White Elite Reagan

Chrysanthemum

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'White Reagan'

Summary: White Elite Reagan' differs from 'White Reagan' in the colour of the outside of the ray florets in bud. The colour is yellow RHS 8D but slightly paler in 'White Elite Reagan' and yellow RHS 4D in 'White Reagan'. The outer side of the ray florets prior to anther dehiscence is whiter than RHS 155D in 'White Elite Reagan', whereas it is white RHS 155D to slightly whiter in 'White Reagan'.

Description:

'White Elite Reagan' is a spray type chrysanthemum variety which has medium plant height and stem internodes which are short to medium in length. The stems are medium in diameter and yellow green in colour. There is no stem anthocyanin. The lateral shoots of 'White 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. 'White Elite Reagan' has long leaves which are medium to broad in width, medium in thickness, fleshy in texture, with medium serration. The lower leaf lobe is long with a round base of the sinus and a claw is present. The margins of the sinus are converging. The leaf base is rounded in shape and the apex is mucronate.

'White 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 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 very weakly to weakly along most of the distal half 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 white (RHS 155D but whiter) on the outer and inner side. The disc is medium to large in diameter. Before anther dehiscence the disc is green and after anther dehiscence it is yellow. 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 medium diameter and its shape is raised conical.

Origin & Breeding History: The mutation breeding of 'White 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 'White Reagan' in a greenhouse in 1995. 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 1996 and 1998. The reference number was AFP 15/4844.