Abstract:
A chrysanthemum plant named Hermes characterized by its small sized blooms with purple ray florets and prolific branching; natural season flower date 4-7 September; blooming for a period of 7 weeks.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The new plant of the present invention comprises a new and distant cultivar of chrysanthemum plant that is a cross of unknown Dendrathema grandiflora parents. The new and distinct cultivar was a seedling resulting from the open pollination amount groups of chrysanthemum cultivars maintained under the control of the inventor for breeding purposes. The new and distinct cultivar was discovered and selected as one flowering plant by Rob Noodelijk on a cultivated field in Rijsenhout, Holland in September, 1996. The plant has been asexually reproduced by cuttings in greenhouses at Rijsenhout, Holland. The new cultivar has been found to retain its distinctive characteristics through successive propagations. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present plant is a new and distinct variety of chrysanthenum of a small sized bloom and purple color. 
    
    
     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. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     This new variety of chrysanthemum is of the botanical classification Dendranthema grandiflora. The observations and measurements were gathered from plants grown outdoors in Rijsenhout, Holland under natural day length and temperature and planted week 22 in 1997 and 1998. The natural blooming date of this crop was September 4-7 (week 36) with a photoperiodic response time of 49-51 days. The average height of the plants was 32-36 cms. This new variety produces small sized blooms with purple ray florets and yellow disc florets (only visible during bud and early stages of opening of the bloom). 
     The following is a description of the plant and characteristics that distinguish Hermes as a new and distinct variety. 
     The color designations (color designations are from The R.H.S. Colour Chart) 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. 
     
         ______________________________________Botanical ClassificationCULTIVAR          HERMES______________________________________BudSize              SMALL CROSS             SECTION ± 1.0 CM             HEIGHT ± 0.7 CMOutside Color     RED-PURPLE 61 ABloomSize              SMALLFully Expanded    4-41/2 CMBorne (number of) UPPER AND LOWERblooms per branch)             PORTION PLURAL             BLOOMS PER             BRANCH             (APPROX. 6-8             BLOOMS)Length of lateral FROM TOP TILLbranch            BOTTOM             APPROX. 15 CMLateral branch,   MEDIUMAttachmentBranching         Prolific with 6-8             breaks after             pinchingForm              DECORATIVEPerformance (on the             7 WEEKSplant)ColorCenter of Flower  RED-PURPLE 61 A at             mature stage             When visible             during bud and             early stage of             opening of the             bloom Yellow 9 AColor of the upper             RED-PURPLE 61 Bsurface of themajority of the ray-floretsColor of the flower             PURPLE 75 Csurface of themajority of the ray-floretsTonality from     A VIGOROUSDistance          GARDENMUM WITH             PURPLE DECORATIVE             BLOOMS AND A SMALL             YELLOW CENTER             DURING BUD AND             EARLY STAGES OF             OPENING OF THE             BLOOMDiscoloration     TO PURPLE 75BRay floretsTexture           UPPERSIDE SMOOTH             UNDERSIDE SMOOTHNumber            ±210-230Cross-section     CONCAVELongitudinal axis of             REFLEXINGthe majorityShape of tip      POINTEDFragrance         TYPICAL             CHRYSANTHEMUMDisc Diameter     Approx. 0.5 cm(natural season cropwhen visible)Reproductive OrgansStamen            NONEPollen            NONEStyles (present in             GREEN, THINboth ray and discflorets)Style Length      ±4 MMStigmas           YELLOW - GREENStigma Width      ±1 MMOvaries           ENCLOSED IN CALYXPlantForm              A GARDENMUM (POT             MUM) MEANT FOR             OUTDOOR USEGrowth            VIGOROUSHeight (from soil ±32-36 CMlevel)Stem Color        GREEN 137 AStem Strength     STRONGStem Brittleness  PRESENTStem Anthocyanin  PRESENTColorationNatural blooming  4-7 SeptemberdateFoliageColor             UPPERSIDE GREEN             137 A             UNDERSIDE GREEN             138 BSize              SMALL: LENGTH ± 5 CM             WIDTH ±4 CMQuantity (number per             12-15lateral branch)Shape             EGG-SHAPEDTexture           FLESHYRibs and Veins    RIBS AND VEINS NOT             SO WELL DEVELOPEDEdge              LOBEDShape of Base of  ACUTESinus BetweenLateral LobesMargin of Sinus   DIVERGINGBetween LateralLobesShape of Base     ACUTEApex              CUSPIDATE______________________________________