Abstract:
An  Aster  plant named ‘Cefortuna’ characterized by its medium sized blooms with purple ray-florets and yellow disc florets, which can be propagated by means of cuttings from cuttings and produced with a short period.

Description:
RELATED CULTIVARS 
   ‘Cefortuna’ is developed from a breeding program for pot  asters  that has so far yielded the commercial varieties ‘Dynaster’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,262), ‘Diamaster’ (U.S. Plant Patent Application Ser. No. 10/426,847) and Dukaster (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,100). 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   ‘Cefortuna’ is a product of a breeding-program that had the objective of creating new  Aster  cultivars, that can be grown as pot plants and propagated by means of cuttings from cuttings, similar to the cultivation and propagation of all year round  chrysanthemum.  The new plant of the present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of an  Aster  plant. ‘Cefortuna’ is a seedling from a cross of a breeding program maintained at  Chrysanthemum  Breeders Association Research BV, Rijsenhout, Holland. The female parent is 97.6128, a non-commercialized  aster  variety; the male parent is unknown, being a mixed population of a group of male parents. A comparison with parent  aster  97.6128 is also given in this application. The new and distinct cultivar was discovered and selected as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross by Harry W. M. van Straalen in a controlled environment (greenhouse) in Rijsenhout, Holland in 2000. The first act of asexual reproduction of ‘Cefortuna’ was accomplished when vegetative cuttings were propagated from the initial selection in 2000 in a controlled environment in Rigsenhout, Holland. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention ‘Cefortuna’ is a new and distinct variety of  Aster  bearing medium sized blooms with purple ray-florets and yellow disc florets, which can be propagated by a cutting from a cutting and produced as pot plants in 8 weeks time. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The present invention ‘Cefortuna’ of a new and distinct variety of  Aster  is shown in the accompanying drawings, the color being as nearly true as possible with color photographs of this type. 
       FIG. 1  shows a plant of the cultivar in full bloom. 
       FIG. 2  shows the various stages of bloom of the new cultivar. 
       FIG. 3  shows the foliage of the new cultivar. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   This new variety of  Aster  is of the botanical classification  Aster novi-belgii  L. The observations and measurements were gathered from plants grown in a greenhouse in Rijsenhout Holland in a photo-periodic controlled crop under conditions generally used in commercial practice. The greenhouse temperatures during this crop were at day-time between 18° C. and 25° C. and at night 20° C. The photo-periodic response time in this crop was 39 days, after an average of 16 long days after sticking of the unrooted cuttings. Plants are pinched 10 days after sticking. Growth retardants were applied in an average dose of 1.5 gram/liter water, starting one week after pinching. The plants were observed (directly) during the flowering of this crop. The plant is susceptible to Powdery Mildew. No tests were done on cold or drought tolerance. This new variety produces medium sized blooms with purple ray-florets andyellow disc-florets blooming on the plant for 4 weeks. This new variety of  Aster  has been found to retain its distinctive characteristics throughout successive propagations, however the phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment such as light intensity and temperature. ‘Cefortuna’ can be planted with assimilation lightning (high pressure sodium lamps) between week 5 and week 35 under greenhouse conditions in Holland. 
   From the cultivars known to inventor the most similar existing cultivar in comparison to ‘Cefortuna’ are its female parent 97.6128 and the varieties ‘Dukaster’ and ‘Dynaster’. When these varieties are being compared with ‘Cefortuna’ the following differences are noticed: The differences between ‘Cefortuna’, 97.6128, ‘Dukaster’ and ‘Dynaster’ are (1) Flower color. (2) Growth habit. (3) Leaf width. (1) The color of the ray-florets of ‘Cefortuna’ is purple, while it is pink in ‘Dukaster’ and violet in 97.6128 and ‘Dynaster’. (2) The growth habit is upright and partially spreading in ‘Cefortuna’, while this is upright in 97.6128, ‘Dukaster’ and ‘Dynaster’ (3) The leaves of ‘Cefortuna’ and ‘Dynaster’ are of intermediate width, while those of 97.6128 are smaller, and those of ‘Dukaster’ are broader. 
   The following is a description of the plant and characteristics that distinguish ‘Cefortuna’ as a new and distinct variety. The color designations are taken from the plant itself. Accordingly, any discrepancies between the color designations and the colors depicted in the photographs are due to photographic tolerances. The color chart used in this description is: The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, edition 1995. 
   
     
       
             
           
             
             
           
         
             
               TABLE 1 
             
             
                 
             
             
               Botanical Description of cultivar ‘Cefortuna’ 
             
             
                 
             
           
           
             
                 
             
           
        
         
             
               Bud 
                 
             
             
               Size 
               Medium, Cross-section 0.3 cm, 
             
             
                 
               height 0.5 cm 
             
             
               Outside color 
               Purple-violet 81C 
             
             
               Involucral bracts 
               2 rows, length 4 mm, width 3 mm 
             
             
               Involucral bracts among disc-florets 
               Not present 
             
             
               Involucral bracts color 
               Green 138 D 
             
             
               Bloom 
             
             
               Type 
               Daisy 
             
             
               Size 
               Medium 
             
             
               Fully expanded 
               2.5-3 cm 
             
             
               Number of blooms per branch 
               10-12 
             
             
               Peduncle strength 
               Strong 
             
             
               Peduncle structure 
               Hairy with ribs 
             
             
               Peduncle length 
               3 cm 
             
             
               Peduncle color 
               Green 139 B 
             
             
               Peduncle angle 
               45* 
             
             
               Performance on the plant 
               4 weeks 
             
             
               Seeds 
               Produced in small quantities, 
             
             
                 
               oval/ovate shaped, grey-brown 
             
             
                 
               199 A, 1 mm. in length 
             
             
               Color 
             
             
               Center of the bloom (disc-florets) 
               Immature Yellow-green 150C 
             
             
                 
               Mature Yellow 1A 
             
             
               Color of the ray-florets 
               Upper surface: Red-purple 72B 
             
             
                 
               Lower surface: Purple-violet 81C 
             
             
               Tonality from Distance 
               A pot  aster  with purple flowers and 
             
             
                 
               a yellow disc 
             
             
               Color of the upper surface of the 
               Red-purple 72C 
             
             
               ray-florets after aging of the plant 
             
             
               Ray florets 
             
             
               Number of whorls of ray-florets 
               2 
             
             
               Texture 
               Upper and under side smooth 
             
             
               Number of ray-florets 
               20-30 
             
             
               Shape in cross-section 
               Straight 
             
             
               Curvature of longitudinal axis 
               Flat 
             
             
               Length of corolla tube 
               0.3 cm 
             
             
               Ray-floret length 
               1.5 cm 
             
             
               Ray-floret width 
               0.2 cm 
             
             
               Shape of tip 
               Pointed 
             
             
               Shape of apex 
               Acute 
             
             
               Disc florets 
             
             
               Disc diameter 
               0.7 cm; 1 cm when styles of 
             
             
                 
               outer disc florets are included 
             
             
               Distribution of disc florets 
               Numerous, clearly visible at all 
             
             
                 
               stages of flowering 
             
             
               Shape 
               Tubular 
             
             
               Length 
               0.6 cm 
             
             
               Color 
               Yellow-green 145 D 
             
             
               Reproductive Organs 
             
             
               Stamen 
               Present in Disc florets 
             
             
                 
               only (1 per floret) 
             
             
               Stamen color 
               Yellow 13 A 
             
             
               Pollen color 
               Yellow-orange 14 A 
             
             
               Pistil 
               Present on both Ray- and 
             
             
                 
               Disc-florets (1 per floret) 
             
             
               Style color 
               Yellow-green 150 D 
             
             
               Style length 
               0.6 cm 
             
             
               Ovaries 
               Enclosed in calyx 
             
             
               Calyx shape 
               Pappus 
             
             
               Calyx length 
               0.4 cm 
             
             
               Calyx color 
               Yellow-green 150 D 
             
             
               Plant 
             
             
               Form 
               A pot  aster  meant for indoor use 
             
             
               Growth habit 
               Upright and partially spreading 
             
             
               Growth rate 
               Vigorous 
             
             
               Height 
               22 cm 
             
             
               Width 
               17 cm 
             
             
               Internode length 
               1.5-2 cm 
             
             
               Stem diameter 
               2-3 mm 
             
             
               Stem color 
               Green 139 B 
             
             
               Stem strength 
               Strong 
             
             
               Stem brittleness 
               Not brittle 
             
             
               Stem anthocyanin coloration 
               Absent 
             
             
               Length of lateral branch 
               From top to bottom 18 cm 
             
             
               Lateral branch color 
               Green 139 B 
             
             
               Lateral branch, attachment 
               30-40* 
             
             
               Branching (average number of 
               Medium with 3 breaks after 
             
             
               lateral branches) 
               pinching 
             
             
               Internode length 
               1 cm 
             
             
               Flowering Response (photo- 
               39 Days 
             
             
               periodic controlled crop, not natural 
             
             
               season) 
             
             
               Foliage 
             
             
               Leaf arrangement 
               Alternate 
             
             
               Color immature stage 
               Upper side Yellow-green 144 C 
             
             
                 
               Under side Yellow-green 146 D 
             
             
               Color mature stage 
               Upper side Green 137 B 
             
             
                 
               Under side Green 139 C 
             
             
               Color Midvein 
               Upper side Yellow-green 147 D 
             
             
                 
               Under side Yellow-green 147 C 
             
             
               Size 
               Medium; length 5-7 cm, 
             
             
                 
               width 1-1.5 cm 
             
             
               Quantity (number per lateral 
               12 
             
             
               branch) 
             
             
               Shape 
               Elliptic 
             
             
               Texture upper side 
               Glabrous 
             
             
               Texture under side 
               Glabrous 
             
             
               Venation arrangement 
               Pinnately netted 
             
             
               Shape of the margin 
               Sinuate 
             
             
               Shape of Base 
               Attenuate 
             
             
               Apex 
               Acuminate 
             
             
                 
             
           
        
       
     
   
   
     
       
             
           
             
             
             
             
             
           
             
             
             
             
             
           
         
             
               TABLE 2 
             
           
           
             
                 
             
             
               Differences with the comparison varieties 
             
           
        
         
             
                 
               ‘Cefortuna’ 
               97.6128 
               ‘Dukaster’ 
               ‘Dynaster’ 
             
             
                 
                 
             
           
        
         
             
               Color upper 
               Red- 
               Violet- 
               Purple- 
               Violet- 
             
             
               side ray- 
               purple 72B 
               blue 92A 
               violet 81A 
               blue 90A 
             
             
               florets 
             
             
               Growth habit 
               Upright 
               Upright 
               Upright 
               Upright 
             
             
                 
               and 
               growing 
               growing 
               growing 
             
             
                 
               spreading 
             
             
               Leaf width 
               1-1.5 cm 
               0.6-1.2 cm 
               2 cm 
               1.5 cm