NATURAL ENVIRONMENT AND HISTORY OF GERBERA (Part1)

The gerbera is a genus of south africa origin, where it grows spontaneously in shady area, away from direct light, among high vegetation and shrubs, on highlandds at an altitude between 1100 and 1700m and at latitude of 26 celcius. It is often found betwwn the steppe and the savannah, delimited by the nortern and eastern strips bordering respectively Bechuanaland and south Rhodesia and Mozambique and Natal.

The whole territory of origin is characterised by a warm-dry climate in winter and by abundant rainfall in summer, the annual average temperature is 16 celcius, with a maximum of 21 celcius (january) and minimum of 12(Juli). The average annual rainfall is 650 mm, of which about 140 mm is due to the rainfall in the month of january and 510 mm in the month of July.

During the period August-December (characterised by a strong dryness) the plant loses the whole leaf apparatus and survives solely by virtue of the rhizomatos root apparatus, rich in reserve substances (storage).

The name is derived from the German botanist Traugot Gerber who lived in the XVIII century. The first plants of gerbera were discovered and picked by Robert Jameson, a Scotman who worked for a company of goldmine exploration near Barbeton, in south Africa.

Jameson sent these “new plants” to John Medley Wood of the Botanical Garden in Cambridge, manager and administrator of the garden. After a brief study, he sent specimens to Harry Bolus who subsequently suggested calling the new plants Gerbera jamesonii.

During the first twenty year after its introduction in Europe, important results were obtained from genetic improvements like: more rigid stems, bigger and closed petals, and a greater range of colours. In fact, while the first native plants had only red orange flowers, in this period, among intersections (cross- fertilization) with the Gerbera viridifolia and spontaneous mutations of the plants from the places of origin, there were white, pink and violet flowers, as well as obtaining the first plants with “double flowers”.

Therefore, cultivars on the market do not originated, as is usually read, from the G. Jamesonii, but they are the result of cross-fertilization between thes and the G. Viridifolia, that have produced the actual G. Jamesonii Hybrida.