glabrous or pubescent beneath, glandular on both sides or smooth, crenate-serrate. Stipules narrow, with diverging auricles. Flowers solitary, without bracts, 20-30 (-40) mm in diameter, yellow. Pedicels variable in length, usually smooth and glabrous (?). Sepals entire, patent or deflexed in fruit, persistent. Styles rather few, not forming compact head, usually glabrous below the stigma. Fruit 5-7 (-10) mm in diameter, (sub) globose, brownish wh en mature.
Fl.Per.: May-June
Type: Kurram valley, Dec. 1879, J.E.T.Aitchison 165 (BM) (Ghora & Panigrahi, l. c.).
A-6 Chitral, Oihor Gol, 36o.04'N, 71o.48'E, 8000 ft, Bowes Lyon s. n. (BM), A-7 Chitral: Urgosh Dhok, 11000 ft, M.A.Siddiqi & M.A.Rehmani 26858 (RAW), Chitral, Shoghor Gol, Karimabad village, W of Tirich Mir, 3200 m, A.Ghafoor & S. Omer 2942 pro parte (KUH), Chitral: Arkari Gol. Between villages Mogh and Rahimabad, A. Ghafoor & S. Omer 2726 (KUH), Chitral Barum Gol, below Shokhor Shal, 3500 m, Wendelbo s.n. (O), Chitral, open slope to Mastuj, J.D.Stainton 2516 (RAW), Chitral: Gokshal, 2760, Chitral Gol, H. Khan 80/A (RAW), Chitral: Chitral-Mastuj track, 9500 ft, J.D.Stainton 2516 (BM), Chitral: Oihor Gol, 36/04 N – 71/48 E, 8000 ft, Bowes Lyon (BM), B-6 Chitral: Near village Mogh. Between Shoghor & Garm Chashma. Luthko valley, A. Ghafoor & S. Omer 2559 (KUH), Chitral: Bruboret Gol, N of Drosh, J.D.Stainton 2223 (BM), C-6 Kurram Valley, Parachinar, R. R. Stewart (RAW), Kurram, Ali Mangal Post, Parachinar, M. A. Siddiqi & Y. Nasir (RAW), Kurram: Pewar near Parachinar, M. A. Siddiqi 3860 (RAW), D-4 Baluchistan: Ziarat, M. A. Siddiqi 2044 (RAW).
Distribution: Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan (N. W. F. Province, Baluchistan), Kashmir and India (Uttar Pradesh).
Rosa ecae is easy to recognize by dense, low habit, straight, broad-based, reddish-brown prickles, small, yellow flowers and glabrous styles. Small-leaved forms of Rosa webbiana s.l. are often mistaken for Rosa ecae, especially in the vegetative state.They can be distinguished by broader stipules with short straight auricles. In yellow-flowered roses stipules are narrow and have divergent auricles.
