Roses are one of the most economically important ornamental crops world wide. The lack of understanding about the inheritance of important characteristics exists inspite of extensive commercial efforts at breeding of new varieties. That most cultivated roses are highly heterozygous tetraploids which exhibit significant inbreeding depression after selfing is one fact impeding experimental pursuit of rose genomics. Another fact impeding pursuit of rose genomics is that most of the diploid species are self-incompatible and are not recurrent flowering. The demands upon breeding programs for disease resistance and new varieties requires introgression from wild roses - which requires knowledge of genetic determinants of the relevant traits. Genetic linkage maps are the first step forward.

Rosa lucieae blooms once per season (single seasonal blooming), is single flowered, and is thorny.