Viewing post #2842860 by admmad

...many more hybridizers now seem to have invested intensive efforts into distinctive breeding lines (thereby pursuing avenues which might, by elimination, be promoting strong recessive traits into dominance) ... or simply that, there have always been 'deviant' lines in daylilies that used to end up on the compost pile and, with more appreciation, are now being pursued by breeders?

Both.

There are about 54,000 genes in diploid daylilies. Every seedling will have a few brand new mutations. Nearly all new mutations (about 95%) are "recessive" and will not produce visible changes in the individual plant's characteristics until they are the only versions present in the individual (are homozygous). Over time that can happen purely by chance unless hybridizers always make their crosses between completely unrelated plants. Then what happens is a matter of the hybridizer's choice (hybridizing trends) - the mutant plant may be discarded or used in breeding.