Pink Elite Reagan

Chrysanthemum

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'Pearl Carrera Reagan'

Summary: 'Pink Elite Reagan' differs from 'Pearl Carrera Reagan' in plant height. The plants of 'Pink Elite Reagan' are medium in height, whereas those of 'Pearl Carrera Reagan' are short to medium. The outer side of the outer ray florets in bud is purple RHS 75C for 'Pink Elite Reagan' and purple violet 80D for 'Pearl Carrera Reagan'.

Description:

'Pink Elite Reagan' is a spray type chrysanthemum variety which has medium plant height and stem internodes which are medium in length. The stems are medium in diameter and yellow green in colour. There is stem anthocyanin mainly at the base. The lateral shoots of 'Pink Elite Reagan' have a medium attachment to the stem and the angle between the lateral and the stem is medium. The peduncle is thick and long and the stipules are small in size. 'Pink Elite Reagan' has long leaves which are broad in width, medium in thickness, fleshy in texture, with medium serration. The lower leaf lobe is medium to long in length with a round base of the sinus and a claw is present. The margins of the sinus are converging. The leaf base is truncate in shape and the apex is mucronate.

'Pink Elite Reagan' has a corymbiform type of inflorescence, with a medium to high number of flower heads. The flower heads are semi-doubles with a small to medium diameter and a low number of rows of ray florets. There are five or fewer rows of involucral bracts and none among the florets. The ray florets reflex weakly along the longitudinal axis and the corolla tube of the ray floret is very short to short. In cross section the corolla tube is convex, with no keel. The outer ray florets are short to medium in length and broad in width. There are a medium number of ray florets which are red purple (RHS 69B) on the outer side. On the inner side the ray florets are between purple (RHS 75A) and purple (RHS 75B). The disc is medium to large in diameter. Before anther dehiscence the disc is green and it becomes yellow after anther dehiscence. The disc florets are clearly visible at all stages of flower head development and are medium in length and tubular in shape. The receptacle has a small to medium diameter and its shape is raised conical.

Origin & Breeding History: The mutation breeding of 'Pink Elite Reagan' was conducted at Chrysanthemum Breeders Association N.V., The Netherlands. The variety was discovered as a whole plant mutation of the parent variety 96.4020 in a greenhouse in 1997. The selection was asexually propagated by cuttings. A clonal testing program was conducted in order to evaluate uniformity, stability and distinctness and commercial value.

Tests & Trials: The detailed description is based on the Report of Technical Examination, purchased from the Plant Variety Rights Office, United Kingdom. The trials were conducted by the National Institute of Agricultural Botany, in Cambridge, United Kingdom in 1998 and 1999. The reference number was AFP 15/5301.