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PHILIPPINE
AGRICULTURAL
The Origin
and Characterization
of TwoSCIENTIST
New Mussaenda Hybrids
Vol. 89 No. 1, 85-90
March 2006
T. L. Rosario and
ISSN
F. 0031-7454
B. Aurigue
of Horticulture, College of Agriculture, University of the Philippines Los Baos, College, Laguna, Philippines
2 Philippine Nuclear Research Institute, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines
*Author for correspondence: e-mail: tl_rosario@yahoo.com
Hybrids of mussaendas are being developed continuously by the College of Agriculture, University of
the Philippines Los Baos. Two new hybrids namely, M. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and M. Zenaida
Umali are hereby being named and characterized.
M. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is a cross between M. Doa Evangelina (with red bracts) and M.
Doa Aurora (with white bracts). The bracts are 4.0 x 1.7 - 4.0 x 2.1 cm, oblong to ovate elliptic,
basically white suffused with tiny rose areas and with claret rose margin. The flowers are orpiment
orange, 1.5-1.8 cm across and sterile. It was named after the incumbent President of the Philippines
and daughter of former President Diosdado Macapagal and former First Lady Evangelina Macapagal.
M. Zenaida Umali is one of the progenies generated from the embryo rescue of (M. philippica x M.
Doa Aurora) x M. Paraluman. The bracts of the female parent are creamy white while those of the
male parent are claret rose with paler veins. M. Zenaida Umali has creamy white bracts which are 6.5
x 4.0 - 8.0 x 4.5 cm in size, obovate, with veins slightly sunken giving the bracts a puckered, slightly
cupping downward appearance. The flowers are sulfur yellow, 2.2 - 2.4 cm across and semi-fertile.
This hybrid was named after the wife of Dr. Dioscoro L. Umali, former Dean of the College of Agriculture
and who initiated the development of the mussaenda hybrids in the 1940s with the assistance of Mrs.
Umali.
Key words: calyx lobes, embryo rescue, Mussaenda, Mussaenda philippica, petaloid, Rubiaceae
INTRODUCTION
The genus Mussaenda (Family: Rubiaceae) is characterized by the development of one or more of the calyx lobes
into a large, colorful petaloid structure. Several cultivars
of mussaenda have been produced at the University of
the Philippines Los Baos (UPLB) and traditionally, they
are named after the First Ladies of the Philippines (Table 1)
and addressed as Doa as in Doa Aurora.
Crop improvement in mussaendas is a continuing effort at UPLB, hence, new cultivars are developed regularly. One of them was named after Maria Clara, a character
portraying a typical Filipina in the book Noli Me Tangere
by Jose P. Rizal, the countrys national hero. Still another
85
Table 1. Cultivated mussaendas named after the First Ladies of the Philippines
Year Named
First Lady
President
Year of Incumbency
1974
1938
1962
1974
1946
1952
1958
1962
1962
1967
1998
Hilaria
Aurora
Esperanza
Paciencia
Trining
Alicia
Luz
Leonila
Evangelina
Imelda
Amelita
Emilio F. Aguinaldo
Manuel L. Quezon
Sergio Osmea
Jose P. Laurel*
Manuel A. Roxas
Elpidio E. Quirino
Ramon R. Magsaysay
Carlos P. Romulo
Diosdado P. Macapagal
Ferdinand E. Marcos
Fidel V. Ramos
1897-1901
1935-1944
1944-1946
1945
1946-1948
1948-1953
1953-1957
1957-1961
1961-1964
1964-1986
1992-1998
* Speaker Jose P. Laurel acted as President of the Republic when President Manuel L.
Quezon was in Australia during the Second World War.
86
Doa Aurora
Doa Evangelina
M. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
87
M. Doa Evangelina
M. Doa Aurora
Color
Greenish white
(157C)
Size
Other characteristics
Color
Size across
1.5 1.8 cm
2.1 2.3 cm
1.2 cm
1.8 2.5;
light yellow-green
Throat
Style length
0.7 cm
1.5 cm
0.7 0.8 cm
Stigma lobes
Thick; open;
sometimes exserted;
6.0 9.0 mm long
Anther
Pollen fertility
Sterile
Sterile
34.1%
Leaf
Other
Characteristics
Nodes/stipules
Bract
Flower
88
Paraluman
M. Zenaida Umali
89
(M. philippica X
Doa Aurora)
M. Paraluman
Color
Size (cm)
Other characteristics
Color
Cadmium orange
(23B)
Size across
2.2 2.4 cm
1.2 1.7 cm
2.6 3.0;
pale yellow green
Throat
No hairs
Style length
1.2 1.5 cm
0.8 1.7 cm
1.5 cm
Stigma lobes
Anther
Above stigma;
2.0 mm from throat
Below stigma;
7-9 mm from throat;
5.0 mm long
Above stigma;
5.0 mm from throat;
5.0 mm long
Pollen fertility
20.8%
0% (sterile)
25.27%
Leaf
Other
characteristics
Nodes/stipules
Bract
Flower
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The authors gratefully acknowledge the assistance of Ms.
Marilou B. Mendoza in the conduct of the study.
REFERENCES CITED
ROSARIO TL. 1998. Ornamental Mussaendas of the Philippines. College, Laguna, Philippines: College of Agriculture,
University of the Philippines Los Baos. 70 p.
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