plant named ‘Tesima’

Abstract

A new and distinct cultivar of Alstroemeria plant named ‘Tesima’, characterized by its upright, somewhat outwardly spreading and uniformly mounded plant habit; sturdy and strong plant form; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit and relatively short internodes; dense and bushy appearance; large and numerous white and red purple-colored flowers held above the foliar plane on relatively short flower pedicels; and good garden performance.

Description

Botanical designation: Alstroemeria hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘TESIMA’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Alstroemeria plant, botanically known as Alstroemeria hybrida, grown typically as a potted garden Alstroemeria, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Tesima’.

The new Alstroemeria plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Heerhugowaard, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new freely-flowering potted garden Alstroemeria plants with uniform plant habit and attractive flower coloration.

The new Alstroemeria plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in Heerhugowaard, The Netherlands in April, 2005 of a proprietary selection of Alstroemeria hybrida identified as code number PD8030x006, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Alstroemeria hybrida identified as code number PC507, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Alstroemeria plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Heerhugowaard, The Netherlands in February, 2006.

Asexual reproduction of the new Alstroemeria plant by root divisions in a controlled greenhouse environment in Heerhugowaard, The Netherlands since April, 2006 has shown that the unique features of this new Alstroemeria plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Alstroemeria have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions 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 ‘Tesima’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Tesima’ as a new and distinct Alstroemeria plant:

• • 1. Upright, somewhat outwardly spreading and uniformly mounded plant habit.
  • 2. Sturdy and strong plant form; moderately vigorous growth habit.
  • 3. Freely branching habit and relatively short internodes; dense and bushy appearance.
  • 4. Large and numerous white and red purple-colored flowers held above the foliar plane on relatively short flower pedicels.
  • 5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Alstroemeria can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Alstroemeria differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

• • 1. Plants of the new Alstroemeria have shorter flower pedicels than plants of the female parent selection.
  • 2. Plants of the new Alstroemeria and the female parent selection differ in flower color as plants of the female parent selection have violet and white-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Alstroemeria can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Alstroemeria differ from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

• • 1. Plants of the new Alstroemeria have larger leaves than plants of the male parent selection.
  • 2. Plants of the new Alstroemeria and the male parent selection differ in flower color as plants of the male parent selection have pink and white-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Alstroemeria can be compared to plants of the Alstroemeria hybrida ‘Tesmach’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,266. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Alstroemeria differ primarily from plants of ‘Tesmach’ in the following characteristics:

• • 1. Plants of the new Alstroemeria have larger leaves than plants of ‘Tesmach’.
  • 2. Plants of the new Alstroemeria and ‘Tesmach’ differ in flower color as plants of ‘Tesmach’ have red purple-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Alstroemeria plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Alstroemeria plant. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Tesima’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations and measurements describe plants of the new Alstroemeria plant grown during the winter and early spring in four-liter containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Kudelstaart, The Netherlands. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures averaged 12° C. and light levels averaged 7,000 lux. Plants were 21 weeks old when the photograph and description were taken. Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

• Botanical classification: Alstroemeria hybrida ‘Tesima’.
• Parentage:
  • • Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Alstroemeria hybrida identified as code number PD8030x006, not patented.
    • Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Alstroemeria hybrida identified as code number PC507, not patented.
• Propagation:
  • • Type.—By root divisions.
    • Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About seven weeks at 20° C.
    • Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About eight weeks at 16° C.
    • Root description.—Fibrous and fleshy; white in color.
    • Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density.
    • Rhizome length.—About 3.2 cm.
    • Rhizome diameter.—About 7 mm.
    • Rhizome texture.—Smooth.
    • Rhizome color.—Close to 195A to 195B.
• Plant description:
  • • Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial; upright, somewhat outwardly spreading and uniformly mounded plant habit; broad inverted triangle; freely branching habit with about 28 primary lateral branches developing per plant; relatively short internodes, dense and bushy appearance; sturdy and strong plant form; moderately vigorous growth habit.
    • Plant height.—About 27 cm.
    • Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 39.5 cm.
• Lateral branch description:
  • • Aspect.—Mostly upright to somewhat outwardly spreading.
    • Length.—About 16.9 cm.
    • Diameter.—About 5 mm.
    • Internode length.—About 1 cm.
    • Strength.—Moderately strong.
    • Texture.—Smooth, glabrous; waxy cuticle.
    • Color.—Close to 144A to 144B; waxy cuticle, close to 145A.
• Foliage description:
  • • Arrangement.—Alternate; below the peduncles in a single whorl; simple.
    • Length.—About 4.7 cm.
    • Width.—About 2.7 cm.
    • Shape.—Ovate; twisting.
    • Apex.—Acute.
    • Base.—Cuneate.
    • Margin.—Entire.
    • Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.
    • Venation pattern.—Parallel.
    • Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Facing downward, close to 138A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Facing upright, close to 137B. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Facing downward, between N138B and N189A; venation, close to 144A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Facing upright, close to N137D; venation, close to 143A.
    • Petioles.—Length: About 2.9 cm. Diameter: About 8 mm. Color: Close to 144A.
• Flower description:
  • • Flower type and habit.—Single zygomorphic flowers arranged in compound umbels; flowers face mostly outwardly to upright; perianth segments separate; freely flowering habit with about nine flowers developing per inflorescence and about 250 flowers developing per plant.
    • Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about eight weeks after planting; flowering continuous from summer into the autumn in The Netherlands.
    • Fragrance.—None detected.
    • Flower longevity on the plant.—About ten days; flowers not persistent.
    • Flower buds.—Length: About 3 cm. Diameter: About 1.2 cm. Shape: Obovate. Color: Close to 145A; distally tinged with close to 152A; apex, close to 139B.
    • Umbel height.—About 10.1 cm.
    • Umbel diameter.—About 13.3 cm.
    • Flower diameter (horizontal).—About 6.8 cm.
    • Flower length (vertical).—About 7.5 cm.
    • Flower depth (height).—About 7.2 cm.
    • Perianth.—Arrangement: Six segments arranged in two whorls, each whorl with two lateral and one median segments. Size, inner perianth: Length, lateral segments: About 7 cm. Width, lateral segments: About 2.2 cm. Length, median segments: About 6.2 cm. Width, median segments: About 2.4 cm. Size, outer perianth: Length, lateral segments: About 6.5 cm. Width, lateral segments: About 3.6 cm. Length, median segments: About 6.9 cm. Width, median segments: About 3.6 cm. Shape, inner perianth, lateral and median segments: Oblanceolate. Shape, outer perianth, lateral and median segments: Obovate. Apex, inner perianth, lateral and median segments: Abruptly acute. Apex, outer perianth, lateral and median segments: Emarginate with a small embedded acute apex. Base, inner perianth, lateral and median segments: Narrowly cuneate. Base, outer perianth, lateral and median segments: Long cuneate. Margin, inner perianth, lateral and median segments: Entire. Margin, outer perianth, lateral and median segments: Towards the apex, finely serrate; towards the base, entire. Texture, inner and outer perianths, lateral and median segments: Smooth, glabrous; slightly velvety. Color, inner perianth: When opening, lateral segments, upper surface: Close to 157C to 157D; towards the apex, close to 63B; apex, close to 147B; towards the base, close to 62C to 62D; spots, between N186C and 200A. When opening, median segments, upper surface: Close to 65D; towards the apex, close to 60D; apex and main vein, close to 144A; central spot, close to 59C. When opening, lateral segments, lower surface: Close to 157B; towards the apex, close to 63B; apex, close to 147B; towards the base, close to 62C to 62D; spots, close to 148C. When opening, median segments, lower surface: Close to 65C; towards the apex, close to N57C; apex and main vein, close to 144A; central spot, close to 59D. Fully opened, lateral segments, upper surface: Close to NN155B; towards the apex, close to 63B; central spot, close to 61B; towards the base, close to 62C; spots, between N186C and 200A. Fully opened, median segments, upper surface: Close to N57C; towards the apex, close to 63B; central spot, close to 58B; towards the base, close to 62C. Fully opened, lateral segments, lower surface: Close to NN155C; towards the apex, close to 63B; apex and main vein, close to 144A; central spot, close to 53C; towards the base, close to 62B; spots, close to 201C to 201D. Fully opened, median segments, lower surface: Close to 64D; central spot, close to 53C; apex and main vein, close to 144B; towards the base, close to 65A. Color, outer perianth: When opening, lateral and median segments, upper surface: Close to N57C; apex, close to 147B; central spot, close to 63B; towards the base, close to 62D. When opening, lateral segments, lower surface: Close to N57C; apex, close to 147A; central spot, between 143A and 144D; towards the base, close to 58D. When opening, median segments, lower surface: Close to N57C; apex, close to 147A; venation, close to 143A; towards the base, close to 58D. Fully opened, lateral and median segments, upper surface: Close to 63B; apex, close to 141C; central spot, close to 58B; towards the base, close to 62A to 62B. Fully opened, lateral and median segments, lower surface: Close to 63B; apex, close to 141B; central spot, close to 53C; towards the base, close to 63C; venation, close to 143A.
    • Pedicels.—Length: About 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Strength: Moderately strong. Angle: About 20° from vertical. Texture: Smooth, glabrous; waxy cuticle. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144A to 144B; waxy cuticle, close to 145A.
    • Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Six. Filament length: About 3.8 cm. Filament color: Close to 58D. Anther shape: Reniform. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther color: Close to 152B to 152C. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 197C to 197D. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 4 cm. Style length: About 3.6 cm. Style color: Close to 64D. Stigma shape: Tri-parted; parts, club-shaped, curved. Stigma color: Close to 63B. Ovary color: Close to 144A.
    • Fruits and seeds.—Fruit and seed development have not been observed on plants of the new Alstroemeria.
• Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Alstroemeria have not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Alstroemeria plants.
• Garden performance: Plants of the new Alstroemeria have been observed to have good garden performance and to tolerate wind, rain, high temperatures of about 35° C. and to be hardy to USDA Hardiness Zone 8.

Claims

1. A new and distinct Alstroemeria plant named ‘Tesima’ as illustrated and described.