Geranium plant "Cassandra"
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".
Latest Research Corporation Patents:
- Single crystal metal oxide plasma chamber component
- Carbon based depositions used for critical dimension control during high aspect ratio feature etches and for forming protective layers
- Bubble defect reduction
- Lipseal edge exclusion engineering to maintain material integrity at wafer edge
- Endoscopic three-dimensional imaging systems and methods
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 FIGURESFIG. 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 PlantClassification:
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 BudShape: Slight crook to petiole just below bud; hemispherical.
Size: 2.0-3.0 cm diameter.
InflorescenceBlooming 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 OrgansStamens: 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 ProfilesIn 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.
ResultsChromatographic 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 ______________________________________ 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 ______________________________________ 725 19 32 576 509 489 1625 ______________________________________
TABLE 2 ______________________________________ Flavonol concentration in petals of geranium florets ______________________________________ .mu.g/g fresh wt. Qu3-.sup.z Qu3- Qu3- Qu3- Km3- Km3- Km3- Cultivar rhagal rut gal glu rhagal gal rut ______________________________________ 725 t.sup.y 25 --.sup.w t 147 26 815 ______________________________________ .mu.g/g fresh wt. Km3- Km3- Km3- Cultivar xyl arab rha Total ______________________________________ 725 18 44 122 1207 ______________________________________ .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".
Type: Grant
Filed: Jul 3, 1986
Date of Patent: Jul 12, 1988
Assignee: Research Corporation (NY)
Inventor: Richard Craig (State College, PA)
Primary Examiner: Robert E. Bagwill
Law Firm: Scully, Scott, Murphy & Presser
Application Number: 6/882,119
International Classification: A01H 500;