Chrysanthemum plant--Yellow Daymark cultivar

- Fides Beheer B.V.

A new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant named Yellow Daymark is provided. The new cultivar was the result of a mutation induced by controlled irradiation with x-rays and can be readily distinguished from the parent Daymark cultivar (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,240). More specifically, the new cultivar exhibits attractive bright yellow ray and disc florets which can be readily distinguished from the white blossom coloration of the parent cultivar. A larger number of petals are present than on the parent cultivar. Also, the new cultivar has been found to exhibit a more compact growth habit with less vegetative growth and to exhibit a lesser plant height than the parent cultivar under the same growing conditions. The new cultivar is particularly suited for use in the production of a cut anemone spray.

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Description
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Dendranthema morifolium Ramat., and hereinafter is referred to by the cultivar name Yellow Daymark.

The new cultivar is a mutation which was induced in a plant of the Daymark cultivar (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,240) by irradiation with x-rays at a level of 1750 rads. The discovery of the new cultivar was made at De Lier, The Netherlands, during October, 1985. This discovery resulted in the identification of a single plant of the new cultivar.

It has been found that the new cultivar of the present invention:

(a) exhibits attractive bright yellow ray and disc florets which can be distinguished from the white blossom coloration of the Daymark cultivar (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,240),

(b) exhibits a more compact growth habit with less vegetative growth and assumes a lesser plant height than the Daymark cultivar under the same growing conditions, and

(c) forms blossoms having a larger number petals than the Daymark cultivar.

This combination of characteristics is capable of well distinguishing the new Yellow Daymark cultivar from the Daymark cultivar and from all other known Chrysanthemum cultivars. The new cultivar is particularly suited for use in the production of a cut anemone spray.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by cuttings, as performed at De Lier, The Netherlands, has demonstrated that the characteristics of the new cultivar as herein disclosed are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations of asexual propagation.

Yellow Daymark has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature, light, day length, contact with pesticides and/or subjection to growth retardant treatments.

In my companion application Ser. No. 07/577,750, filed concurrently herewith, entitled "Chrysanthemum Plant -- Cream Daymark Cultivar" is claimed a related cultivar in which the ray and disc florets exhibit a distinctive light yellow or cream coloration.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph shows as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in a color illustration of this character, a typical specimen of an overall plant of the new cultivar. The plant was grown in a greenhouse at De Lier, The Netherlands.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The chart used in the identification of colors described hereafter is The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England. The color values were determined at 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon under natural daylight conditions at De Lier, The Netherlands.

Classification:

Botanical.--Dendranthema morifolium Ramat., cv. Yellow Daymark.

Commercial.--Cut anemone spray.

Inflorescence

A. Capitulum:

Form.--Flat.

Type.--Anemone.

Diameter across face.--Approximately 70 mm. on average.

Diameter across disc.--Approximately 26 mm. on average.

B. Corolla of ray and disc florets:

Color (general tonality from a distance of one meter).--Bright yellow.

Color ray (top surface).--Approximates Yellow Group 3B.

Color ray (under surface).--Approximates Yellow Group 6C.

Color (disc).--Yellow-Green Group 154C changing to Yellow Group 6C.

Number of ray florets.--Approximately 34 on average.

Number of disc florets.--Approximately 140 to 150 on average.

C. Reproductive organs:

Androecium.--Present in disc florets; numerous.

Gynoecium.--Present in both disc and ray florets; numerous.

Plant

A. General appearance:

Height.--Approximately 80 to 85 cm. on average.

B. Foliage:

Color (upper surface).--Yellow-Green Group 147A.

Leaf size.--Approximately 120.times.80 mm. on average.

Branching laterals.--Approximately 16 on average.

C. Response time: The response time is approximately 8 weeks.

The plants of the new Yellow Daymark cultivar can be distinguished from the parent Daymark cultivar (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,240) as well as its sister Cream Daymark cultivar (Ser. No. 577,750, filed Sep. 5, 1990), both with respect to blossom coloration and other characteristics. The following data was obtained during Nov. 1991 by a comparison of plants of the Daymark, Yellow Daymark and Cream Daymark cultivars growing in a nursery at De Lier, The Netherlands.

  ______________________________________                                    
                      YELLOW      CREAM                                        
            DAYMARK   DAYMARK     DAYMARK                                      
            Cultivar  Cultivar    Cultivar                                     
     ______________________________________                                    
     Ray Floret                                                                
              White Group Yellow Group                                         
                                      Yellow Group                             
     Coloration                                                                
              155D        3B          5D                                       
     Disk Floret                                                               
              Yellow-Green                                                     
                          Yellow-Green                                         
                                      Yellow-Green                             
     Coloration                                                                
              Group 145D  Group 154C  Group 145A                               
              changing to changing to changing to                              
              White Group Yellow Group                                         
                                      Yellow Group                             
              155A        6C          4C                                       
     Plant Height                                                              
              85-90 cm.   80-85 cm.   80 cm.                                   
     at Harvest                                                                
     Stage                                                                     
     Number of                                                                 
              25          34          30                                       
     Ray Florets                                                               
     (on average)                                                              
     Number of                                                                 
              110-120     140-150     130-140                                  
     Disc Florets                                                              
     (on average)                                                              
     Flower   75 mm.      70 mm.      70 mm.                                   
     Diameter                                                                  
     Disc     22 mm.      26 mm.      26 mm.                                   
     Diameter                                                                  
     Number of                                                                 
              18          16          20                                       
     Laterals                                                                  
     (average)                                                                 
     Typical Leaf                                                              
              110 .times. 80 mm.                                               
                          120 .times. 80 mm.                                   
                                      120 .times. 90 mm.                       
     Size                                                                      
     Foliage  Yellow-Green                                                     
                          Yellow-Green                                         
                                      Yellow-Green                             
     Coloration                                                                
              Group 147A  Group 147A  Group 147A                               
     Response 71/2 weeks  8 weeks     8 weeks                                  
     Time                                                                      
     ______________________________________                                    

No clear distinctions with respect to petal shape and disease resistance have been observed to date with respect to the Daymark, Yellow Daymark and Cream Daymark cultivars.

Claims

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant named Yellow Daymark, substantially as herein shown and described, which:

(a) exhibits attractive bright yellow ray and disc florets which can be distinguished from the white blossom coloration of the Daymark cultivar (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,240),
(b) exhibits a more compact growth habit with less vegetative growth and assumes a lesser plant height than the Daymark cultivar under the same growing conditions, and
(c) forms blossoms having a larger number of petals than the Daymark cultivar.
Referenced Cited
U.S. Patent Documents
PP6240 August 2, 1988 van der Knaap
4616099 October 7, 1986 Sparkes
Other references
  • Chan 1966, "Chrysanthemum and Rose Mutations Induced by X-Rays", Proc. Am. Soc. Hort. Sci., vol. 88: 613-620. Broertjes, 1966, "Mutation Breeding of Chrysanthemums", Euphytica 15:156-162. Dowrick et al., 1966, The Induction of Mutations in Chrysanthemum Using X-and Gamma Radiation, Euphytica 15:204-210. Broertjes et al., 1980, "A Mutant of a Mutant of a Mutant of a . . . Irradiation of Progressive Radiation-Induced Mutants in a Mutation Breeding Programme with C. Morifolium Ram", Euphytica 29:525-530. Gosling, ed. 1979, The Chrysanthemum Manual of the National Chrysanthemum Society, Essex Telegraph Press, Ltd., Colchester, England, pp. 329-336. Broertjes et al., 1978, "Application of Mutation Breeding Methods in the Improvement of Vegetatively Propagated Crops", Elsevier Scientific Pub. Co., New York, pp. 162-175. Searle et al., 1968, Chrysanthemums the Year Round, Blandford Press, London England, pp. 27-29, 320-327.
Patent History
Patent number: PP7954
Type: Grant
Filed: Sep 5, 1990
Date of Patent: Aug 25, 1992
Assignee: Fides Beheer B.V. (De Lier)
Inventor: Jacques C. M. van der Knaap (De Lier)
Primary Examiner: Howard J. Locker
Law Firm: Burns, Doane, Swecker & Mathis
Application Number: 7/577,696
Classifications
Current U.S. Class: Plt/822
International Classification: A01H 500;