ROSACEAE ROSE FAMILY

Plant: herbs, vines, shrubs and trees

Stem:
Root:
Leaves: simple or pinnately compound, mostly alternate but rarely opposite;
stipules present but may fall early, or without stipules
Flowers: mostly perfect, a few dioecious, regular (actinomorphic); (4)5
sepals; (4)5 petals or sometimes none; stamens 1-10 to many, often in
multiples of 5 around central cup; ovary inferior to sub-inferior or rarely
superior, 3- many carpels,1 to many pistils
Fruit: fleshy or dry seed or fruit, various forms
Other: large family; ornamentals such as roses; fruits such as apples,
cherries, peaches, plums, etc. as well as strawberries, blackberries and
raspberries; Dicotyledons Group
Genera: 125+ genera

WARNING family descriptions are only a laymans guide and should not be used as definitive

Flower Morphology in the

Rosaceae (Rose Family)
Mostly 5 sepals and 5 petals usually
with many stamens; leaves mostly
alternate or pinnately compound;
often with stipules

Silverweed Cinquefoil
Small-Flowered Agrimony

Ninebark

White Avens

Wild Strawberry
Indian [Mock] Strawberry

White Meadowsweet

Smooth Rose

Bowman's Root

Sweet Cherry

ROSACEAE ROSE FAMILY

Black Chokeberry; Photinia melanocarpa (Michx.) Robertson & Phipps
Ninebark; Physocarpus opulifolius (L.) Maxim.
Silvery [Silver] Cinquefoil; Potentilla argentea L. (Introduced)
Varileaf Cinquefoil; Potentilla diversifolia Lehm.
Sulfur Cinquefoil; Potentilla recta L. (Introduced)
Rough [Norwegian] Cinquefoil; Potentilla norvegica L. ssp. monspeliensis (L.) Aschers. & Graebn
[Old-Field] Common Cinquefoil; Potentilla simplex Michx.
Sweet Cherry; Prunus avium L. (Introduced)
Mexican [Big Tree; Wild] Plum; Prunus mexicana S. Watson
Wild Goose Plum; Prunus munsoniana W. Wight & Hedrick
Black Cherry; Prunus serotina Ehrh. var. serotina
[Sesquehana Sandcherry]; Prunus susquehanae hort. ex Willd. [Prunus pumila L. var. cuneata (Raf.)
Bailey]
Chokecherry; Prunus virginiana L. var. virginiana
Antelope Bitterbrush; Purshia tridentata (Pursh) DC.
Callery [Bradford] Pear; Pyrus calleryana Decne. (Introduced)
Jetbead; Rhodotypos scandens (Thunb.) Makino (Introduced)
Prickly Rose; Rosa acicularis Lindl.
Pasture [Carolina] Rose; Rosa Carolina L.
Multiflora Rose; Rosa multiflora Thunb. ex Murr. (Introduced)
Swamp Rose; Rosa palustris Marsh.

ROSACEAE ROSE FAMILY

Creeping Sibbaldia [Cloverleaf Rose]; Sibbaldia procumbens L.

Three-Toothed Cinquefoil [Shrubby Fivefingers]; Sibbaldiopsis tridentata (Aiton) Rydb. (Potentilla
tridentata)
False Spiraea; Sorbaria sorbifolia (L.) A. Braun
White Meadowsweet; Spiraea alba Du Roi var. alba
Steeplebush [Hardhack]; Spiraea tomentosa L.

Black Chokeberry

USDA

Photinia melanocarpa (Michx.) Robertson

& Phipps
Rosaceae (Rose Family)
Kitty Todd Nature Preserve, Lucas County, Ohio
Notes: small shrub; flowers white (pink), small; leaves finely
toothed, mostly glabrous, usually with a line of glands
along the upper midrib; twigs and buds mostly glabrous to
somewhat hairy; fruit a red berry turning black
[V Max Brown, 2004]

[Common] Ninebark

USDA

Physocarpus opulifolius (L.) Maxim.

Rosaceae (Rose Family)
Oak Openings Metropark, Lucas
County, Ohio
Notes: common shrub; 5-petaled flower, white to
pinkish, sepals green; leaves alternate, with
rounded lobes and toothed; bark very scaly or
shreddy; fruit in umbel-like clusters of capsules
often lasting through winter (varieties based on
pubescent of capsules)
[V Max Brown, 2004]

Silvery [Silver] Cinquefoil

USDA

Potentilla argentea L. (Introduced)

Rosaceae (Rose Family)
Oak Openings Metropark, Lucas County, Ohio
Notes: 5-petaled flower, yellow, petals exceeding sepals; leaflets
deeply (3-5) toothed or lobed, underside of leaflets and stem silvery
pubescent; plant erect; late spring to early fall
[V Max Brown, 2004]

Leaf bottom

Sulfur Cinquefoil

USDA

Potentilla recta L. (Introduced)

Rosaceae (Rose Family)
Oak Openings Metropark, Lucas County, Ohio
Notes: 5-petaled flower, pale yellow and notched; palmate leaves, 5-7
leaflets, narrow and coarsely toothed, not silvery pubescent beneath but
may have some long hairs; mostly single stemmed below flowering
branches; erect plant; late spring to fall
[V Max Brown, 2007]

Rough [Norwegian] Cinquefoil

USDA

Potentilla norvegica L. ssp. monspeliensis (L.)

Aschers. & Graebn
Rosaceae (Rose Family)
Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge, Ottawa County, Ohio
Notes: 5-petaled flower, yellow, sepals longer than petals;
palmate leaf, 3 leaflets, serrate; stem hairy, erect to
sprawling, stout, branched; summer to fall
[V Max Brown, 2006]

Varileaf Cinquefoil

USDA

Potentilla diversifolia Lehm.

Rosaceae (Rose Family)
Fraser area, Grand County, Colorado
Notes: 5-petaled flower, bright yellow, tip truncated
with narrow base, pedicels long; leaves mostly basal
with long petioles, leaves palmate, 5-7 leaflets,
coarsely toothed (especially in upper half),
moderately hairy on both surfaces or not, sometimes
silvery haired below; erect plant; lower elevations to
alpine environments; summer (several varieties)
[V Max Brown, 2012]

[Old-Field] Common Cinquefoil

USDA

Potentilla simplex Michx.

Rosaceae (Rose Family)
Oak Openings Metropark, Lucas County, Ohio
Notes: 5-petaled flower, yellow, solitary on long pedicel, petals
usually longer than sepals; palmate leaf with 5(-7) leaflets,
commonly coarsely toothed on distal of leaflet; mostly
prostrate plant when mature, rooting at tip; spring to summer
[V Max Brown, 2004]

Sweet Cherry

USDA

Prunus avium L. (Introduced)

Rosaceae (Rose) Family
Maumee River Metroparks, Lucas County, Ohio
Notes: shrub to tree; 5-petaled flower, white, large, on pedicels of
several cm; bark thin, scaly, becoming dark; leaves ovate to
oblong, serrate, pubescent on veins below, 10-14 pairs of veins;
twigs thick; winter buds large and scaled; fruit red and sweet
[V Max Brown, 2004]

Mexican [Big Tree; Wild] Plum

USDA

Prunus mexicana S. Watson

Rosaceae (Rose) Family
Wilsons Creek National Battlefield, Greene
County, Missouri
Notes: shrub to small tree; 5-petaled flower, white, 2-4 on
pedicel; bark scaly when young, becoming darker and
furrowed when older; leaves alternate, ovate-lanceolate,
toothed, hairy below especially on veins, glabrous
above, net veined above and below, petiole hairy; winter
buds mostly glabrous; mature fruit grayish-blue at
maturity, fleshy and clings to seed, seed oval with ridges
on one side and grooved on the other; spring
[V Max Brown, 2010]

Wild Goose Plum

USDA

Prunus munsoniana W. Wight & Hedrick

Rosaceae (Rose) Family
Wilsons Creek National Battlefield, Greene
County, Missouri
Notes: shrub to small tree; 5-petaled flower, white, 2-4 on
pedicel; bark smooth, with horizontal lenticls, scaly later;
leaves alternate, lanceolate, finely toothed, somewhat hairy
below especially on veins, glabrous above and glossy, long
pointed, mature leaves somewhat folded, minute glands on
inside curve of each tooth; winter buds mostly glabrous;
mature fruit yellow to red with white dots, somewhat
glaucous usually, yellow flesh, seed oval, pointed tip,
groved on sides; spring
[V Max Brown, 2010]

Black Cherry

USDA

Prunus serotina Ehrh. var. serotina

Rosaceae (Rose Family)
Oak Openings Metropark, Lucas County, Ohio
Notes: tree; 5-petaled flower, white, on raceme; leaves
elliptical to lanceolate, finely toothed (rounded and curved
in); bark dark, smooth when young but breaks into scaly
plates with age; slender, rank smell when broken; winter
buds small, bright brown, with rounded tips; fruit red to
purplish-black; spring
[V Max Brown, 2005]

[Sesquehana] Sand Cherry

USDA

Prunus susquehanae hort. ex Willd.

[Prunus pumila L. var. cuneata (Raf.) Bailey]
Rosaceae (Rose Family)
Kitty Todd Nature Preserve, Lucas County, Ohio
Notes: small shrub; 5-petaled flower, white, from leaf axils
on long petioles; leaves alternate, elliptical to somewhat
ovate, mostly entire on lower half and finely toothed on
distal half, usually glaucous below; bark wrinkled; twigs
reddish-brown; winter buds small
[V Max Brown, 2007]

Chokecherry

USDA

Prunus virginiana L. var. virginiana

Rosaceae (Rose Family)
Oak Openings Metropark, Lucas County, Ohio
Notes: shrub or small tree; 5-petaled flower, white, on raceme;
leaves alternate, mostly ovate, thin, serrate, teeth ascending, short
sharp tip; bark fissured; twigs with rank odor, partially covered with
gray fuzz; winter bud scales brown with lighter margins; fruit red to
dark red, small and shiny; spring
[V Max Brown, 2006]

Antelope Bitterbrush

USDA

Purshia tridentata (Pursh) DC.

Rosaceae (Rose Family)
Lake Granby Area, Grand County,
Colorado
Notes: shrub (usually < 3-4 m); 5-petaled flower,
white to light yellow; leaf wedge-shaped with 3
apical lobes, hairy above and densely white
hairy below, edges often revolute; stems
reddish, often flaky; plant hairy and glandular;
lower elevations to foothills environments;
summer
[V Max Brown, 2012]

Callery [Bradford] Pear

USDA

Pyrus calleryana Decne. (Introduced)

Rosaceae (Rose Family)
Nixa, Christian County, Missouri
Notes: tree; 5-petaled flower , white and showy, in
umbels from lateral branches; leaves simple, fairly small
(up to 9 cm), rounded with fine teeth and undulating
edge, glabrous, dark green above; twigs usually hairy;
buds large and white tomentose; fruit small on long
pedicel; spring (extensively planted)
[V Max Brown, 2011]

Jetbead

USDA

Rhodotypos scandens (Thunb.)

Makino (Introduced)
Rosaceae (Rose Family)
Oak Openings Metropark, Lucas County, Ohio
Notes: shrub; 4-petaled showy flower, white; leaves
opposite, ovate, serrate with ascending teeth, sometimes
double-toothed; bark rough with lenticels; fruit a berry,
black, usually 4 to 6 in a cluster at end of twig
[V Max Brown, 2006]

Prickly Rose

USDA

Rosa acicularis Lindl.

Rosaceae (Rose Family)
Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
Notes: large 5-petaled solitary flower, pink to rose, sepals
persistent, pedicel and hypanthium glabrous; leaves
compound (5-7 mostly), ovate, double toothed, stipules
glandular; branches mostly red to brown, abundant
prickles of different sizes; erect plant; summer
[V Max Brown, 2012]

Pasture [Carolina] Rose

USDA

Rosa Carolina L.
Rosaceae (Rose Family)
Oak Openings Metropark, Lucas County, Ohio
Notes: flower white, pink to red, sepals flare terminally;
leaflets dull to slightly shiny; upper twigs mostly smooth
but with slender thorns and prickles; spring to summer
[V Max Brown, 2006]

Multiflora [Japanese] Rose

USDA

Rosa multiflora Thunb. ex Murr. (Introduced)

Rosaceae (Rose Family)
Oak Openings Metropark, Lucas County, Ohio
Notes: 5-petaled flower, white, usually >4 flowers per
cluster, sepals pinnate or deeply lobed; leaves usually 7-9
pinnate, stipules comb-like (pinnate); younger stems green,
becoming reddish; fruit red; very branched shrub; abundant
and invasive; late spring to summer
[V Max Brown, 2005]

Swamp Rose

USDA

Rosa palustris Marsh.

Rosaceae (Rose Family)
Waterloo Recreation Area, Washtenaw County,
Michigan
Notes: flowers white, pink to red, sepals linear; leaves
compound, leaflets dull to slightly shiny, teeth small, stipules
narrow; branches mostly red and smooth, twigs hairy; prickles
hooked and usually stout; swamps and wet ground; summer
[V Max Brown, 2009]

Creeping Sibbaldia
[Cloverleaf Rose]

USDA

Sibbaldia procumbens L.
Rosaceae (Rose Family)
Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
Notes: 5-petaled tiny flower, yellow, bractlets and
sepals green, in a cluster (cyme); leaves basal,
palmate (3 leaflets), leaflets wedge-shaped and
notched (toothed) at apex; subalpine to alpine
environments; summer
[V Max Brown, 2012]

Three-Toothed Cinquefoil
[Shrubby Fivefingers]

USDA

Sibbaldiopsis tridentata (Aiton) Rydb.

(Potentilla tridentata)
Rosaceae (Rose Family)
Whitefish Point, Chippewa County, Michigan
Notes: 5-petaled flower, white, sepals shorter than petals,
branching clusters; leaves evergreen turning red in fall,
palmate with 3 leaflets, mostly 3 toothed at tip; sandy soils;
late spring to summer
[V Max Brown, 2008]

False Spiraea

USDA

Sorbaria sorbifolia (L.) A. Braun (Introduced)

Rosaceae (Rose Family)
Oak Openings Metropark, Lucas County, Ohio
Notes: shrub; 5-petaled flower, white, in spikes resembling
sumac; leaves alternate and pinnate, double toothed; spreads
by suckers; late spring to summer
[V Max Brown, 2005]

White Meadowsweet
Spiraea alba Du Roi var. alba
Rosaceae (Rose Family)
Oak Openings Metropark, Lucas County, Ohio
Notes: 5-petaled flower, flower cluster longer than wide,
inflorescence somewhat to densely hairy; leaves ovate to
lanceolate, mostly glabrous, coarsely toothed, 3-4x longer than
wide; stem reddish-brown; summer to fall
[V Max Brown, 2005]

USDA

Steeplebush [Hardhack]
Spiraea tomentosa L.
Rosaceae (Rose Family)
Oak Openings Metropark, Lucas County, Ohio
Notes: 5-petaled flower, pink to rose, in steeple-like spike; leaves alternate,
elliptical, brownish pubescent (tomentose) beneath, stem woody and wooly;
summer to fall
[V Max Brown, 2004]

USDA