Seitope

Osteospermum

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'Seikilrem' and 'Akope'

Summary: 'Seitope' has a taller plant height and longer shoots than the reference varieties. 'Seitope' has a smaller inflorescence diameter and longer peduncle length than the reference varieties. 'Seitope' has yellow flowers while 'Akope' has reddish-pink flowers.

Description:

The shoots of 'Seitope' have a semi-erect to semi-drooping attitude. The stems have no anthocyanin colouration. The leaves have very weak lobing and are medium green in colour with no variegation.

'Seitope' flowers mid season (week 13). The inflorescence has two complete ray floret whorls with a third incomplete whorl. The ray florets are elliptic in shape. The upper sides of the ray florets are yellow in colour with a purple band at the base. The lower sides of the ray florets are yellowish-brown in colour and the disc is purplish-brown.

Origin & Breeding History: 'Seitope' was discovered as a naturally occurring whole plant mutation of the osteospermum variety 'Seikilrem'. The new variety was discovered and selected by the breeder in May, 1999, as a single flowering plant within a population of plants of the parent cultivar. Asexual reproduction of the new variety by vegetative tip cuttings was first conducted in June, 1999 in Denmark.

Tests & Trials: Trials for 'Seitope' were conducted in a polyhouse during the winter-spring of 2003, in St. Thomas, Ontario. The trials included 15 plants per variety. Rooted cuttings were planted in 11.5 cm pots on February 18, 2003. Measured characteristics were based on ten measurements and colour determinations were made using the 2001 RHS colour chart.

Comparison tables for 'Seitope' with reference varieties 'Seikilrem' and 'Akope'

Plant height (cm)

Shoot length (cm)

Inflorescence diameter (cm)

Peduncle length (cm)

Colour of upper side of ray floret (RHS)