A review on phylogeny of Damask Rose (Rosa × damascena)

Damask rose (Rosa × damascena) is one of the most significant species of Rosaceae family scattered in mountain regions of Iran from west lands to central and eastern hills of the country. R. × damascena has considerable applications in pharmaceuticals and perfumeries and has been the subject of vast research. Extensive studies on genotypes of R. × damascena in Iran have shown considerable diversity in this species, and this could represent Iran as a potential hub for genetic diversification and improvement of its cultivars. The species seems to be the most important direct ancestor of North West cultivars in Europe in sect. Rosa, genus Rosa which is thought to be a hybrid with three parents of wild Rosa species, and R. moschata species is its Asian female parent. Based on the evidence from fossils of the genus Rosa, it has been suggested that Asia is the ancestral area for Rosa genus, and the Synstylae lineage in Europe is probably the oldest group that has expanded from Asia about 30 million years ago. The phylogeny of this difficult genus shows presentation of an evolutionary framework requires more in-depth studies.