Limonium

Hybrids and cultivars of a relatively small number of Limonium (limonium) species are well known as fresh or dried cut flowers. In an industry that is always seeking novelty, opportunities to create new cultivars are constantly being sought. Despite there being upward of 150 species of limonium, only about 15-20 species or their hybrids are used in commerce. The genus is poorly described with considerable variation in estimates of the number of species. Many species hybridize naturally, a feature that breeders have utilized successfully for decades. However, other approaches are available for delivering novelty in limonium and could provide benefit to breeders, growers, and consumers. A range of techniques that augment conventional breeding programs have been reported for limonium, but the number of publications is relatively small. In this chapter, we provide an overview of opportunities for using the acknowledged diversity within the genus Limonium (limonium) so as to introduce novelty for the international cut-flower market. The diversity of the genus is introduced, along with a brief discussion on the breeding systems in limonium. Application of in vitro techniques to limonium is reviewed. These include hybridization, embryo rescue, ploidy manipulation, mutagenesis, and molecular breeding techniques.