Chrysanthemum plant named Dawn

#The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum morifolium, Ramat., named Dawn.

#Dawn is a product of a planned sport induction program which had the objective of creating new chrysanthemum cultivars that would expand the color range of high merit seedlings while retaining their other original traits.

#Dawn was discovered and selected by William E. Duffett on Dec. 17, 1980 in a controlled environment in Salinas, Calif. as one flowering plant, a color variant within a flowering block established as rooted cuttings from stock plants which had been exposed as unrooted cuttings to an X-ray source of 1800 rads. The irradiated clone was an unnamed seedling originated by the present inventor and identified as 79827002, an orange decorative. The parents of the immediate parent were similarly unnamed seedlings originated by the present inventor.

#The accompanying photographic drawings show typical inflorescence and leaf characteristics of Dawn with the colors being as nearly true as possible with illustrations of this type. Sheet 1 is a color photograph of Dawn grown as a single stem cut spray. Sheet 2 is a black and white photograph of three views of the inflorescence of Dawn. Sheet 3 is a black and white photograph showing the leaves of Dawn at three stages of development (mature, intermediate and immature).

#Of the many commercial cultivars known to the present inventor, the most similar in comparison to Dawn is Flame Belair, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 3,353.

#Reference is made to attached Chart A which compares certain characteristics of Dawn to those same characteristics of Flame Belair.

#In comparison to Flame Belair, Dawn has slightly lighter inflorescence color, more formal form, smaller diameter across face of capitulum, shorter peduncle length, shorter plant height, more rapid response to controlled short days and more uniform tolerance of 13.degree. C. initiation and development temperatures.