Thanks Plazbo. The references say 1988 few large thorns 1981 armed with hooked spines about ⅜ in. long 1917 a few hooked prickles.
The photos certainly show prickles (and a climber usually has prickles to haul itself up into the canopy). Not to mention that ‘Kiftsgate’ is said to be “viciously thorny”. I’ll make it prickly pro tem.
It could be that the plant at Sangerhausen is mislabeled. Their own description from 1988 says "few large prickles", the photo from the rosary shows however a cane full of prickles.
