Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Dekalgarve’

A new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Dekalgarve’, characterized by its decorative-type inflorescences with elliptic-shaped, light pink-colored ray florets; strong and upright flowering stems; freely flowering habit; early and uniform flowering response; and good postproduction longevity.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is co-pending with the following related application (U.S. Plant application Ser. No. 11/267,901): Title:ChrysanthemumPlant Named ‘Dekmallorca’. Applicant: Cornelis W. Dekker.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofChrysanthemumplant, botanically known asChrysanthemum×morifoliumand referred to by the name ‘Dekalgarve’.

The newChrysanthemumis the product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Hensbroek, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new cutChrysanthemumcultivars with interesting inflorescence forms and attractive floret coloration.

The newChrysanthemumoriginated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor on Dec. 2, 2003, in Hensbroek, The Netherlands, of a proprietary selection ofChrysanthemumidentified as code number 41222, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietaryChrysanthemumselection identified as code number 01.5574.02, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The newChrysanthemumwas discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Hensbroek, The Netherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the newChrysanthemumby terminal cuttings in Hensbroek, The Netherlands since April, 2003, has shown that the unique features of this newChrysanthemumare stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Dekalgarve has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Dekalgarve’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Dekalgarve’ as a new and distinct cultivar:1. Decorative-type inflorescences with elliptic-shaped, light pink-colored ray florets.2. Strong and upright flowering stems.3. Early and uniform flowering response.4. Good postproduction longevity.

Plants of the newChrysanthemumcan be compared to plants of the female parent selection. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Hensbroek, The Netherlands, plants of the newChrysanthemumdiffered from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:1. Plants of the newChrysanthemumhad larger and more durable leaves than plants of the female parent selection.2. Plants of the newChrysanthemumhad larger inflorescences than plants of the female parent selection.3. Plants of the newChrysanthemumand the female parent selection differed in ray floret color as plants of the female parent selection had white-colored ray florets.

Plants of the newChrysanthemumcan be compared to plants of the male parent selection. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Hensbroek, The Netherlands, plants of the newChrysanthemumdiffered from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:1. Plants of the newChrysanthemumhad slightly smaller inflorescences than plants of the male parent selection.2. Plants of the newChrysanthemumflowered about three to four days earlier than plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the newChrysanthemumcan be compared to plants of theChrysanthemumcultivar Dekmallorca. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Hensbroek, The Netherlands, plants of the newChrysanthemumdiffered primarily from plants of the cultivar Dekmallorca in the following characteristics:1. Plants of the newChrysanthemumhad larger inflorescences than plants of the cultivar Dekmallorca.2. Ray florets of plants of the newChrysanthemumwere lighter pink in color than ray florets of plants of the cultivar Dekmallorca.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the summer in Hensbroek, The Netherlands, under commercial practice in a glass-covered greenhouse. Plants were initially given long day/short night treatments followed by short day/long night treatments to induce flower initiation and development. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 17.5° C. to 30° C., night temperatures ranged from 18.5° C. to 24° C. and light levels were about five kilolux. Plants were pinched once and were about ten weeks from planting when the photographs and the description were taken.Botanical classification:Chrysanthemum×morifoliumcultivar Dekalgarve.Commercial classification: Decorative-typeChrysanthemumtypically grown as a disbud-type cut flower.Parentage:Female or seed parent.—Proprietary selection ofChrysanthemum×morifoliumidentified as code number 41222, not patented.Male or pollen parent.—Proprietary selection ofChrysanthemum×morifoliumidentified as code number 01.5574.02, not patented.Propagation:Type.—Terminal tip cuttings.Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 6 days at 20° C.Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 7 days at 20° C.Time to produce a rooted cutting, summer.—About 14 days at 20° C.Time to produce a rooted cutting, winter.—About 16 days at 20° C.Root description.—Fine; light brown in color.Rooting habit.—Freely branching.Plant description:Appearance.—Herbaceous decorative-type cutChrysanthemum;typically grown as a disbud-type; erect and strong flowering stems. Moderately vigorous growth habit.Flowering stem description.—Length: About 70 cm to 80 cm. Diameter: About 6 mm. Strength: Strong. Texture: Pubescent. Aspect: Erect. Branching habit: Plants are typically grown as single stems. Color: 146B.Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length: About 6 cm to 12 cm. Width: About 5 cm to 8 cm. Apex: Cuspidate. Base: Acute. Margin: Pinnately lobed. Texture, upper and lower surface: Pubescent; rough; leathery. Petiole length: About 1 cm to 3 cm. Color: Developing and fully expanded foliage, upper surface: 137A; venation, 147B. Developing and fully expanded foliage, lower surface: Close to 147B; venation, close to 138B. Petiole, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 137C.Inflorescence description:Appearance.—Decorative-type inflorescence form with elliptic-shaped ray florets. Inflorescences borne on terminals above foliage. Disk and ray florets develop acropetally on a capitulum. Inflorescences not fragrant. Typically grown as a disbud-type.Flowering response.—Under natural conditions, plant typically flower in November in the Northern Hemisphere. At other times of the year, inflorescence initiation and development can be induced under short day/long night conditions (at least 13.5 hours of darkness). Plants exposed to long day/short night conditions after planting followed by photoinductive short day/long night conditions flower about 7.5 weeks later. Early and uniform flowering response.Postproduction longevity.—Cut inflorescences will maintain good substance and form for about three weeks.Quantity of inflorescences per flowering stem.—Grown as a disbud-type, only one inflorescence per stem is allowed to develop. Grown as a spray-type, about 12 to 15 inflorescences develop per flowering stem.Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 11 cm to 13 cm. Depth (height): About 4 cm to 4.5 cm. Diameter of disc: About 1.2 cm.Inflorescence buds.—Height: About 5 mm to 6 mm. Diameter: About 7 mm to 9 mm. Shape: Oblate. Color: 137C to 137D.Ray florets.—Length: About 2.5 cm to 5 cm. Width: About 1.2 cm to 2 cm. Shape: Elliptic. Apex: Rounded to emarginate. Base: Acute; fused. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Number of ray florets per inflorescence: About 250. Color: When opening, upper surface: N155B to N155C. When opening, lower surface: N155D. Fully opened, upper and lower surfaces: 155D blushed with a soft pink blush.Disc florets.—Shape: Tubular; elongated. Length: About 6 mm. Width: About 1 mm. Number of disc florets per inflorescence: About 30. Color: Immature: 145D. Mature: Apex: 14B. Mid-section and base: 145C.Phyllaries.—Shape: Deltoid. Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous. Texture, lower surface: Pubescent. Color, upper surface: Close to 146A. Color, lower surface: Close to 147A to 147B.Peduncles.—Length: About 3 cm to 4 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm to 3 mm. Angle: Erect. Strength: Moderately strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color: 138B.Reproductive organs.—Androecium: No anthers observed on disc florets. Gynoecium: Present on both ray and disc florets. Stigma length: About 4 mm. Stigma diameter: About 0.3 mm. Stigma color: Towards the apex, 151B; towards the base, 144D.Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed.Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to knownChrysanthemumpathogens and pests has not been observed on plants of the newChrysanthemum.