About Rosa persica Michx. ex J.F.Gmel.
Rosa persica Michx. ex J.F.Gmel. is an unusual rose species that was once classified in its own separate genus, Hulthemia. It is native to desert and steppe habitats, ranging from Iran and Afghanistan in the south, through Central Asia, to western Siberia in the north. It has several distinct traits that set it apart from most other roses: most rose leaves are pinnate with 3 to 7 leaflets and have stipules, while Rosa persica has simple leaves with no stipules. Its flowers are also distinctive, with a darker coloured central area. In its natural habitat, it is a deep-rooted suckering weed. It grows in fields in Iran, for example, where it is collected and used for fuel after grain crops are harvested. The species is difficult to grow in gardens and is rarely cultivated. Some taxonomists consider Rosa berberifolia to be a variety of this species, classified as R. persica var. berberifolia.
