Fragaria × Comarum hybrids

There are several commercially important hybrids between Fragaria and Comarum species in existence. A name for Fragaria × Comarum is available as × Comagaria Büscher & G.H. Loos in Veroff. [Bohumer Bot. Ver. 2(1): 6. 2010], along with the combination × Comagaria rosea (Mabb.) Büscher & G.H. Loos.

The first-generation hybrids have been recorded as heptaploid, i.e. with seven sets of chromosomes; four sets of chromosomes came from their octoploid strawberry parent, and three from their hexaploid Comarum parent.^[1]

Commercial cultivars

All commercial cultivars resemble strawberries more closely than they do Comarum. They are all vigorous, and produce runners profusely.

• 'Frel', also known as Pink Panda,^[2] is a patented hybrid strawberry that is the result of crossing the garden strawberry Fragaria × ananassa subsp. cuneifolia (syn. Fragaria grandiflora)^[3] with Marsh Cinquefoil, Comarum palustre (formerly Potentilla palustris), followed by backcrossing to strawberry.^[4] The plant is grown for ornamental purposes. It has bright pink flowers (in contrast to the white flowers of naturally occurring strawberry species) and it produces a small number of strawberries.^[4]
• 'Franor' (marketed as Red Ruby) developed as a sport of 'Frel', and features a more intense red color in the flowers.^[5]
• 'Gerald Straley' is a seedling of 'Frel', selected at Heronswood in Washington for its bright red flowers. It was named after the former curator of the University of British Columbia Botanical Gardens.
• 'Lipstick' is a variety developed in 1966 from a cross between the Marsh Cinquefoil, Comarum palustre and the Garden Strawberry, Fragaria × ananassa.^[6] It has deep pink to red flowers, and slightly larger, more flavorful berries than 'Frel'. It, too, is grown for ornamental purposes.

References

• Media related to × Comagaria at Wikimedia Commons