US 20030135904P1 (19) United States (12) Plant Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2003/0135904 P1 Hammond (43) Pub. Date: Jul. 17, 2003

(54) VARIETY OF ARGYRANTHEMUM PLANT (22) Filed: Jan. 11, 2002 BOTANICALLY KNOWN AS ARGYRANTHEMUM FRUTESCENS Publication Classi?cation

(50) Latin Name: ARGYRANTHEMUM FRUTESCENS (51) Int. Cl.7 ...... A01H 5/00 Varietal Denomination: M9/18D (52) US. Cl...... PLT/263

(76) Inventor: Francis William Hammond, Victoria (AU) (57) ABSTRACT Correspondence Address: Richard L. Byrne A distinct cultivar of Argyranthemum plant named ‘M9/ 700 Koppers Building 18D’, characterized by its compact and mounded plant 436 Seventh Avenue habit; freely branching habit, dense and bushy plants; very Pittsburgh, PA 15219-1818 (US) freely ?owering With numerous in?orescences per plant; red purple colored ray ?orets that fade to pale pink With age; and (21) Appl. No.: 10/043,948 yelloW disc ?orets With a red purple centre When immature.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0007] compact and mounded plants habit; [0001] The present invention relates to a neW and distinct [0008] (ii) freely branching habit, dense and bushy plants; cultivar of Argyranthemum plant, botanically known as [0009] (iii) very freely ?oWering With numerous in?ores Argyranthemum frutescens and herein after referred to by cences per plant; the name ‘M9/18D. [0010] (iv) red-purple colored ray ?orets that fade to pale [0002] The neW Argyranthemum is a product of a planned pink With age; breeding program conducted by the inventor in Narre War [0011] (v) disc ?orets With colored yelloW With red-purple ren East, Victoria, Australia. The objective of the program is centres. to create and develop neW compact Argyranthemum culti [0012] Plants of the neW Argyranthemum differ from vars With numerous in?orescences With attractive ?oret plants of the parent cultivar M7/02 primarily in the siZe of coloration. the plant and ray ?oret color as plants of the cultivar M7/02 [0003] The neW Argyranthemum originated from a cross are shorter and narroWer and have lighter red-purple colored by the inventor of the Argyranthemum frutescens cultivar ray ?oret. In addition, leaves of the neW Argyranthemum are narroWer and have apices Which are rounded and margins M7/02, not patented, as a female, or seed, parent With an Which are crenate Whereas plants of cultivar M7/02 have unidenti?ed proprietary selection of Argyranthemum frute acute apices and margins Which are dentate. Plants of the scens, not patented, as the male, or pollen parent. The neW male parent, the unidenti?ed selection of Argeranthemum, Argyranthemum Was discovered and selected by the inven differ primarily from plants of the neW Argyranthemum in tor as a plant Within the progeny of the stated cross in a ray ?oret color. controlled environment in Narre Warren East, Victoria, Australia on Aug. 3, 2000. The selection of the neW Argy [0013] Plants of the neW Argyranthemum are comparable ranthemum Was based on its compact mounded plant habit, to plants of the cultivar M8/20, disclosed in US. Pat. No. multiple in?orescences and dark red-purple ray ?orets. . In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the inventor in Narre Warren East, Victoria, Australia, plants of [0004] AseXual reproduction of the neW Argyranthemum the neW Argyranthemum differ from plants of the cultivar by terminal cutting taken in a controlled environment in M8/20 in the folloWing characteristics: Narre Warren East, Victoria, Australia, since Aug. 3, 2000, [0014] leaves of the neW Argyranthemum are narroWer has shoWn that the unique features of this neW Argyranthe than leaves of the cultivar M8/20; mum are stable and reproduced true to type in successive [0015] (ii) leaves of the neW Argyranthemum have generations. rounded apices and crenate leaf margins Whereas leaves of [0005] The neW Argyranthemum has not been observed M8/20 have serrate leaf margins; under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype [0016] (iii) in?orescences of the neW leaves of the neW may vary someWhat With variations in environment such as Argyranthemum are single in form Whereas plants of the temperature, day length, light intensity, photoperiod, and cultivar M8/20 are semi double in form; Water and nutritional status Without, hoWever, any variance [0017] (iv) plants of the neW leaves of the neW Argyran in genotype. themum have darker red-purple ?orets than the cultivar [0006] The folloWing characteristics have been repeatedly M8/20; observed and are determined to be the basic characteristics [0018] (v) the disc ?oret array of the neW leaves of the neW of ‘M9/18D’ and distinguish the neW Argyranthemum as a Argyranthemum have red centres Which are absent from the neW and distinct cultivar: disc ?oret array of M8/20. US 2003/0135904 P1 Jul. 17, 2003

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS [0036] Foliage description.—Arrangement: single, alternative, sessile. Length: about 5 cm. [0019] The accompanying colored photographs illustrate Width: about 3 cm. Shape: Bipinnatisect. Apex: the overall appearance of the neW cultivar, showing colors as rounded. Base: acuminate. Margin: mostly true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored repro crenate. Texture, both surfaces: smooth, glabrous. ductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ Venation pattern: parallel. Color: Young foliage, slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical upper surface: 143A. Young foliage, loWer sur description Which accurately describes the colors of the neW face: 143C. Mature foliage, upper surface: 146A. leaves of the neW Argyranthemum. The photograph at the Mature foliage, loWer surface: 146B. Venation, top of the sheet comprises a side perspective of a typical upper surface: 144C. Venation, loWer surface: plant of ‘M9/18D’. The photograph at the bottom of the 144C. sheet comprises a close-up vieW of typical in?orescences of ‘M9/18D’. Plants used in the photographs Were about 12 [0037] In?orescence Description: Weeks from planting rooted cuttings. [0038] Appearance.—Flat single composite in?o DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION rescence form With elliptic shaped ray ?orets. In?orescences held upright on axillary peduncles. [0020] The folloWing observations, measurements and Disc and ray ?orets held acropetally on a capitu values describe plants groWn at Narre Warren East, Victoria, lum. In?orescences persistent. In?orescences not Australia, under outdoor conditions With day temperatures fragrant. In?orescences last about on Week on the ranging from 18 to 32° C., night temperatures ranging from plant. 6 to 25° C., and full sunlight. Rooted liners of the neW Argyranthemum Were planted in 20 cm containers and [0039] Flowering response. —Under natural condi groWn for 12 Weeks. Color references are made to The Royal tions, plants ?oWer from spring to early fall; plants Horticultural Society Colour Chart except Where general ?oWer continuously during this period. terms of ordinary dictionary signi?cance are used. [0040] Quality of in?orescences.—Very freely [0021] Botanical Classi?cation: Argyranthemum frate ?oWering With about 150 to 160 ?oWer buds and scens cultivar M9/18D. in?orescences per plant. [0022] Parentage: [0041] In?orescence size.—Diameter: up to 5 cm. Depth (height): about 2 cm. Diameter if disc: [0023] Female of seed parent.—Argyranthemum about 1.5 cm. Receptacle diameter: about 1.4 cm. frutescens cultivar M7/02, not patented. Receptacle diameter: about 8 mm. [0024] Male of pollen parent.—Unidenti?ed pro [0042] Flower buds.—Height: about 8 mm. Diam prietary selection of Argyranthemum frutescens, eter: about 8 mm. Shape: roughly spherical. Color: not patented. 144B. [0025] Propagation: [0043] Ray ?orets.—Quantity per in?orescence: about 20 in tWo Whorls. Shape: elliptic. Length: [0026] Type.—terminal tip cuttings. about 2 cm. Width: about 5 mm. Apex: emargin ate. Base: acute. Margin: entire. Texture, both [0027] Time to initiate roots.—about 7 to 14 days surfaces: smooth, satiny, glabrous. Aspect: ini at 22° C. tially upright, When mature, about 90° from the [0028] Time to produce a rooted cutting.—about vertical, perpendicular to peduncle. Color: When 30 days at 20 to 28° C. opening, upper surface: 61A. When opening, loWer surface: 60B. Fully opened, upper surface: [0029] Root description.—?ne, ?brous. 61A. Fully opened, loWer surface: 78B; fading to [0030] Plant Description: 75A With age. [0044] Disc ?orets.—Arrangement: densely [0031] General appearance.—Compact and bushy massed. Shape: tubular, ?ared at apex. Color: groWth habit, mounted plant form With dense When immature: 12C With red purple centre When foliage and in?orescences held above the foliage mature: 13A With red purple specks. on long peduncles. Appropriate 50 15 cm to 20 cm containers. [0045] Peduncle.—Strength: moderately strong. Aspect: upright. Length: 10 to 12 cm. Diameter: [0032] Crop time.—Rapid groWth rate; to produce 1.5 mm. Texture: smooth glabrous. Color: 144B. a ?nished 20 cm containerised plant from rooted cuttings, about 12 Weeks are required. [0046] Involucral bracts.—Quantity: about 15. Length: about 5 mm. Width: about 2 mm. Shape: [0033] Plant height.—about 45 cm. ovate. Apex: acute. Base: cuneate. Margin: entire. [0034] Plant width.—about 50 cm. Texture, both surfaces: smooth glabrous. Color: yelloW green. [0035] Lateral branch description.—Quality per [0047] Reproductive organs.— plant: about 50. Length: about 12-15 cm. Width: 4 mm. Aspect: mostly upright. Cross-section: round. [0048] Androecium.—present on disc ?oret only. Texture: smooth, glabrous. Color: 146C. Amount of pollen: moderate. Color: yelloW. US 2003/0135904 P1 Jul. 17, 2003

[0049] Gyn0ecium.—present on both ray and disc to temperatures as loW as —2° C. and temperatures as ?orets. high as 40° C. Plants of the neW Argyranthemum have [0050] Seed.—seed production has not been been observed to be tolerant to rain and Wind. observed. [0051] Disease Resistance: Resistance to pathogens common to Argyranthemum has not been observed on 1. A neW and distinct cultivar of Argyranthemum plant plants groWn under commercial conditions. named ‘M9/18D’ as described and illustrated herein. [0052] Temperature/Weather Tolerance: Plants of the neW Argyranthemum have been observed to be tolerant Plant Patent Application Pub. Jul. 17, 2003 Sheet 1 0f 2 US 2003/0135904 P1

Fig. l Plant Patent Application Pub. Jul. 17, 2003 Sheet 2 0f 2 US 2003/0135904 P1