Spikey Rosehips

[Phungus]

Can anyone help me to ID this oddity?
It is growing in a roadside hege in Shropshire.
The thorns on the hips were a lot more pronounced before I popped it into my bag to bring it home...

[Adam Cheeseman]

Looks like the rose has been attacked by a gall forming species.

Cheers,

Adam

[Phungus]

I would agree with you except that it was the same last year, and the year before that. I just never got around to collecting a sample and its hard to photograph in situ as it's a long way up.

[Phungus]

I just checked for insects inside, no sign but huge seeds...

[Dorts]

This looks like the hip of Sherard's Downy Rose - Rosa sherardii. Quite widespread, particularly on the Western side of the country.
http://www.bsbimaps.org.uk/atlas/map...0&sppname=Rosa Sherard's Downy-rose

Some hips have bristles/hairs tipped with a sticky gland, often containing a highly scented sap-like juice. These 'bristles' on the rose hip are a perfectly natural part of the plant and are to be found on a number of Rose species. They can often help with the identification of some of the more difficult species.

They are not the result of a Gall.
Dorts.

[Hobjob]

Originally Posted by Phungus

I just checked for insects inside, no sign but huge seeds...

Many galls are caused by things other than insects though - viruses, bacteria, fungi etc..

But I am sure Dorts is, as ever, right.

[Phungus]

Thanks Dort!
Downy roses are not at all common over here on the east coast where I live which explains why I have never seen it before.
I shall have to wait to see it in flower before I can be sure which downy rose it is as there appears to be a few of them to choose from.
It's lovely to be able to identify these things

[Dorts]

Originally Posted by Phungus

Thanks Dort!
Downy roses are not at all common over here on the east coast where I live which explains why I have never seen it before.
I shall have to wait to see it in flower before I can be sure which downy rose it is as there appears to be a few of them to choose from.
It's lovely to be able to identify these things

I cannot confirm Sherard's Downy rose just from your hip. As I said, 'it looks like Rosa sherardii', but could well be one of several species that has hairy-hips.
I was tring to draw attention to the fact that seveal species of rose have these glanular hairs on their hips, and also more commonly on leaves. This is particularly so with Sweet Briars whose apple-scent comes from the sap contained in these glands.

It would be worthwhile posting some pics. next year of flowers, leaves, thorns and the whole plant to see if we can come up with an exact ID.
Dorts.