Sunsenerapi

Cineraria

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'Sunsenere' (Senetti Magenta)

Summary: The stems of 'Sunsenerapi' have no anthocyanin colouration while those of 'Sunsenere' have weak anthocyanin on the stems and moderate anthocyanin at the leaf nodes and on the pedicels. 'Sunsenerapi' has longer, darker green leaves with stronger rugosity and longer petioles than'Sunsenere'. The flowers of 'Sunsenerapi' have fewer ray florets per flower than 'Sunsenere'. The upper side of the ray florets of 'Sunsenerapi' is light pink violet lightening to white at the base while that of 'Sunsenere' is bright red purple. 'Sunsenerapi' has a light blue violet disc while that of 'Sunsenere' is purple.

Description:

PLANT: bushy-rounded growth habit, many branches
STEM: light green, no anthocyanin colouration, dense pubescence, medium thick, smooth

LEAF: arranged alternately along the stem, simple type
LEAF BLADE: obcordate shape, acute apex, cordate base, lobed, dentate to scalloped margin with medium to deep indentations, very sparse pubescence on the upper side, very dense tomentose pubescence on the lower side, medium to dark green upper side, medium to strong rugosity
PETIOLE: no anthocyanin colouration

INFLORESCENCE: head type
FLOWER: pink colour group
RAY FLORET: 12 to 14 per flower, straight longitudinal axis of majority, reflexed tip, short corolla tube, flat to convex in cross-section, elliptic shape, rounded apex with dentate tip, light pink violet lightening to white towards the base on the upper side, light blue violet apex lightening to lighter blue violet and then white towards the base on the lower side
DISC: light blue violet, upper part of filament dark violet (after dehiscence)

Origin & Breeding History: 'Sunsenerapi' originated from a cross between the female parent, a Senecio cruentus (Masson ex L'Hérit.) DC. cloned breeding line designated '8S-84e' and the male parent, a Senecio heritieri selection, a breedling line introduced from England. The cross was conducted in February of 1999 at the Omi Research and Development Center of Suntory Flowers Ltd. located at 863-1, Aza-Iketani, Omori-cho, Yokaichi-shi, Shiga-ken, Japan. Seedlings from this cross were grown since September of 1999 and in January of 2000, four strains were selected based on their flower colour and earliness to flower. After multiplication by tissue culture, the botanical characteristics of these selected strains were tested as potted plants starting in September of 2000 and using the two parent varieties as well as varieties 'Sunsenere' and 'Midget' for comparison. One strain was selected and named 'Sunsenerapi'.

Tests & Trials: The test and trial for 'Sunsenerapi' was conducted in a greenhouse at BioFlora Inc. in St. Thomas, Ontario during the summer and winter of 2005/2006. The trial included 15 plants of each variety. All plants were grown from tissue culture plantlets transferred to 15 cm pots on June 2, 2005. In the fall of 2005, plants were naturally cold treated for approximately 5 weeks at 10°C until flower buds were visible. The plants were grown for a further 10 weeks until flowering at 18°C. All colour characteristics were determined using the 2001 Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) colour chart and measured characteristics were based on ten measurements.

Comparison tables for 'Sunsenerapi' with reference variety 'Sunsenere'

Leaf length (cm)

Petiole length (cm)

Number of ray florets per flower

Colour of upper side of ray floret (RHS)

Colour of lower side of ray floret (RHS)

Colour of disc (RHS)

Colour of filament after dehiscence (RHS)

Click on image for larger view

Cineraria: 'Sunsenerapi' (left) with reference variety 'Sunsenere' (right)