Begonia plant named Lyric

A begonia named Lyric having white double flowers, dark green, firm to crisp glabrous foliage with serrated edges, excellent keeping qualities, and continuous year round flowering.

The present invention relates to a new and distinctive cultivar of begonia 
plant, botanically known as Hiemalis begonia (Fotsch), and referred to by 
the cultivar name Lyric. Lyric is a spontaneous mutation of the begonia 
cultivar Encore and was observed in a group of flowering 10 cm. potted 
plants of Encore. Encore is disclosed in my pending application Ser. No. 
418,489, filed Sept. 15, 1982. Asexual reproduction by leaf cuttings has 
reproduced the unique features of the new cultivar through successive 
propagations. 
The following characteristics distinguish the new begonia from both its 
parents and other begonias commercially known and used in the floriculture 
industry: 
1. Except for the white flowers, the general characteristics of Encore are 
applicable for Lyric. 
2. The foliage of both Encore and Lyric is unique, with sharp serrations 
that are retained through maturity of the leaf. Foliage is crisp yet not 
brittle. 
3. Lyric is above average in number of flowers produced per stem. The 
keeping quality of flowers is excellent, and the flower color is a clear 
pleasing white. 
4. Propagation by leaf cuttings is extremely good, consistently producing 
5-6 or more adventitious shoots per petiole. Total propagation time is 
slower by 7-10 days than many present commercial cultivars. 
5. Plant growth is also somewhat slower so that Lyric is more ideally 
suited for 10-12 cm. pots than larger containers. Highly sensitive to 
normal rates of growth regulators Cycocel and A-Rest. 
6. Lyric has exceptional keeping qualities for both foliage and flowers, 
making it ideal for mass distribution.

The following is a detailed description of my new begonia cultivar based on 
plants produced under commercial practices at the greenhouses of 
Mikkelsens Inc., Ashtabula, Ohio 44004. Color references are mae to The 
Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart except where general color terms 
of ordinary dictionary significance are used. 
Parentage: A white flower mutation of hiemalis begonia cultivar Encore. 
Propagation: 
(A) Type cutting.--Leaf cuttings. 
(B) Time to root.--25-28 days at 21.degree. C. summer, 30 to 35 days at 
21.degree. C. winter. 
(C) Rooting habit.--Abundant, fibrous, dendritic. 
(D) Time for shoot development.--Shoot initiation and development is slow, 
taking up to 12 weeks in summer to 15 weeks in winter. Shoot count is high 
per leaf cutting. 
Plant Description: 
(A) Form.--Low, compact, bush type plant; herbaceous. 
(B) Habit of growth.--Sturdy, upright slow growth with considerable 
self-branching, combined with good adventitious shoot count make a well 
rounded uniform looking plant. 
(C) Foliage.--Simple, alternate, borne on strong semi-rigid petioles. (1) 
Size: Generally small, up to 6-8 cm. from base to apex. (2) Shape: 
Orbicular cleft serrated having an appearance of maple leaf. (3) Texture: 
Firm, crisp but not brittle, glabrous on top, rugose underside. (4) 
Margin: Serrated. (5) Color: Young foliage top side, green 137A; 
underside, red 181A with green veins protruding; mature foilage top side 
green 137A with slight red overtone; under side, yellow green 148B with 
red pigmentation. (6) Venation: Palmate. 
Flowering description: 
(A) Flowering habit.--Flowering is presented in a raceme, with flowering 
continuing with secondary buds developing below the primary flowers. 
(B) Natural flowering season.--Generally flowers year round after 
developing some maturity. Once flowering has initiated, plants will 
continue to flower up to twelve months. 
(C) Flower bud description.--Flat, nearly round, tending to heart-shape. 
(D) Flowers borne.--On small but sturdy pedicels originating from strong 
peduncles result in the raceme form of terminal flower blooming first and 
additional flowering progressing as raceme develops. 
(E) Quantity.--Flowering is abundant with 12-15 flowers open at one time 
per peduncle. 
(F) Tepals.--(1) Shape: Slightly oval. (2) Color top side in winter when 
opening, white 155A, underside of basal tepals, yellow green 145C, 
sometimes with pinking. (3) Number of tepals: Generally 12. (4) Size of 
tepals: 2 cm. (5) Flower size: 3.5 to 4 cm. 
(G) Reproductive organs.--A sterile triploid. 
Disease resistance: To date the new cultivar appears to be highly resistant 
to powdery mildew when produced in areas of other begonias infected with 
this problem.