Carolyn,
It is interesting what a little research of an old variety creates depending on who is doing it! I sent an email to my source, Taryn, for her source of King Umberto in anticipation of at least resolving what I have used in breeding work.
So many nooks and crannies caught my eye as I looked into the internet connections with key words....Chiswick, Re, Roi, Rey, Umberto, Humbert, Humberto, etc. All I wanted was the proper phenotype description for what I used to make crosses. Little did I think there could be so much to cause confusion as to synonyms, and distinct germplasm differences. This variety is so fraught with dichotomous and diverse lineage that I fear no one will sort it all out. In fact, I rather like the associated discord and it provides credence to what many older tomato breeders have admitted to me. Basically it was an answer to the question..."If one has the same variety and someone else has the same variety and many generations have separated the two collections...are they the same?" No, was the answer.
No..... as the default answer implies that breeders experience bottle necking, variety admixture, out crossing, mutation, faulty records, and plain re-selection. A variety like the Umberto type has traveled far and wide for a long time.
Viva la diferencia!
Ventmarin says
King Umberto..... no picture but says to see Roi Humbert
I don’t know if that he thinks they are the same or just the names are linked somehow.
Chiswick Red as a synonym for King Umberto?
Chiswick shows up on GRIN and a couple of photos help distinguish it.
Chiswick Red or Red Chiswick PI 645002
The fruit of Chiswick
[IMG]
http://i.imgur.com/4kSNZDN.png[/IMG]
Very different shape from the Humberto/Umberto types
The leaf of Chiswick
[IMG]
http://i.imgur.com/oGZ44ID.png[/IMG]
The German version
[IMG]
http://i.imgur.com/5Hl0x8F.png?1[/IMG]
No points on the German type
Tatiana’s
[IMG]
http://i.imgur.com/ZNp1qDX.jpg[/IMG]
It has points
Underwood/Terroir
[IMG]
http://i.imgur.com/xYdOcd5.jpg[/IMG]
It also has points
Solana Seeds has much to say...
Re Umberto
Notice the spelling
[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/ZZY2PMW.png[/IMG]
Does not look like King Umberto
Solana states:
Quote:
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Old italian variety named after King Umberto. Paste type, like Roma and San Marzano, with oval shaped, 6 cm, deep red fruits. For sauces or fresh eating. This one will ripen very slowly on the plant. So make sure to wait until it is turns completely red. About 90 days. Rare! (This is not the "King Umberto" Tomato.)
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Solana then suggests to read this:
King Umberto, a tomato in exile
Quote:
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"It is a matter of synonyms" Alberto Olivucci
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http://www.gondrano.it/agric/reumbert.htm
The translation…for what it is worth….
http://www.freetranslation.com/translation.html#!/505037985fe01ac20407b80a/505037985fe01ac20407b7fb/http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gondrano.it%2Fagric%2Freumbert.ht m