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  
       [0001]     ‘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 from the initial selection in 2001 in a controlled environment in Rijsenhout Holland.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     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  
       [0003]     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.  
         [0004]      FIG. 1  shows a plant of the cultivar in full bloom.  
         [0005]      FIG. 2  shows the various stages of bloom of the new cultivar.  
         [0006]      FIG. 3  shows the foliage of the new cultivar. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     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.  
         [0008]     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.  
         [0009]     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       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 lenght   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                  
 
         [0010]    
       
         
               
             
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                 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