Rose comprises an outer fleshy layer, the hypanthium, which contains 5–160 "seeds" (technically dry single-seeded fruits called achenes) embedded in a matrix of fine, but stiff, hairs. Rose hips of some species, especially the dog rose ("Rosa canina") and rugosa rose ("Rosa rugosa"), are very rich in vitamin C, among the richest sources of any plant. The hips are eaten by fruit-eating birds such as thrushes and waxwings, which then disperse the seeds in their droppings. Some birds, particularly finches, also eat the seeds. While the sharp objects along a rose stem are commonly called "thorns", they are technically prickles—outgrowths of
Thousand-year Rose church constructed there instead of as originally planned at Elze. One of the first printed works by Jessie Weston was a lengthy sentimental verse called "The Rose-Tree of Hildesheim". A narrative about "sacrifice and denial", it was modelled on the story of the rose. Published in 1896, it was the title verse in an omnibus of her poems. Inspiration for the book entitled "The Rose-bush of a Thousand Years" came from the rose at Hildesheim. Written by Mabel Wagnalls and published in 1918, it is a tale about a young girl abandoning her baby to the care of a convent.