Geranium plant "Cassandra"

Abstract

This invention relates to a new distinct cultivar of geranium, substantially as illustrated and described, characterized as being particularly well adapted to both commercial greenhouse production and garden performance, and having more fully double florets, lighter flower color and more compact plant habit when compared to the geranium cultivar "Veronica".

Description

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of geranium Pelargonium.times.hortorum called "Cassandra". The cultivar is particularly well adapted to both commercial greenhouse production and garden performance. The novel characteristics of the cultivar are more fully double florets, lighter floral color, and more compact plant habit when compared to the cultivar geranium "Veronica". The cultivar is further characterized by unique biochemical fingerprint profiles.

The cultivar was developed from an organized, scientifically designed breeding program carried out at the Department of Horticulture, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 and specifically resulted from selection from the self-pollinated progeny of the geranium cultivar "Honseler's Glorie Lila", which is probably an asexual selection from "Purpurball". The cultivar was asexually propagated by cuttings and the reproductions ran true.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 illustrates in color the cultivar including foliage and flowers.

FIG. 2 illustrates the anthocyanin profile obtained from HPLC. Quantitative values are found in the tables. Analyses included a single peak that represented both pelargonidin and petunidin 3,5-diglucosides. Corrections were made in accompanying tables.

Peak No.

1. Delphinidin 3,5-diglucoside

2. Cyanidin 3,5-diglucoside

3. Pelargonidin 3,5-diglucoside

4. Peonidin 3,5-diglucoside

5. Malvidin 3,5-diglucoside

FIG. 3 illustrates the flavonol profile obtained from HPLC. Quantitative values are found in the tables.

Peak No.

1. Quercetin 3-rhamnosylgalactoside

2. Quercetin 3-rutinoside

3. Quercetin 3-galactoside

4. Quercetin 3-glucoside

5. Kaempferol 3-rhamnosylgalactoside

6. Kaempferol 3-galactoside

7. Kaempferol 3-rutinoside

8. Kaempferol 3-glucoside; Kaempferol 7-glucoside; Quercetin 3-rhamnoside

9. Kaempferol 3-xyloside

10. Kaempferol 3-arabinoside

11. Kaempferol 3-rhamnoside

With reference to the detailed description of the cultivar which follows, the test plant was grown in full sun under glass, 60.degree. F. night and 75.degree. F. sunny days. Soilless medium was fertilized constantly with 300 ppm N-K. Color readings were taken under cool white fluorescent lamps at 220 foot-candles and color identification was by reference to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Charts except where common terms of color definition are employed.

The Plant

Classification:

Botanical.--Pelargonium.times.hortorum.

Tradename.--#725-(80-208-1)="Cassandra".

Form: Semi-dwarf, free basal branching; comparatively compact growth; flowers relatively close to foliage; freer flowering; earlier flowering; significantly improved form in this color.

Height: 21.0-26.0 cm.

Growth: Faster than standard; leaves smaller than standard; short internodes; free branching from base; leaves zoned.

Strength: Stands upright without artificial support.

Leaves:

Size.--8.0-12.0 cm.

Shape.--Reniform, variously lobed.

Margin.--Crenate.

Texture.--Pubescent, dull; veins prominent and recessed.

Color.--Top: Dark zone band, Fan 3, green group 143-A (R.H.S.C.C.); Rest of leaf, Fan 3, yellow-green group, 144-A (R.H.S.C.C.). Bottom: Fan 3, green group, 143-C (R.H.S.C.C.).

Ribs and veins.--Palmate.

Petioles: Fan 3, green group, 143-C (R.H.S.C.C.).

Stem:

Color.--Fan 3, green group, 143-C (R.H.S.C.C.).

Internodes.--1.0-2.0 cm.

The Bud

Shape: Slight crook to petiole just below bud; hemispherical.

Size: 2.0-3.0 cm diameter.

Inflorescence

Blooming habit: Continuous, upright, double, non-shattering hemispherical.

Size: 10.0-12.0 cm.

Borne: Umbel; florets on pedicel; pedicels on peduncle.

Florets:

Form.--Petals twisted, upright, irregular and variable, double.

Color.--Top: Upper: Fan 2, red-purple group, 66-B (R.H.S.C.C.). Middle: Fan 2, red-purple group, 57-B (R.H.S.C.C.). Base: Fan 1, red group, 41-C (R.H.S.C.C.). Bottom: Fan 1, red group, 55-B (R.H.S.C.C.).

Petals.--11-14, including petaloids.

Size.--4.0 cm.

Texture and appearance.--Irregular-surfaced; dull.

Petaloids:

Quantity.--Not distinguishable from petals.

Shape.--Not distinguishable from petals.

Color.--Not distinguishable from petals.

Pedicel:

Length.--4.0-5.0 cm.

Color.--Fan 3, green group, 143-C (R.H.S.C.C.).

Peduncle: Arises from node; opposed to leaf petiole.

Length.--11.0-15.0 cm.

Color.--Fan 3, yellow-green group, 143-C (R.H.S.C.C.).

Persistence: Non-shattering, persistent

Disease resistance: Not known; favorable in outdoor trials

Lasting quality: Excellent, 3 weeks or longer

Reproductive Organs

Stamens: 4.

Anthers.--Some sterile, some fertile; tan to purple in color.

Filaments.--Flattened, ribbon shape; white at bottom, reddish tinge at top; variable in length, 4.0-8.0 mm.

Pollen.--Gold color.

Pistils:

Number.--1, with 5-parted stigma, reflexed.

Length.--1.0 cm.

Stigma.--5- or 6-parted, reddish in color.

Style.--1:3.0 mm length; light pink.

Ovaries: 1: green, very pubescent; 5- or 6- lobed, 5.0 mm in length.

Fruit: None observed.

Biochemical Profiles

In recent years, biochemical analysis has played an increasing role in plant systematics and taxonomy. In order to further characterize the cultivar, flavonols and anthocyanins were extracted from the florets and subjected to analysis by high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). Background information supporting the validity of the HPLC technique can be found in an article by Asen & Griesbach ("High Pressure Liquid Chromatographic Analysis of Flavonoids in Geranium Florets as an Adjunct for Cultivar Identification", S. Asen and R. Griesbach, J. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci. 108(5):845-850 (1983)), the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Briefly, the method for performing the analysis was carried out as follows:

Flavonoid extraction. The sample size for flavonoid identification consisted of the petals from six florets just after anthesis. Three different samples were collected from each cultivar and handled separately for analysis. The petals were weighed, ground in 20 ml of 1% HCl-MeOH with a mortar and pestle, filtered through one layer of Whatman #1 filter paper, and washed with 1% HCl-MeOH. The volume was adjusted to 90 ml and 2-15 ml aliquots were removed for the analysis and handled separately. Each aliquot was taken to dryness at 40.degree. C. in vacuo. All traces of HCl were removed by azeotropic distillation with MeOH. One of the dried extracts was reconstituted in 2 ml of 1% HCl-MeOH and was used for anthocyanin analysis. The other was reconstituted in 2 ml of MeOH and was used for flavonol analysis. Each sample was stored at -34.degree. C. until analyzed.

HPLC. Samples were analyzed on a Waters High Performance Liquid Chromatograph equipped with an automatic injection system (Waters Assoc. Wisp 71OA), dual pumps (Waters Assoc. Model 6000A), solvent programmer (Waters Assoc. Model 600), data module (Waters Assoc.), variable wavelength detector (Waters Assoc. Model 480), and a C.sub.18 column (25 cm.times.0.46 cm and 5 .mu.m particle size, Supelco).

Most of the flavonol compounds were separated by a linear gradient of 8% to 23% pump B over 55 min (pump A=1% triethylamine buffered to pH 3.0 with H.sub.3 PO.sub.4 (TEAP); pump B=CH.sub.3 CN) at a flow rate of 1.2 ml/min and a chart speed of 0.5 cm/min. Detection was at 340 nm.

The anthocyanins were resolved by a linear gradient of 30% to 50% pump B over 40 min (pump A=1.5% H.sub.3 PO.sub.4 ; pump B=20% HOAc+25% CH.sub.3 CN+55% of 1.5% H.sub.3 PO.sub.4) at a flow rate of 1.0 ml/min and a chart speed of 0.5 cm/min. Detection was at 546 nm utilizing a fixed wavelength detector.

The flavonoids were quantified by injecting standards and comparing their peak areas with those from the plant samples. The results are expressed as .mu.g of flavonoid/g fresh weight of plant material.

Results

Chromatographic profiles for anthocyanins and flavonols are presented in FIGS. 2 and 3, respectively; quantification of these profiles by comparison to standards is presented in Tables 1 and 2, respectively.

The anthocyanins petunidin and pelargonidin 3,5-diglucoside were not resolved by the solvent system used. Past research has shown only negligible amounts of petunidin 3,5-diglucoside to be present in geranium florets compared to pelargonidin 3,5-diglucoside. In light of this, the peak corresponding to petunidin and pelargonidin 3,5-diglucoside was quantified as palargonidin 3,5-diglucoside.

Kaempferol 3-rhamnoside could not be quantitated for several cultivars and is designated as ND (not determined). The chromatograms showed a small, wide peak in the region of elution for this compound. If a substantial amount of this compound were present, a distinct peak appeared but minute quantities, if present, were masked.

Barriers to quantitation of several flavonols existed. Kaempferol 3-glucoside, kaempferol 7-glucoside, and quercetin 3-rhamnoside all had the same retention time under these conditions. If these compounds are needed to distinguish between cultivars, they would have to be separated by other solvents or column types. Quercetin 3-xyloside appeared in several of the comparisons, but standards were not available to quantify this compound.

                TABLE 1                                                     

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     Anthocyanin concentration in petals of geranium florets                   

     .mu.g anthocyanidin 3,5-diglucoside/g fresh wt.                           

            Del-              Pelar-       Mal-                                

     Cultivar                                                                  

            phinidin Cyanidin gonidin                                          

                                    Peonidin                                   

                                           vidin                               

                                                Total                          

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     725    19       32       576   509    489  1625                           

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                TABLE 2                                                     

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     Flavonol concentration in petals of geranium florets                      

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     .mu.g/g fresh wt.                                                         

            Qu3-.sup.z                                                         

                    Qu3-   Qu3- Qu3-  Km3-  Km3-  Km3-                         

     Cultivar                                                                  

            rhagal  rut    gal  glu   rhagal                                   

                                            gal   rut                          

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     725    t.sup.y 25     --.sup.w                                            

                                t     147   26    815                          

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                    .mu.g/g fresh wt.                                          

                      Km3-    Km3-    Km3-                                     

               Cultivar                                                        

                      xyl     arab    rha   Total                              

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               725    18      44      122   1207                               

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      .sup.z Abbreviations: Km = Kaempferol; Qu = Quercetin; arab = arabinoside

      gal = galactoside; glu = glucoside; rha = rhamnoside; rhagal =           

      rhamnosylgalactoside; rut = rutinoside; xyl = xyloside.                  

      .sup.y t = trace < 10 .mu.g.                                             

      .sup.w -- = not detected.                                                

Claims

1. A new distinct cultivar of geranium, substantially as illustrated and described, characterized as being particularly well adapted to both commercial greenhouse production and garden performance, and having more fully double florets, lighter flower color and more compact plant habit when compared to the geranium cultivar "Veronica".