Abstract:
A  Chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Kiko’, which when grown as a disbud is characterized by large inflorescences, about 19 cm in diameter, with elongated quilled pink ray-florets, with response time of 56 days.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   ‘Kiko’ is a product of a breeding-program which had the objective of creating new  Chrysanthemum  cultivars with a decorative type flower, a 8 week response and a medium plant height (1 m.). The new plant of the present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of  Chrysanthemum  plant. ‘Kiko’ is a seedling from a cross in a breeding program maintained under the control of inventor. The female parent is #98.0106-unpatented-, an unnamed seedling not available to inventor for description. The male parent is unknown, being a mixed population of a group of male parents. The new and distinct cultivar was discovered and selected as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross by Mark Roland Boeder in a controlled environment (greenhouse) in Rijsenhout Holland in 2001. The first act of asexual reproduction of ‘Kiko’ was accomplished when vegetative cuttings were taken and propagated from the initial selection in 2001 in a controlled environment in Rijsenhout Holland. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is a new and distinct variety of  Chrysanthemum  bearing spectacularly large blooms with elongated quilled pink ray-florets. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     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. 
       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  Chrysanthemum  is of the botanical classification  Chrysanthemum morifolium.  The observations and measurements were gathered from plants grown 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 56 days. After the long day period to flowering growth retardants were applied 2 to 3 times in an average dose of 2.5 gram/liter water. The plants were observed (directly) during the flowering of this crop. When slightly damaged during harvest, the ray florets have proven to be sensitive to botrytis. No tests were done on disease or insect resistance or susceptibility. No tests were done on cold or drought tolerance. This new variety produces large sized inflorescences with elongated quilled pink ray-florets blooming on the plant for 5 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 ‘Kiko’ can be planted without assimilation lightning (high pressure sodium lamps) between week 4 and week 32 under greenhouse conditions in Holland. With assimilation light (minimum level 2500 lux) it can be planted year round under greenhouse conditions in Holland. 
   From the cultivars known to inventor the most similar existing cultivar in comparison to ‘Kiko’ is ‘Dance’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,941). When ‘Dance’ and ‘Kiko’ are being compared the following differences and similarities are noticed. Both ‘Dance’ and ‘Kiko’ are typically grown as disbud varieties, producing large sized blooms with elongated quilled ray florets. The differences of ‘Dance’ and ‘Kiko’ are (1) Size inflorescence. The size of the bloom of ‘Dance’ is smaller than that of ‘Kiko’. (2) Length ray floret. The ray florets of ‘Dance’ are shorter in length than those of ‘Kiko’. (3) Color ray florets. The ray florets of ‘Dance’ are purple colored, while those of ‘Kiko’ are pink. 
   The following is a description of the plant and characteristics that distinguish ‘Kiko’ 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 ‘Kiko’ 
             
             
                 
             
           
           
             
                 
             
           
        
         
             
               Bud 
                 
             
             
               Size 
               Large, cross-section 1.5 cm 
             
             
                 
               height 1.5 cm 
             
             
               Outside color 
               Yellow-green 145A 
             
             
               Involucral bracts 
               3 rows, length 1 cm, width 1.5 cm 
             
             
               Involucral bracts among disc-florets 
               Not present 
             
             
               Involucral bracts color 
               Green 138B 
             
             
               Inflorescences 
             
             
               Type 
               Double 
             
             
               Height 
               5 cm 
             
             
               Size 
               Large 
             
             
               Fully expanded 
               19 cm 
             
             
               Number per stem 
               1 (typically grown as disbud) 
             
             
               Performance on the plant 
               3 weeks 
             
             
               Seeds 
               Seed production not observed 
             
             
               Fragrance 
               Typical  chrysanthemum,  slight 
             
             
               Peduncle length 
               3 cm 
             
             
               Peduncle color 
               Green 138C 
             
             
               Color 
             
             
               Center of the flower 
               Immature Yellow-green 150D 
             
             
                 
               Mature Yellow-green 144D 
             
             
               Color of the ray-florets 
               Upper surface Red-purple 65B 
             
             
                 
               Lower surface Red-purple 65B 
             
             
               Tonality from Distance 
               A disbudded mum with pink 
             
             
                 
               flowers and a cream disc 
             
             
               Color of the upper surface of the 
               Red-purple 65B 
             
             
               ray-florets after aging of the plant 
             
             
               Ray florets 
             
             
               Texture 
               Upper and under side smooth 
             
             
               Number 
               200 
             
             
               Shape 
               Elongated quilled 
             
             
               Longitudinal axis of majority 
               Straight to incurving 
             
             
               Length of corolla tube 
               8 cm 
             
             
               Ray-floret margin 
               Entire 
             
             
               Ray-floret length 
               9 cm 
             
             
               Ray-floret width 
               0.2 cm 
             
             
               Ratio length/width 
               High 
             
             
               Shape of tip 
               Incurved 
             
             
               Disc florets 
             
             
               Disc diameter 
               1 cm 
             
             
               Distribution of disc florets 
               Few, only visible at mature stages 
             
             
                 
               of flowering. 
             
             
               Shape 
               Tubular 
             
             
               Color 
               Yellow-green 154D blending to 
             
             
                 
               yellow-green 150D at tip in 
             
             
                 
               immature stage, and yellow- 
             
             
                 
               green 144D in mature stage 
             
             
               Receptacle shape 
               Domed raised 
             
             
               Reproductive Organs 
             
             
               Stamen 
               Present in disc florets only 
             
             
               Stamen color 
               Yellow-green 144 B 
             
             
               Pollen 
               Produced in small quantities 
             
             
               Pollen color 
               Yellow 7A 
             
             
               Styles 
               Present in both ray and disc florets 
             
             
               Style color 
               Yellow 13A 
             
             
               Style Length 
               4 mm 
             
             
               Stigma color 
               Yellow-green 145 D 
             
             
               Stigma Width 
               1 mm 
             
             
               Ovaries 
               Enclosed in perianth 
             
             
               Plant 
             
             
               Form 
               A disbudded mum meant for erect 
             
             
                 
               culture 
             
             
               Growth habit 
               Upright 
             
             
               Growth rate 
               Medium vigor 
             
             
               Height 
               1 m 
             
             
               Width 
               30 cm 
             
             
               Internode length 
               2.5-3 cm 
             
             
               Spray formation 
               Not formed when grown as disbud 
             
             
               Stem Color 
               Yellow-green 148C 
             
             
               Stem Strength 
               Strong 
             
             
               Stem Brittleness 
               Not brittle 
             
             
               Stem Anthocyanin coloration 
               Absent 
             
             
               Flowering Response (photo- 
               56 days 
             
             
               periodic controlled crop, not natural 
             
             
               season) 
             
             
               Foliage 
             
             
               Color immature stage 
               Upper side Yellow-green 147B 
             
             
                 
               Under side Yellow-green 148C 
             
             
               Color mature stage 
               Upper side Yellow-green 147A 
             
             
                 
               Under side Yellow-green 148B 
             
             
               Color midvein mature leaf 
               Upper side Green 138C 
             
             
                 
               Under side Green 139C 
             
             
               Size 
               Large; length 15-17 cm, 
             
             
                 
               width 7-9 cm 
             
             
               Quantity (number per single stem) 
               30 
             
             
               Shape 
               Cordiform 
             
             
               Texture upper side 
               Fleshy and glabrous 
             
             
               Texture under side 
               Pubescent 
             
             
               Venation arrangement 
               Palmate 
             
             
               Shape of the margin 
               Dentate 
             
             
               Shape of Base of Sinus Between 
               Acute 
             
             
               Lateral Lobes 
             
             
               Margin of Sinus Between Lateral 
               Converging 
             
             
               Lobes 
             
             
               Shape of Base 
               Truncate 
             
             
               Apex 
               Mucronulate 
             
             
               Petiole Length 
               1.5-3 cm 
             
             
               Petiole Color 
               Green 138C 
             
             
                 
             
           
        
       
     
   
   
     
       
             
           
             
             
             
           
             
             
             
             
           
         
             
               TABLE 2 
             
           
           
             
                 
             
             
               Differences of ‘Kiko’ with comparison variety ‘Dance’ 
             
           
        
         
             
                 
               ‘Kiko’ 
               ‘Dance’ 
             
             
                 
                 
             
           
        
         
             
                 
               Size inflorescence 
               19 cm 
               13.5 cm 
             
             
                 
               Length ray florets 
                9 cm 
                 7 cm 
             
             
                 
               Color ray florets 
               Red-purple 65B 
               Purple 77B to 77C