Chrysanthemum plant -- Cream Daymark cultivar

Abstract

A new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant named Cream 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 light yellow or cream ray and disc florets which can be readily distinguished from the white blossom coloration of 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.

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 Cream 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 August, 1985. As discussed hereafter, 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 light 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), and

(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.

This combination of characteristics is capable of well distinguishing the new Cream Daymark cultivar from the parent 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.

Cream 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. 07/577,696, filed concurrently herewith, entitled "Chrysanthemum Plant--Yellow Daymark Cultivar" is claimed a related cultivar in which the ray and disc florets exhibit a distinctive bright yellow 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 under natural daylight condition, at De Lier, The Netherlands.

Classification:

Botanical.--Dendranthema morifolium Ramat., cv. Cream 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).--Light yellow.

Color ray (top surface).--Approximates Yellow Group 5D.

Color ray (under surface).--Approximates Yellow Group 5D.

Color (disc).--Yellow-Green Group 145A changing to Yellow Group 4C.

Number of ray florets.--Approximately 30 on average.

Number of ray florets.--approximately 130 to 140 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 cm. on average.

B. Foliage

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

Leaf size.--Approximately 120×90 mm. on average.

Branching laterals.--Approximately 20 on average.

C. Response time:

The response time is approximately 8 weeks.

The plants of the new Cream Daymark cultivar can be distinguished from the parent Daymark cultivar (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,240) as well as its sister Yellow Daymark cultivar (Ser. No. 577,696, filed Sep. 5, 1990), both with respect to blossom coloration and other characteristics. The following data was obtained during November 1991 by a comparison of plants of the Daymark, Cream Daymark, and Yellow Daymark cultivars growing in a nursery at De Lier, The Netherlands.

______________________________________
CREAM       YELLOW
DAYMARK   DAYMARK     DAYMARK
Cultivar  Cultivar    Cultivar
______________________________________
Ray Floret
White Group Yellow Group
Yellow Group
Coloration
155D        5D          3B
Disc Floret
Yellow-Green
Yellow-Green
Yellow-Green
Coloration
Group 145D  Group 145A  Group 154C
changing to changing to changing to
White Group Yellow Group
Yellow Group
155A        4C          6C
Plant Height
85-90 cm.   80 cm.      80-85 cm.
at Harvest
Stage
Number of
25          30          34
Ray Forets
(on average)
Number of
110-120     130-140     140-150
Disc Florets
(on average)
Flower   75 mm.      70 mm.      70 mm.
Diameter
Disc     22 mm.      26 mm.      26 mm.
Diameter
Number of
18          20          16
Laterals
(average)
Typical Leaf
110 × 80 mm.
120 × 90 mm.
120 × 80 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, Cream Daymark and Yellow Daymark cultivars.

Claims

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

(a) exhibits attractive light 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), and

(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.