CROATIAN FLORA – ROSES, Slavoljub Penkala

SLAVOLJUB PENKALA The flowers of the Slavoljub Penkala rose variety are characterized by very diverse colors of their petals: from completely yellow, orange streaked with yellow stripes to completely yellow rose that are the color of old gold. The Slavoljub Penkala variety was created from the Ambassador variety, the most famous rose for cutting in yellow-orange color. Slavoljub Penkala is a tea rose that can be used as a cut flower or for cultivation in the garden, and its creator is Josip Rogin. The rose (Rosa) is the eponymous genus from the rose family (Rosaceae). The rose family is a large group of very diverse, predominantly woody plants. Most of them are of great economic significance, with important edible, medicinal or ornamental species. The rose family includes most widespread fruit species, such as apples, plums, strawberries, raspberries, peaches, etc. Roses are deciduous, rarely evergreen shrubs with thorny stems that are erect or climbing. Although roses are commonly said to have thorns, these are actually prickles. Unlike real thorns, prickles are relatively easy to break off and separate from stems. The leaves of the roses come in oddly numbered pinnates and have stipules. The five-petaled flowers contain numerous stamens. The fruits are popularly known as the hip, the hep or the haw. Due to the beauty and scent of the flowers, roses have long been grown as horticultural plants and it is estimated that today there are about 30 thousand varieties in cultivation. The Slavoljub Penkala variety was named after Eduard Slavoljub Penkala, a Croatian inventor of Polish origin. Although Slavoljub Penkala's body of work includes about 80 inventions, probably his most famous inventions are mechanical pens and fountain pens with solid ink, the forerunner of the ballpoint pen. Prof. Mihaela Britvec, PhD Faculty of Agriculture, Zagreb