Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Dark Yodanville’

#The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemum×morifolium and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Dark Yodanville’.

#The new Chrysanthemum is a product of a mutation induction program conducted by the Inventor in Fort Myers, Fla. The objective of the program is to create new potted Chrysanthemum cultivars that are suitable for year-round production with uniform plant growth habit, good vigor, desirable inflorescence form and floret colors, fast response time, and excellent postproduction longevity.

#The new Chrysanthemum originated by exposing unrooted cuttings of a proprietary Chrysanthemum seedling selection identified as YB-5273, not patented, to X-ray radiation in October, 1997 in Fort Myers, Fla. Following the radiation treatment, the cuttings were rooted and terminal apices were removed (pinched) three times to promote lateral branch development. After lateral branches from the third pinch reached sufficient size, terminal cuttings were harvested, planted and flowered in a controlled environment in Fort Myers, Fla. The new Chrysanthemum was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within this population in April, 1998, in Fort Myers, Fla. The selection of this plant was based on its uniform plant growth habit, good vigor, desirable inflorescence form and floret colors, fast response time, and excellent postproduction longevity. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ primarily from plants of the parent selection and the cultivars Yodanville (disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 09/774,370), Orange Yodanville (disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 09/774,358), and Yellow Yodanville (disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 09/774,359) in ray floret color.

#The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Chrysanthemum showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Chrysanthemum.

#The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a top perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Dark Yodanville’ grown a disbud-type.

#The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a close-up view of typical inflorescences of ‘Dark Yodanville’ grown as a disbud-type.

#In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observations and measurements describe plants grown and flowered during the autumn in Salinas, Calif., in a fiberglass-covered greenhouse and under conditions which approximate those generally used in commercial potted Chrysanthemum production. During the production of these plants, the following conditions were measured: day temperatures, 21 to 27° C.; night temperatures, 17 to 19° C.; and light levels, 4,000 to 6,000 foot-candles. Four unrooted cuttings were directly stuck in 15-cm containers, exposed to long day/short night conditions, and pinched once about 14 days later. At that time, the photoinductive short day/long night treatments were started. Plants used for this description were grown as disbud-types. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical flowering plants.

#Botanical classification.—Chrysanthemum×morifolium cultivar Dark Yodanville.

#Commercial classification: Decorative-type potted Chrysanthemum.