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Limonium plant named `Esm Arroz` |
| PP18970 |
Limonium plant named `Esm Arroz`
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| Patent Drawings: | |
| Inventor: |
Hooijman |
| Date Issued: |
June 24, 2008 |
| Application: |
11/489,198 |
| Filed: |
July 19, 2006 |
| Inventors: |
Hooijman; Aloysius A. J. (Aalsmeer, NL)
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| Assignee: |
Esmeralda Breeding B.V. (Aalsmeer, NL) |
| Primary Examiner: |
Para; Annette H |
| Assistant Examiner: |
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| Attorney Or Agent: |
Whealy; C. A. |
| U.S. Class: |
PLT/358 |
| Field Of Search: |
PLT/358 |
| International Class: |
A01H 5/00 |
| U.S Patent Documents: |
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| Foreign Patent Documents: |
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| Other References: |
Upovrom PBR 20041701 Plant Variety Database, p. 1. cited by examiner. |
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| Abstract: |
A new and distinct cultivar of Limonium plant named `Esm Arroz`, characterized by its erect, long and strong flowering stems; vigorous growth habit; freely flowering habit; small white-colored flowers that do not fully open; and good postproduction longevity. |
| Claim: |
It is claimed:
1. A new and distinct Limonium plant named `Esm Arroz` as illustrated and described. |
| Description: |
Botanical designation: Limoniumsinense.
Cultivar denomination: `Esm Arroz`.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Limonium plant, botanically known as Limonium sinense, grown commercially as a cut flower, and hereinafter referred to by the name `Esm Arroz`.
The new Limonium is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in El Quinche, Pichincha, Ecuador. The objective of the breeding program is to create new freely flowering Limonium cultivars with long and straight floweringstems.
The new Limonium originated from a open-pollination in El Quinche, Pichincha, Ecuador in February, 2000 of a proprietary selection of Limonium sinense identified as Line 57, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown selectionof Limonium sinense. The cultivar Esm Arroz was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlled environment in El Quinche, Pichincha, Ecuador.
Asexual reproduction of the new Limonium by cuttings in a controlled environment in El Quinche, Pichincha, Ecuador since February, 2001, has shown that the unique features of this new Limonium are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The cultivar Esm Arroz has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance ingenotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of `Esm Arroz`. These characteristics in combination distinguish `Esm Arroz` as a new and distinct cultivar of Limonium: 1. Erect, long andstrong flowering stems. 2. Vigorous growth habit. 3. Freely flowering habit. 4. Small white-colored flowers that do not fully open. 5. Good postproduction longevity.
In side-by-side comparisons conducted in El Quinche, Pichincha, Ecuador, plants of the new Limonium differed from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics: 1. Plants of the new Limonium were more freely floweringthan plants of the female parent selection. 2. Flowers of the new Limonium did not fully open whereas flowers of plants of the female parent selection opened.
Plants of the new Limonium can be compared to plants of the Limonium cultivar China White, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in El Quinche, Pichincha, Ecuador, plants of the new Limonium differed from plants of the cultivarChina White in the following characteristics: 1. Plants of the new Limonium were more vigorous and had stronger flowering stems than plants of the cultivar China White. 2. Plants of the new Limonium had longer leaves than plants of the cultivar ChinaWhite. 3. Plants of the new Limonium were more freely flowering than plants of the cultivar China White. 4. Flowers of the new Limonium did not fully open whereas flowers of plants of the cultivar China White opened. 5. Plants of the new Limoniumhad longer postproduction longevity than plants of the cultivar China White.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS
The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Limonium. The photographs show the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differslightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Limonium. Clockwise from the upper left photograph: side perspective view of a typical flowering stem; close-up of a typicalinflorescence; close-up view of upper and lower surfaces of typical leaves; and close-up view of a typical flowering stem of `Esm Arroz`.
DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION
In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observations and measurements describeplants grown during the winter in El Quinche, Pichincha, Ecuador in ground beds in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse and under conditions and practices which approximate those generally used in commercial cut Limonium production. During the productionof the plants, day temperatures ranged from 11.degree. C. to 28.degree. C., night temperatures ranged from 5.degree. C. to 11.degree. C. and light levels ranged from 1,000 to 1,150 foot-candles. Plants were pinched. Measurements and numericalvalues represent averages for typical five-month old flowering plants. Botanical classification: Limonium sinense cultivar Esm Arroz. Commercial classification: Cut flower Limonium. Parentage: Female, or seed, parent.--Proprietary selection ofLimonium sinense identified as Line 57, not patented. Male, or pollen, parent.--Unknown selection of Limonium sinense, not patented. Propagation: Type.--By cuttings. Time to initiate roots.--About 15 to 20 days at 17.degree. C. to 25.degree. C. Timeto produce a rooted cutting.--About seven to nine weeks at 17.degree. C. to 25.degree. C. Root description.--Fine; 161B in color. Plant description: Appearance.--Perennial subshrub grown as a cut flower. Erect and strong flowering stems; invertedtriangle form. Leaves basal. Freely flowering habit; numerous flowers arranged in symmetrical and moderately dense compound panicles. Vigorous growth habit. Branching habit.--After pinching, about 32 flowering stems develop per year. Plantheight.--About 119 cm. Plant diameter or spread.--About 99 cm. Flowering stems.--Length: About 119 cm. Diameter: About 7 mm. Internode length: About 5.5 cm. Strength: Strong. Texture: Immature, pubescent; mature, glabrescent. Color: 147A. Foliagedescription: Arrangement.--Alternate, simple; sessile. Length.--About 35 cm. Width.--About 5.4 cm. Shape.--Narrowly obovate. Apex.--Obtuse. Base.--Attenuate. Margin.--Crenate; undulate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces.--Smooth, glabrous; waxy. Venation pattern.--Pinnate. Color.--Developing foliage, upper surface: 146A. Developing foliage, lower surface: 147B. Fully expanded foliage, upper surface: 147A to 137A; venation, 157A. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 137B; venation, 145C. Flower description: Flower arrangement and habit.--Compound cymes with numerous flowers; flowers actinomorphic and symmetrical. Very freely flowering, about 8,700 flowers per inflorescence. Flowers face mostly upright. Flowering response.--In Ecuador,plants flower year round. Plants begin flowering about 16 weeks after planting. Post-production longevity.--As a cut flower, flowers last for about two weeks. Fragrance.--None detected. Inflorescence height.--About 119 cm. Inflorescencediameter.--About 72 cm. Flower diameter.--About 6 mm. Flower depth (height).--About 7 mm. Flower buds.--Length: About 7 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Shape: Fusiform. Color: Towards the apex, close to 155D; towards the base, 144A. Corolla.--Petals perflower: About four to eight. Petal length: About 6 mm. Petal width: About 2 mm. Petal shape: Irregular. Petal apex: Emarginate. Petal margin: Entire. Petal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; membraneous. Petal color: Whenopening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 155D; towards the base, close to 145B. Fully opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 155D; towards the base, close to 160C. Calyx.--Sepals per flower: Five. Length: About 5 mm. Width: About 6 mm. Shape:Salverform. Sepal apex: Acute. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Sepal color: When opening, upper surface: Close to 155D; throat, 146C. When opening, lower surface: Close to 155D; tube, 144B. Fullyopened, upper surface: Close to 155D; throat, 144C. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 155D; tube, N144D. Pedicels.--Length: About 13.6 cm. Diameter: About 7 mm. Strength: Strong. Angle: About 56.degree. from vertical. Texture: Smooth,glabrous. Color: 147A. Reproductive organs.--None observed. Seeds.--None observed. Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Limonium have been observed to be resistant to Peronospora. Plants have not been shown to be resistant to pests and otherpathogens common to Limonium. Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Limonium have been observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 5.degree. C. to about 30.degree. C.
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