Article (newsletter)  (Nov 2017)  Page(s) 11-12.  Includes photo(s).
 
On Mt. Omei in 1904, Wilson discovered a species closely related to R. longicuspis (1861), namely R. sinowilsonii. With its large shiny eaves, sometimes a foot long, it produces huge self-made bouquets of large white flowers whose petals on the reverse are quite silky. It has been known to climb 45 feet high. A gigantic sample of this species thrives rampantly at my favorite English garden, Hinton Ampner. To put it mildly, the species in bloom makes a spectacular display.

Book  (1 May 2003)  
 
Rosa longicuspis Bertoloni
Shrubs usually evergreen, climbing or scrambling, 1.5–6 m tall. Branchlets purple-brown; prickles sparse or scattered, curved, to 5 mm, stout, flat, gradually tapering to a broad base. Leaves including petiole 7–14 cm; stipules... often glandular-pubescent; rachis and petiole glabrous, with a few hooked prickles; leaflets 5–9... 3–7(–11) × 1–3.5(–5) cm, leathery, both surfaces glabrous, abaxially with prominent midvein, adaxially shiny, rugose or not.... Flowers numerous, in corymb... pedicel... sparsely pubescent, densely glandular-pubescent; bracts... margin glandular-pubescent. Hypanthium ... sparsely pubescent and glandular-pubescent. Sepals ...intermixed with glandular hairs, margin entire or few pinnately lobed... Petals 5, fragrant, white or creamy-white... Styles connate into column, exserted, slightly longer than stamens, pubescent. Hip dark red, obovoid... glabrous; sepals reflexed, deciduous at hip ripening. ...
...Guizhou Sichuan, Yunnan [N India].
One of us (Robertson) would prefer not to recognize varieties in this species, and notes that the distinguishing characters given below are not those used by Rehder (Man. Cult. Trees, ed. 2, 447. 1940, as species).
Rosa longicuspis var. sinowilsonii (Hemsley) T. T. Yü & T. C. Ku
-Rosa sinowilsonii Hemsley
Leaflets 5(or 7), abaxially glabrous or slightly pubescent, adaxially slightly rugose. Compound corymb 30-flowered.
Guizhou, Sichuan, Yunnan.

Book  (Nov 1994)  Page(s) 213.  
 
Rosa longicuspis Prior to 1915. Sometimes considered synonymous with R. sinowilsonii and R. lucens. For many years I have been guilty of distributing a plant under this name which was in reality R. mulliganii. Rosa longicuspis has leaves nearly as large as those of R. sinowilsonii. A useful late-flowering species, bearing large heps. Rosa lucens has particularly shining dark leaves and a more shrubby growth.

Book  (Nov 1994)  Page(s) 219.  
 
Rosa sinowilsonii Western China. Considerable confusion surrounds the botanical status of this rose and Rosa longicuspis. They have been considered synonymous, but as grown at Kew, at Bodnant in Wales, and at Wakehurst and Borde Hill, Sussex, Rosa sinowilsonii is quite distinct from any other rose I have seen. The plant is most conspicuous in the summer on account of its shining red-brown angles shoots, prickles of the same colour, and the seven broad but long-pointed leaflets, deeply veined and corrugated and coarsely toothed, of lustrous dark green above while beneath they are of glossy, rich, purplish red-brown. The flowers are white, borne several together, but not in the first rank of beauty. No rose is so handsome in leaf, and it would be worth a place on any warm sunny wall for this character alone; it is not particularly hardy, and will only otherwise thrive in sheltered gardens. Introduced in 1904.

Book  (1993)  Page(s) 78.  Includes photo(s).
 
[Listed under "Wild Roses and Their Cultivars"] A hardier and more rampant variety than normal Rosa longicuspis. Description. Summer flowering. Height: 7 ft. Scented.

Book  (1988)  Page(s) 173.  
 
location 126/2, R. sinowilsonii Hemsl., SYNSTYLAE, Southwest China 1905, white, single, medium size, blooms seldom, climbing or creeping, up to 2m long canes, brown-red, winter protection, light green foliage, reverse red-brown, salt, medium-large

Book  (1988)  Page(s) 39.  
 
R. longicuspis var. sinowilsonii (Hemsl.) Yu & Ku, differs [from R. longicuspis] in its larger leaves, no - or only slightly - hairy pedicels, and broader buds. Described from Mt Emei.

Website/Catalog  (1985)  Page(s) 42.  
 
Rosa sinowilsinii* Large glossy green foliage, showing of trusses of single white flowers. Vigorous but needs protection in cold districts. (S) 12 x 8’.

Book  (1981)  Page(s) 286.  
 
R. sinowilsonii Hemsl. Climbing shrub, similar to R. longicuspis, to 5 m./16.5 ft. high, young stems reddish, with only few, short, hooked prickles, leaves semi-persistent to evergreen, leaflets 5-7...sharply serrate...petiole bald, prickly...fruits ellipsoid, red....Tender.

Book  (1968)  Page(s) 82.  
 
Tess Allen. Scrambling Roses. R. sinowilsonii has reddish stems with few prickles, clusters of creamy-white flowers and the largest leaves of any rose. In summer, following a mild winter and spring, the leaves will be as much as a foot long made up of seven leaflets, green above and red-brown beneath. I cannot recommend this as a rose to climb up a tree, as even in a mild district it will need the protection of a wall. A less spectacular climbing species R. longicuspis is confused with R. sinowilsonii but the former is much hardier and has considerably smaller leaves, glossy-green above and dull-green below.