This group has been formed to provide a forum in which serious (though not necessarily humorless!) discussion may take place between those who have familiarity with rose history, literature, cultural practices, hybridization, and/or the current rose scene. Topics and material are the above, plus rose i.d., developments, or discoveries; interesting aspects of roses old or new; hybridizing; species characteristics; unfamiliar cultural practices; availability of uncommon roses; conferences; extended papers—either early drafts or final drafts—on such topics; translations of pertinent documents; theories; and relevant questions. Inappropriate postings would be: The commonplaces of cultivation; bulletins about events of local interest; belabored disagreements; discourtesy; belligerent postings; and social chit-chat. Posters should keep in mind that membership is international, and members in Stockholm will not be interested in street directions to a Saturday-morning kaffee-klatsch in Bodie. Postings here are not to be re-posted or paraphrased elsewhere without express written permission of the writer. Postings may be made in any language; all postings in a language other than English or French must be preceded by a summary in English or French. Members are expected to take an active role in posting; conspicuously silent members or those who make inappropriate postings will lose their status. All members are to be treated with equal dignity, whatever their accomplishments, publications, memberships, contacts, positions, degrees, honors, history, prospects, or lack of same. We take as our preceptor Jean-Pierre Vibert, whose taste, energy, ethics, and quest for truth and progress whatever the personal cost continue to inspire.