Portlands (Damask Perpetuals) are (equal tetraploids), starting with "Duchess of Portland" (I am not sure if this rose is a tetraploid or a diploid but from what I have read I have the feeling it is a tetraploid).

The Duchess was discovered in 1790 and is supposed to be a cross of the "Autumn Damask" X "Slaters Crimson China" or a Damask /Gallica cross X a China rose probably "Slaters Crimson China". I don't think that the cross stated is true to fact, as either cross would have likely produced a triploid. I feel this could have been the case with some re-crossing. From the color and the fact that it is almost single it could very well be part "Slaters Crimson China" maybe a self from the original cross?

Mr. Beales doesn’t believe there is any China in the Duchess at all. He thinks it is more likely an "Autumn Damask" X Gallica cross. I do not have " Duchess of Portland " so I can not comment on that particular rose. I do have " Rose de Rescht", "Portland from Glendora", "Miranda", "Jacques Cartier", "Marbree", "Comte de Chambord", and "Alfred de Dalmas" (a mossy Portland). From growing, breeding and observing these, I have no doubt that some of these have China in their blood. "Rose de Rescht" and "Alfred de Dalmas" out-bloom many of my Teas. Most are short, rather twiggy and when bred to teas don’t expose the dominant gene for tallness. Tea DNA could have been infused later.

There were several races of (Damask Perpetuals) the Biferas, (known since Roman times) with tall, arching growth; the Portlands, showing Gallica influence; the Tous-les-Mois, the typical sort, bushy and compact with tight blossoms; and the Trianons, tall, vigorous, Hybrid-Perpetual like growth with clusters of flowers. If some of these are bred from a Tea rose, and was used for breeding, this could explain the later infusion of China blood. Some authorities think "Rose de Rescht" and "Tous-les-Mois" are synonymous.

This brings me to another point I have yet to figure out. The Autumn Damask is generally excepted as being a cross of R. damask and R. moschata yet neither of these are remontant. The only remontant musks I know of are crosses themselves. Also I have read several articles on Damask, Gallica china crosses (this taken from Peter Beales book "Classic Roses") "Interestingly, the late Edward LeGrice used pollen from various purple Gallicas to breed his unusually colored Floribundas. Most of these, many of which were never introduced, tended to a shortish habit with their remontancy not influenced by the introduction of the Gallica genes". This seems to be a contradiction in the excepted rules of rose heredity. The gene for remontancy is recessive to once blooming and when using china blood the gene for shortness is a recessive gene to the normal gene for tallness? Is it possible that the unusual color is from China blood? I am not sure why it is believed that the Autumn Damask is a Damask X Musk cross other than the drooping leaves. Is it possible it was a Musk X China cross that gives that second flush? How can we be sure that Chinas and or teas didn't make their way to several foreign lands long before it was documented. People at the time wouldn't have understood the laws of heredity so most (if not all) of the crosses were open pollination. The recessive genes would have been absorbed back into the mainstream roses of the time, which would have been much higher in futility. triploids over time when planted with tetraploids could have converted by open pollination expressing some of the more dominant and taking the unseen recessive Tea or China genes with them. The Musk and Tea both being diploids could have had very fertile offspring.

Back to Portlands (Damask Perpetuals), I really like them and feel they have everything a rose needs. They have an easy size, good re-bloom (some better than others) They typically have stocky, healthy, decorative bushes, with the often exquisitely double, fragrant blossoms nestling in the leaves. My personal recommendation for the first time Portland (Damask Perpetuals) owner is "Rose de Rescht". Even if you think you don't like anything but Teas, try this one. "R.d.R." is very upright (I am not sure it's not an early Hybrid Perpetual) it starts out with full, (sometimes quartered) fuchsia blooms that ripen to a lavender pompom (making me think it has tea blood). On the third day it drops it’s petals so it stays fairly self-cleaning (this makes "R.d.R." a better outside rose than for cut roses). "My Rose de Rescht " is never out of bloom during the summer and is winter hardy it has little or no winter die back. This one is just an all-round nice rose. I have pictures posted of the Portlands I have.