Balrioscar

Portulaca/purslane

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'Summer Joy Wine Red' (Yubi Summer Joy Wine Red)

Summary: 'Balrioscar' differs from the reference variety, 'Summer Joy Wine Red' mainly in mean length of internodes of flowering shoots, flower colour, and stamen and style colour. The internodes of 'Balrioscar' are longer than those of 'Summer Joy Wine Red'. The flowers of 'Balrioscar' are more pink red than those of 'Summer Joy Wine Red' which are more of a true red. The base of the corolla lobes of 'Balrioscar' is yellow whereas it is dark red in 'Summer Joy Wine Red'. The filament of 'Balrioscar' is yellow whereas it is green and red in 'Summer Joy Wine Red'. The style of 'Balrioscar' is orange whereas it is green and red in 'Summer Joy Wine Red'.

Description:

PLANT: annual, spreading growth habit, dense branching, medium to thick shoots, light green shoots with medium intensity of purple and brown anthocyanin colouration located mainly at the base of the shoot.

LEAF: alternate arrangement of simple leaves, elliptic and obovate with an acute and obtuse apex, cuneate base, medium to dark green upper surface, medium intensity of purple anthocyanin colouration along the margins on the upper surface, light to medium green on lower surface, petiole absent

CALYX: opposite arrangement, two sepals, ovate
FLOWER: inflorescence type, one open flower, terminal location, concave to flat in profile,
COROLLA LOBES: touching to overlapping, margins weak to medium fringed, retuse at tip, weak undulation of margins, weak to medium reflexing of margins
STAMEN: yellow filament, orange anther
PISTIL: large, orange style, yellow-orange stigma

Origin & Breeding History: 'Balrioscar' arose as the result of self-pollination of the variety, 'Wild Fire Scarlet' in January 2002 at Dulce Nombre de Cartago, Costa Rica. The objective of the breeding program was to develop a series of proprietary portulaca varieties unique in its characteristics from other portulaca varieties. Initial selection and reproduction by vegetative cuttings first began in June, 2002.

Tests & Trials: The tests and trials for 'Balrioscar' were conducted in a polyhouse at BioFlora Inc. in St. Thomas, Ontario during the spring of 2006. The trial included a total of 15 plants of both the candidate and reference varieties. All plants were grown from rooted cuttings and transplanted into 6 inch pots on April 26, 2006. Observations and measurements were taken from 10 plants of each variety on July 13-14, 2006. All colour measurements were determined using the 2001 Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Colour Chart.

Comparison tables for 'Balrioscar' with reference variety 'Summer Joy Wine Red'

Plant height (cm)

Internode: length (cm)

Flower: diameter (cm)

Colour of upper surface of corolla lobe (RHS)

Colour of lower surface of corolla lobe (RHS)

Click on image for larger view

Portulaca/purslane: 'Balrioscar' (left) with reference variety 'Summer Joy Wine Red' (right)