Anigozanthos plant named ‘Rambueleg’

Abstract

A new and distinct cultivar of Anigozanthos plant named ‘Rambueleg’, characterized by its compact, upright and outwardly spreading plant habit; freely and early flowering habit; freely branched flowering stems; and large red purple-colored flowers.

Description

Botanical designation: Anigozanthos flavidus.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Rambueleg’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Anigozanthos, botanically known as Anigozanthos flavidus, commonly referred to as Kangaroo-Paw, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Rambueleg’.

The new Anigozanthos is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Tuggerah, New South Wales, Australia. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact Anigozanthos cultivars that are suitable for container production, are freely flowering and have bright flower coloration.

The new Anigozanthos originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor on May 11, 1998 in Tuggerah, New South Wales, Australia of a proprietary selection of Anigozanthos flavidus identified as code number H80, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with the Anigozanthos flavidus cultivar Flashpoint, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Anigozanthos was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Tuggerah, New South Wales, Australia.

Asexual reproduction of the new Anigozanthos by in vitro propagation of micro-plants in Tuggerah, New South Wales, Australia since June, 1999, has shown that the unique features of this new Anigozanthos are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘Rambueleg’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Rambueleg’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Rambueleg’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Anigozanthos:

• • 1. Compact, upright and outwardly spreading plant habit.
  • 2. Freely and early flowering habit.
  • 3. Freely branched flowering stems.
  • 4. Large red purple-colored flowers.

Plants of the cultivar ‘Rambueleg’ can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Tuggerah, New South Wales, Australia, plants of the new Anigozanthos and the female parent selection differed in the following characteristics:

• • 1. Plants of the new Anigozanthos had brighter green-colored leaves than plants of the female parent selection.
  • 2. Plants of the new Anigozanthos were more freely branching than plants of the female parent selection.
  • 3. Plants of the new Anigozanthos had longer flowering stems than plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the cultivar ‘Rambueleg’ can be compared to plants of the male parent, the cultivar Flashpoint. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Tuggerah, New South Wales, Australia, plants of the new Anigozanthos and the cultivar Flashpoint differed in the following characteristics:

• • 1. Plants of the new Anigozanthos had shorter leaves than plants of the cultivar Flashpoint.
  • 2. Plants of the new Anigozanthos had bright green-colored leaves whereas plants of the cultivar Flashpoint had variegated foliage.

Plants of the new Anigozanthos can be compared to plants of the cultivar Bush Garnet, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Tuggerah, New South Wales, Australia, plants of the new Anigozanthos differed from plants of the cultivar Bush Garnet in the following characteristics:

• • 1. Plants of the new Anigozanthos were more compact than plants of the cultivar Bush Garnet.
  • 2. Plants of the new Anigozanthos had longer leaves and flowers than plants of the cultivar Bush Garnet.
  • 3. Plants of the new Anigozanthos flowered earlier than plants of the cultivar Bush Garnet.

Plants of the cultivar ‘Rambueleg’ can also be compared to plants of the cultivar Bush Ranger, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,478. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Tuggerah, New South Wales, Australia, plants of the new Anigozanthos and the cultivar Bush Ranger differed in the following characteristics:

• • 1. Plants of the new Anigozanthos were taller than plants of the cultivar Bush Ranger.
  • 2. Plants of the new Anigozanthos had longer leaves and flowers than plants of the cultivar Bush Ranger.
  • 3. Flowers of plants of the new Anigozanthos were more red than flowers of plants of the cultivar Bush Ranger.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Anigozanthos, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Anigozanthos.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Rambueleg’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a close-up of typical flowering stems of ‘Rambueleg’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in Lompoc, Calif., under commercial practice during the winter and early spring in a polycarbonate-covered greenhouse with day temperatures ranging from 18° C. to 24° C., night temperatures ranging from 16° C. to 18° C., and light levels ranging from about 4,000 to 8,000 foot candles. Plants were grown for about 27 weeks with one plant per 12.5-cm container. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

• Botanical classification: Anigozanthos flavidus cultivar Rambueleg.
• Parentage:
  • • Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Anigozanthos flavidus identified as code number H80, not patented.
    • Male, or pollen, parent.—Anigozanthos flavidus cultivar Flashpoint, not patented.
• Propagation:
  • • Type.—In vitro propagation of micro-plants.
    • Time to initiate roots, summer.—About one week at temperatures of 25° C.
    • Time to initiate roots, winter.—About two weeks at temperatures of 15° C.
    • Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 45 to 60 days at temperatures of 25° C.
    • Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 55 to 70 days at temperatures of 15° C.
    • Root description.—Thick, fibrous; white in color.
    • Rooting habit.—Moderately branching.
• Plant description:
  • • Plant and growth habit.—Inverted triangle; compact, upright and outwardly spreading plant habit with branched flowering stems with red purple-colored flowers. Leaves in tight clumps. Moderately vigorous growth habit.
    • Plant height (soil level to top of leaves).—About 26 cm.
    • Plant height (soil level to top of flowers).—About 48 cm.
    • Plant diameter.—About 34 cm by 54 cm.
• Lateral branch description:
  • • Number per plant.—About 20.
    • Length.—About 2.4 cm.
    • Diameter.—About 5 mm.
    • Internode length.—About 3 mm.
    • Strength.—Strong.
    • Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.
    • Color.—145A.
• Foliage description:
  • • Arrangement.—Alternate equitant, simple; sessile.
    • Length.—About 18 cm.
    • Width.—About 1.6 cm.
    • Shape.—Ensiform; folded at base.
    • Apex.—Acute.
    • Base.—Clasping.
    • Margin.—Entire.
    • Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous; thick, leathery.
    • Venation pattern.—Parallel.
    • Color.—Developing foliage, upper surface: 144B. Developing foliage, lower surface: 144A. Fully expanded foliage, upper surface: 147B; venation, 147B. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 147A; venation, 147A.
• Flower description:
  • • Flower arrangement and habit.—Large flowers arranged singly on terminal and axillary racemes. Flowers with tubular perianth; zygomorphic. Flowers held initially upright then curving outwards and eventually reflex with development. Flowers not fragrant. Freely flowering habit, about 36 to 42 flowers and flower buds develop per flowering stem.
    • Natural flowering season.—Plants flower throughout the summer in Southern California; flowering continuous during this period. Flowers last about 25 to 30 days on the plant. Flowers persistent.
    • Inflorescence height.—About 10 cm.
    • Inflorescence diameter.—About 6.5 cm.
    • Flower diameter.—About 2.2 cm.
    • Flower height.—About 4 cm.
    • Flower buds.—Length: About 3.5 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm. Shape: Tubular, curved. Texture: Tomentose. Color: 60A.
    • Perianth.—Arrangement: Fused elongated tube with six reflexed acute petal apices; split on lower surface. Perianth tube length: About 4 cm. Perianth tube diameter: About 5 mm; at base, about 6 mm. Petal apex length: About 9 mm. Petal apex width: About 3 mm. Texture, outer surface of perianth tube: Tomentose. Texture, inner surface of perianth tube: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening and fully opened, outer surface of perianth tube: 146C; tomentum, 60A. When opening and fully opened, inner surface of perianth tube: 191A.
    • Floral bracts.—Length: About 1 cm. Width: About 3 mm. Shape: Ensiform. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Clasping. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous. Texture, lower surface: Tomentose. Color, upper surface: 146A. Color, lower surface: 60A.
    • Peduncles (flowering stems).—Length: About 30 cm. Diameter: About 6 mm. Angle: Upright to outwardly spreading. Strength: Strong, stout. Texture: Tomentose. Color: 146A.
    • Pedicels (individual flower stems).—Length: About 4 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Angle: Initially appressed to flowering stems, with development, about 30° to 45° from flowering stems. Strength: Strong. Texture: Tomentose. Color: 60A.
    • Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: Six per flower. Anther shape: Oblong. Anther size: About 1 mm by 2 mm. Anther color: 14B. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: 14B. Pistils: Quantity: One per flower. Pistil length: About 3.8 cm. Style length: About 3 cm. Style color: 145A. Stigma shape: Rounded. Stigma color: 144A. Ovary color: 144B. Seed/fruit: Seed and fruit development have not been observed on plants of the new Anigozanthos.
• Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Anigozanthos have been observed to tolerate temperatures from about 0° C. to about 40° C.
• Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Anigozanthos have not been observed to be resistant to pests and pathogens common to Anigozanthos.

Claims

1. A new and distinct Anigozanthos plant named ‘Rambueleg’ as illustrated and described.