= Cultivar
A <cultivar> is a selected assemblage of cultivated <plants> that remains distinguishable, sufficiently uniform and stable in specified characteristics when maintained by appropriate <plant propagation>. The characteristics may concern form, colour, flowering or other useful traits. A <cultivar> is a named cultivated selection, rather than simply any individual growing in a garden.<Learn About Cultivars by the International Aroid Society>[What is a cultivar?: selected characters, distinctness, uniformity and stability]{ref}
The phrase “appropriate propagation” matters. Some <cultivars> are maintained by <vegetative propagation>, while others can be maintained through <seeds> or a repeatable <hybrid (biology)> cross. A <cultivar> therefore need not consist of just one <plant clone>.<International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants (8th edition)>[Article2: seed-raised and repeatable F1-hybrid cultivar examples]{ref}
For an illuminating example, suppose a selected <plant> has a distinctive flower colour. Producing more <plants> is insufficient if their flowers lose that distinguishing trait. The propagation procedure must retain the relevant combination of characteristics. Conversely, variation in an unselected feature need not invalidate the selection: “uniform” concerns the characteristics that distinguish the <cultivar>, not absolute identity in every measurable property.
Back to article page
