Sunsenereba

Cineraria

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'Sunsenere', 'Jester Carmine' and 'Jester Crimson'

Summary: 'Sunsenereba' produces taller plants with smaller leaves than 'Jester Carmine' and 'Jester Crimson'. Intensity of anthocyanin colouration of the stems for 'Sunsenereba' is strong to very strong while it is weak to strong for 'Jester Carmine' and weak for 'Jester Crimson'. The petioles and peduncles of 'Sunsenereba' are shorter than those of 'Sunsenere' and longer than those of 'Jester Carmine' and'Jester Crimson'. Diameter of the cyme for 'Sunsenereba' is smaller than that of 'Sunsenere' and larger than that of 'Jester Carmine' and 'Jester Crimson'. 'Sunsenereba' has larger flowers with longer ray florets than 'Jester Carmine' and 'Jester Crimson'. The flowers of 'Sunsenereba' have fewer ray florets than those of the 'Sunsenere'. 'Sunsenereba' produces bi colour flowers which are white at the basal end of the ray florets and violet at the apex end of the ray florets while those of 'Sunsenere' are not bi colour.

Description:

'Sunsenereba' is a vegetatively propagated, annual cineraria variety. The plant growth habit is upright-bushy and the degree of branching is medium to dense. The colour of the stem is brown purple with strong to very strong intensity of anthocyanin colouration. Shape of the stems is smooth. The stems are small to medium in thickness with moderate to strong glaucosity and dense to very dense pubescence. Arrangement of the leaves is alternate. The leaf type is simple and the petiole is present. Stipules are present at the base of the petioles. The shape of the leaf blade is reniform with an acute shaped apex, a very open, cordate shaped base and a dentate to incised margin. Curvature of the leaf blade and undulation of the margin are absent. Pubescence of the leaf blade is sparse to moderate on the upper side and dense to very dense on the lower side. Glaucosity on the upper side of the leaf blade is moderate. Main colour of the leaf blade is medium green on the upper side and light green on the lower side. Variegation of the leaf blade is absent.

Time of flowering for 'Sunsenereba' is late in the season and lasts a moderate to long time. There is one flowering period. The inflorescence type is a cyme and the position of the flowers is both terminal and axillary. Attitude of the flowers is erect to semi-erect depending on their location within the cyme. The peduncle has moderate intensity of anthocyanin colouration and sparse to moderate pubescence. Intensity of anthocyanin colouration of the pedicel is moderate to strong. The sepals are oblong to lanceolate in shape with an acute shaped apex and strong recurvature of the tip. The margin of the sepal is entire. Pubescence of the sepals is absent to very sparse on the upper and lower sides. The sepals have weak to moderate glaucosity. Main colour of the upper side of the sepals is dark green with dark violet secondary colouration distributed in the middle.

'Sunsenereba' produces few ray florets per flower which are medium long to long and narrow. The length/width ratio of the ray floret is medium to high. The longitudinal axis of the majority of ray florets is incurving with a moderate curvature. The ray floret is linear to oblong in shape with a praemorse shaped apex and absent to weak recurvature of the tip. Pubescence on the outer side of the ray floret is absent. Main colour of the ray florets is violet on the inner side and violet with some purple on the outer side. There is white secondary colouration at the base of the inner and outer sides of the ray florets (up to one third the length of the ray floret). There is also a violet coloured longitudinal stripe along each margin on the upper side of the ray florets. The floret disc is violet in colour.

Origin & Breeding History: 'Sunsenereba' originated from a cross between the female parent, Senecio cruentus 'Jupiter Pink-white', and the pollen parent, Senecio heritierii, at the Hakushu Research Center of Suntory Ltd., Yamanashi-ken, Japan in January of 1995. It was grown from tissue culture and the botanical characteristics have been examined. The plants have been tested in pots since July 1996.

Tests & Trials: The test and trials for 'Sunsenereba' were conducted at Norseco Inc., in Boisbriand, Quebec in the winter of 2001. There were 15 plants per variety and they were grown in a poly-house. The plants were grown in 15 cm pots and spaced approximately 20 cm apart.

Comparison tables for 'Sunsenereba' with reference varieties 'Sunsenere', 'Jester Carmine' and 'Jester Crimson'

Plant height (cm)

Plant width (cm)

Leaf blade length (cm)

Leaf blade width (cm)

Petiole length (mm)

Peduncle length (cm)

Pedicel length (cm)

Colour of upper side of sepal (RHS)

Diameter of cyme (cm)

Diameter of flower (cm)

Length of ray floret (cm)

Number of ray florets per flower (cm)

Main colour of ray floret (RHS)

Secondary colour of ray floret (RHS)

Colour of disc