Cpschult said:Brad Best has asked me to clarify that the "bearded" genetics are different than the "scultped cristate".
Yes, No and Maybe.
No one has done all the necessary formal crosses (F1, F2, F3, both backcrosses, etc.), produced sufficient seedlings and analyzed the characteristics in enough detail (dissections, microscopic slides, etc.) to make reliable statements about the genetics of these characteristics.
The genetics of these characteristics involve two factors that make them difficult to analyze and significantly more complex than any simple Mendelian genetics. Those are variable expressivity and incomplete penetrance. Variable expressivity means that individuals that are genetically identical in terms of the apparent major mutation that causes the effect may show quite different aspects of the characteristics associated with the mutation. They may not look alike even though they should if we simply classify them as to the major gene. Incomplete penetrance means that individuals that genetically should show the characteristic may never do so.
When these two factors are in play it usually means that the environment plays a large role in determining how and whether the characteristic associated with the mutation is shown. However, it may also mean that although there is a major genetic effect there are also potentially several other minor genetic effects that modify the outcome of the major one. Those other genetic effects, often labelled as "modifiers" or modifier genes may differ between individuals and cause the different aspects of the major mutation to appear or not appear.
Whether the genetics of the characteristics that effect the areas associated with the central tissues of the petals and sepals in daylilies are completely different or whether they might have major genes in common and different modifier genes or whether there is a general mixture of genetic effects is currently scientifically unknown.
I will guess that the genetic effects act on tissues associated with the ability of stamens and pistils to be derived from meristematic (not quite normal meristems) tissues that also produce sepals and petals. Those meristematic tissues are located near the centre of the developing flower organs (pistil, stamen, petal, sepal).
