Cultivar
B. ‘Compacta Heterosis Tausendschon’
Identity
- Genus
- Begonia
- Name
- B. ‘Compacta Heterosis Tausendschon’
- Originator
- Ernst Benary
- Place
- Muenden
- Country
- Germany
- Region
- Europe
- Plant Type
- Semperflorens
- Publication Reference
- BEN; WBHC-WW
- Article References
- The Begonian Oct 1953 p. 220-222.
Plant
- Description
- The Begonian Oct 1953 p. 220-222. The Heterosis Semperflorens Begonias, by Charlotte Hoak, Research Chairman Shortly after my appointment as Research Chairman I proceeded on two lines of investigation: 1st - What begonias were grown in pioneer California gardens, and 2nd - an investigation and clarification of the meaning of "heterosis" as used in reference to Begonia semperflorens. I sent out a series of letters, and I am giving you what these authorities said. Mr. T. H. Everett, horticulturist of the New York Botanical Garden replied as follows: "Heterosis is another name for hybrid vigor, that particular type of vigor and hardiness that is so often noticed in plants that have been raised by hybridization or cross breeding. The hybrid corns are good examples of this and so is the London plane. "I assume that the hybrid types of Begonia semperflorens are varieties that exhibit a special vigor and hardiness of growth. The most recent book on this subject was published in 1952 and is titled HETEROSIS and is edited by John W. Gower, and published by the Iowa State College Press, Ames, Iowa." Next, I requested information from D. R. Milton Carleton, head of Vaughan's 'Garden Research Department. He wrote as follows: "The word heterosis refers to a special type of vigor in plants induced by hybridization. "It is the result of a special type of breeding (the type used to produce hybrid corn) in which a variety is inbred to itself for several generations, then crossed with another line that has been similarly inbred. "Usually, the result of the inbreeding is to concentrate whatever qualities have been selected for improvement. The inbreeding results in a less vigorous plant than open pollination. "However, when two inbred lines are crossed, the resultant seedlings are almost always bigger, stronger, more fruitful, etc., than any plants to be found in the parent lines. “This type of vigor is termed heterosis, as contrasted with vigor which might be the result of favorable soil, weather, etc., and could not be passed on thru breeding. From our nomenclature chairman, Mr. Butterfield, I received the following information: "You inquire about "heterosis" as used regarding begonias. I am afraid that those who used the term were not familiar with genetics and made matters worse by coining new words without knowing all that was involved. First let us look at the literature. "Helen K. Krauss in her book, Begonias for American Gardens; Macmillan 1947, p. 79 summarized her observations by saying, 'For those varieties which do not come true from seed, Benary contrived and registered the term, heterosis. Since 1905 the name "gracilis" has been erroneously applied to any variety of Begonia semperflorens x cultorum which even remotely resemble Benary's original hybrids. The original qualities of compactness, succulence, small and glossy foliage of the B. gracilis hybrids are visible in other varieties of B. semperflorens- cultorum, so that segregation into a well-defined group is impracticable. Within the past few years, the term heterosis, which means the plant can only be propagated by cuttings (the botanical word for plants that can be perpetuated by such vegetative methods is "clones"), has been used as though it were part of the plant name, thereby reverting to the pre-Linnaean period when plants assumed names as long as sentences or phrases. One example will suffice' to show the imposing length of such a mime: Begonia semperflorens gracilis blutenmeer heterosis!! "Another reference called to my attention by Mrs. Carleton of Berkeley is "Die Begonien" and before me I have a translation by Hans Smolka under W. P. A. made in 1939. This translation mentions heterosis "Bluetenmeer (gracilis) (Benary, Erfurt 1920-21), and heterosis "Feuerzauber" (g) (Benary, Erfurt 1912-13). There were also heterosis "Ruhm von Erfurt" (s.) (Benary, Erfurt 1922-23) and heterosis "Rundfunk" (s) (Benary, Erfurt 1926-27.) (S stands for semperflorens group and g for gracilis group). In connection with heterosis Grugas (s) in parenthesis it explains, "The heterosis varieties are hybrids" and goes on to say: "Heterosis; the seed of which can only be obtained by gensiogamy. The seeds of the progeny split and produce inferior mixtures. The name "Heterosis" has been copyrighted internationally by Benary. (Benary, Erfurt 1929-30"). " Our job is to make sense out of this. I checked with Dr. Clausen, head of our Department of Genetics and as near as I can summarize the situation, all that "heterosis" means as applied' to begonias is that the seedlings involved are heterozygous. They are hybrids that do not breed true. But the word "heterosis" is now taking on added meaning as used by corn hybridizers. As you know, if two pure lines of coni are inbred for several generations, they become weak, and yet when parents from the two lines are crossbred after several generations, the first-generation cross shows unusual vigor. Our hybrid sweet corn, popcorn, and field corn show this so-called hybrid vigor. In recent years the Japanese introduced the O. S. cabbage which is supposed to possess this same sort of hybrid vigor. I doubt if the begonia varieties that carry the term; heterosis, necessarily show this hybrid vigor but further investigation might be made' to see if they do involve such hybrid vigor as our present geneticists have in mind when they use the term, heterosis. "Possibly Benary or others may have gone back to the Greek meaning of heterosis and Webster gives alteration as a synonym. I doubt if we can be very exact in stating exactly what Benary did have in mind. Apparently, he grew fibrous begonias that fall under both the gracilis type and the semperflorens type and lumped these which did not breed true under heterosis so buyers would know they had to propagate by cuttings rather than by seed to keep the varieties true. We can call these dons or what we like. They are heterozygous. In recent years some of our seedsmen have had the same problem and even rabbit breeders know that the Dutch breed of rabbit is heterozygous in color pattern, with only 50% breeding true. "There are probably many cases where hybrid strains do not come true after the first generation. Whether we wish to attach hybrid vigor as well as color and other characters to the offspring of the first generation is a matter which others will have to settle. I do know that some hybrids may carry vigor into the second generation and others lose hybrid vigor after the first generation, as in the Paradox Hybrid walnuts. Perhaps we should not try to read anything into the term heterosis that Benary did not have in mind and yet we should not overlook the present attitude of plant breeders who are using heterosis with an added meaning. Apparently, Mrs. Krauss assumed that the term as Benary used it meant nothing more than the hybrid seed-' lings did not come true. If propagated from seed, Mrs. Krauss did not believe that a gracilis group could be dearly separated from the B. semperflorens cultorum begonias because the original characters attached by Benary to his group fall into both gracilis and semperflorens types, if I read the translations correctly. At any rate, the above account may be of interest to you and help indicate what heterosis means to different breeders." Mr. Butterfield also called my attention to what Mrs. Helen K. Krauss says in her Begonias for American Homes and Gardens which I quote in full, from page 79: "In chronological sequence, B. gracilis entered the B. semperflorens-cultorum complex in 1894 through the efforts of Benary who crossed this species with B. semperflorens hybrids of intermediate form and with B. schmidtiana. These hybrids were cross-: bred numerous times, and the habits were so well established in some varieties that they come true from seed. For those varieties.' which do not come true from seed, Benary contrived and registered the term, heterosis. Since 1905, the name "gracilis" has been erroneously applied to any varieties of B. semperflorens-cultorum which even remotely resemble Benary's original hybrids. The original qualities of compactness, succulence, small and glossy foliage of the B. gracilis hybrids are visible in other varieties of B. semperflorens-cultorum, so that segregation into a well-defined group is impracticable. Within the past few years, the term heterosis, which means that the plant can only be propagated by cuttings (the botanical word for plants that can only be perpetuated by such vegetative methods is "dons"), has been used as though it were part of the plant name, thereby reverting to the pre- Linnaean period when plants assumed names as long as sentences or phrases. One example will suffice to show the imposing length of such a name: "Begonia semperflorens gracilis blutenmeer heterosis." As Benary explained to me, he obtained his results by inbreeding. He took as one line the large-leaved semperflorens type. And the small, delicate leaved gracilis type for the second one. These were crossed producing the "heterosis" types which owe to this origin their uniformity of growth and color, 'freedom of flowering and long blooming season. The awkward and imposing length of the descriptive names is not a reversion to pre- Linnaean nomenclature. It is merely the cumbersome German method of expression. If you will examine the lists which appear on pp. 57-60 in Die Begonian and Ihre Kultur by Albert Vogelman (1951) you see that the "heterosis" origin begonias stand high in the estimation of the European propagators. Ernst Benary has a long line of them from Het. Primadonna in 1909/10 to Het. Roti Tausandschon 1950/1951. You will note also that Heinemann of Erfurt, Pfitzer of Stuttgart, Paul Schmid of Danzdorf, Walter Seeger of Schwabish-Gmund and often have used this method. By the heterosis method of breeding Ernst Benary produced fine types of primulas, tomatoes and spinach. Here in the United States we are quite familiar with this method of breeding in the development of superior types of Sweet Corn. Arthur Howard of the firm of Howard and Smith at Montebello says that they used this method of inbreeding to produce the wonderful strain of Giant Cinerarias. I have worked with the semperflorens begonias here in Southern California ever since 1906. I ordered the "original packets," and purchased many as listed in his German catalogs. I dug up out of my pile of foreign catalogs the one sent out 1925/26 and the 1931/32. I ordered aside from the Het. Begonias which were highly recommended as winter bloomers, B. gracilis rosea, B. semperflorens Albert Martin, B. X Erfordia grandiflora superba, B. X semperflorens heterosis Gruga, B. X semperflorens Ruhm von Erfurt, and B. X heterosis Rundfunk. Seeds were also ordered from Victor Lemoine of Nancy and Vilmorin. At the time, these seeds were ordered we were using them in our school gardens in the Elementary Agriculture in Los Angeles, using them for holiday gift plants for the children and for bedding plants for home gardens during the summer. All our lath houses were equipped with cold frames having electric coils and plastic glass covers. The summer beds were sown in heat in January and given out during April and May. The holiday ones were sown in August and potted up for Christmas presents and taken home just before the Christmas holiday. During 1916 I taught in San Diego and in our school lath houses we raised scores of cuttings of many begonias. I spent much time week ends with Alfred D. Robinson at Point Loma. He was working with his coccinea hybrids and· did not bother with such "common" ones as" the semperflorens begonias. Since 1906 I have been intensely interested in the fine semperflorens begonias. Mr. Jim Ross of the Rust Nursery, which was only two blocks from my home in South Pasadena, was an authority on begonias and directed the propagation of many fine species in their green houses. He took considerable interest in the semperflorens types and ordered the finest seed from European growers. In 1925, Carl Hegermeyer came to the Rust Nursery, after it moved to Pasadena, as chief propagator. He was also interested in begonias and did considerable hybridizing on his own, He is still at the nursery, now the Bamico, and has a fine selection of the semperflorens and gracilis types. They make a great deal of them for their Christmas trade and sell flat after flat of the best ones for summer planting.
Lineage
Parents
No parentage recorded.
Descendants
No recorded descendants.
Culture
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