Abstract:
A Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Redock Orange’ characterized by its medium sized blooms with orange rayflorets and yellow-green disc florets.

Description:
RELATED CULTIVARS  
         [0001]    ‘Redock Orange’ is related to ‘Redock Dark (#______) and ‘Redock Salmon’ (#______).These varieties are all mutants of the original ‘Redock’ (unpatented).  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    ‘Redock Orange’ is a product of a breeding and selection program which had the objective of finding color mutants of ‘Redock’. The new plant of the present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of chrysanthemum plant that is a natural occuring sport of a parent chrysanthemum named ‘Redock’ (unpatented). A comparison with Parent chrysanthemum ‘Redock’ is also made in this application. The new cultivar was discovered as a whole plant mutation in September 1999 by Rob Noodelijk in a controlled environment (greenhouse) in Rijsenhout Holland. The first act of asexual reproduction of ‘Redock Orange’ was accomplished when vegetative cuttings were taken from the initial selection in November 1999 in Rijsenhout Holland.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    The present invention is a new and distinct variety of chrysanthemum bearing medium sized blooms with orange ray-florets and yellow-green disc florets. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0004]    The present invention of a new and distinct variety of chrysanthemum is shown in the accompanying drawings, the color being as nearly true as possible with color photographs of this type.  
         [0005]    [0005]FIG. 1 shows a plant of the cultivar in full bloom.  
         [0006]    [0006]FIG. 2 shows the foliage of the cultivar. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]    This new variety of chrysanthemum is of the botanical classification dendranthema grandiflora. The observations and measurements were gathered from plants grown in April/May 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. After a long day period of 14 days the photo-periodic response time in this crop was 47 days. After the long day period to flowering growth retardants were applied 3 times in an average dose of 2.5 gram/liter water. No tests were done on disease or insect resistance or susceptibility. This new variety produces medium sized blooms with orange ray-florets and yellow-green disc-florets blooming on the plant for 4 weeks. This new variety of chrysanthemum 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. To show the phenotype as described ‘Redock Orange’ can be planted without assimilation lightning (high pressure sodium lamps) between week 50 and week 40 of the next year under greenhouse conditions in Holland. With assimilation light (minimum level 2500 lux) it can be planted year round under greenhouse conditions in Holland.  
         [0008]    From the cultivars known to inventor the most similar existing cultivar in comparison to ‘Redock Orange’ is ‘Redock’. When ‘Redock’ and ‘Redock Orange’ are being compared the following differences and similarities are noticed: The difference of ‘Redock’ and ‘Redock Orange’ is the orange ray-floret color for which characteristics ‘Redock Orange’ has been selected out of ‘Redock’. All other characteristics of ‘Redock’ and ‘Redock Orange’ are similar. From other commercial varieties ‘Orange Reagan ’ (U.S.Plant Pat. No. 8769) and ‘Orange Elite Reagan’ (not patented yet) are the most similar. The differences between ‘Orange Reagan’, ‘Orange Elite Reagan’ and ‘Redock Orange’ are (1) Flower form and color. The ray-florets of ‘Redock Orange’ are more upright, less broad, more pointed and more concave. (2) Vigour. Under the same circumstances the plants of ‘Redock Orange’ are 20 cm longer. (3) Response time. The response time of ‘Redock Orange’ is shorter. (4) The disc-floret size of ‘Redock Orange’ is smaller. (5) Foliage size and color. The foliage of ‘Redock Orange’ is bigger and more yellow-green.  
         [0009]    The following is a description of the plant and characteristics that distinguish ‘Redock Orange’ 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 color chart, edition 1995.  
                         TABLE 1                       Botanical Description of CULTIVAR ‘Redock Orange’                                Bud           Size   Small, cross-section +/− 0.7 cm           height +/− 0.9 cm       Outside Color   Greyed - orange 170 C       Involucral bracts   3 rows, length 8 mm,           width 3 mm       Involucral bracts among disc-florets   Not present       Involucral bracts color   Green 147 B       Bloom       Type   Single       Height   High       Size   Medium       Fully Expanded   7.0 cm       Number of blooms per single stem   Average of 14       Seeds   Not produced       Performance (blooming period)   4 weeks       Fragrance   Typical chrysanthemum       Color       Center of the flower (disc-florets)   Immature yellow-green 144 A           Mature yellow-green 151 C       Color of upper surface of the   Orange 26 B       majority of the ray-florets       Color of the lower surface of the   Yellow-orange 16 B       majority of the ray-florets       Tonality from Distance   A spray mum with pink flowers           and a yellow-green disc       Discoloration to color   To color yellow-orange 16 A       Ray florets       Texture   Upper and under side smooth       Number   26-28       Cross-section   Strongly concave       Longitudinal axis of majority   Reflexing       Length of corolla tube   Short       Ray-floret length   3.3 cm       Ray-floret width   1.0 cm       Ratio length/width   Medium       Shape of tip   Pointed, very occasionally round       Disc florets       Disc diameter   0.8-1.0 cm       Distribution of disc florets   Numerous, clearly visible at all           stages of flowering       Shape   Tubular       Color   Yellow-green 144 A       Receptacle shape   Conical raised       Reproductive Organs       Stamen (present in disc florets only   Thin 3 mm in length       Stamen color   Yellow-green 144 B       Pollen   No pollen present       Pollen color   Not applicable       Styles (present in both ray   Thin       and disc florets)       Style color   Yellow-green 144 B       Style Length   4 mm       Stigmas   Yellow-green 144 B       Stigma Width   2 mm       Ovaries   Enclosed in calyx       Plant       Form   A spray mum meant for           erect culture       Growth habit   Upright       Growth rate   Very vigorous       Height   125-135 cm       Internodes   2.5-3.0 cm       Spray formation   Corymbiform       Stem Color   Yellow-green 147 B       Stem Strength   Medium       Stem Brittleness   Present       Stem Anthocyanin Coloration   Absent       Peduncle length   Near the top 16 cm,           near the middle 23 cm,           near the bottom 28 cm       Peduncle color   Green 147 B       Peduncle, attachment   Brittle       Peduncle, angle with stem   Small, 30° C.       Flowering Response(photo-periodic   47 days       controlled crop, not natural season)       Foliage       Color   Upper side yellow-green 147 A           Under side green 138 B       Size   large; length 12.0-14.0 cm,           width 7.0-8.0 cm       Quantity (number per single stem)   30-34       Shape   Ovate and deeply lobed       Texture upper side   Fleshy and glabrous       Texture under side   Pubescent       Ribs and veins upper side   Ribs and veins well developed       Ribs and veins under side   Ribs and veins well developed       Venation arrangement   Palmate       Shape of the margin   Lobed       Shape of Base of Sinus   Round       Between Lateral Lobes       Margin of Sinus Between   Converging       Lateral Lobes       Shape of Base   Rounded       Apex   Mucronate                  
 
         [0010]    [0010]                                                           TABLE 2                           Differences with the comparison Varieties                            ‘Orange           ‘Redock       ‘Orange   Elite           Orange’   ‘Redock’   Reagan’   Reagan’                        Ray-floret   Yellow-   Purple 75 A   Greyed-   Yellow-       color   Orange       Orange   Orange           16 B       169 A   20 B       Flower height   High   High   Flat   Flat       Cross-section   Strongly   Strongly   flat   Flat       of ray-floret   concave   concave       Vigour   Very   Very   Vigorous   Vigorous           vigorous   vigorous       Plant height   125-135 cm   125-135 cm   100-125 cm   105-130 cm