plant named ‘OVROCKS15’

Abstract

A new and distinct xGasteraloe plant named ‘OVROCKS15’, which is characterized by a compact basal rosette of narrowly lanceolate, dark green foliage that is moderately covered with near-white protuberances arranged in highly irregular transverse rows across the laminar surface. The new variety has shown to be uniform and stable in the resulting generations from asexual propagation.

Description

Latin name of the genus and species: The Latin name of the genus and species of the novel variety disclosed herein is Gasteraloe carinata x Aloe aristata, which is synonymous with the nothogenus and species, xGasteraloe beguinii.

Variety denomination: The inventive variety of Gasteraloe hybrid disclosed herein has been given the variety denomination ‘OVROCKS15’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Parentage: ‘OVROCKS15’ is a seedling selection resulting from the controlled pollination of an unnamed Gasteria carinata plant (not patented), the seed parent, with an unnamed Aloe aristata plant (not patented), the pollen parent. The crossing was made by the inventor in June of 2015 at a commercial greenhouse in Heerhugowaard, the Netherlands. In 2017, one seedling was observed which exhibited unique growth and foliage characteristics. After confirming the stability of the unique characteristics first observed, the new plant was selected for commercialization and given the name, ‘OVROCKS15’.

Asexual Reproduction: Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar ‘OVROCKS15’, by way of rooting leaf cuttings, was first initiated in 2017 at the inventor's commercial greenhouse in Heerhugowaard, the Netherlands. Through eight subsequent generations, the unique features of this cultivar have proven to be stable and true to type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘OVROCKS15’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, day length, 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 ‘OVROCKS15’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘OVROCKS15’ as a new and distinct xGasteraloe cultivar:

• • 1. ‘OVROCKS15’ exhibits long, narrowly lanceolate foliage that is held tightly in a compact basal rosette; and
  • 2. ‘OVROCKS15’ exhibits relatively dark green foliage that is moderately covered with very light greyed-green protuberances, generally appearing as a near-white coloration; and
  • 3. ‘OVROCKS15’ exhibits foliar protuberances that are arranged in highly irregular transverse rows across the laminar surface; and
  • 4. ‘OVROCKS15’ exhibits finely serrate foliar margins with very light greyed-green teeth, generally appearing as nearly white, with a greyed-purple mucronate lamina tip.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color photographs of this type, an exemplary plant of ‘OVROCKS15’ grown in a commercial greenhouse in Heerhugowaard, the Netherlands. This plant is approximately 42-month-old, shown planted in a 12 cm container.

FIG. 2 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color photographs of this type, the typical foliage arrangement of ‘OVROCKS15’.

FIG. 3 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color photographs of this type, the adaxial surface of the mature foliage ‘OVROCKS15’.

FIG. 4 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color photographs of this type, the abaxial surface of the mature foliage ‘OVROCKS15’.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following observations and measurements made in October of 2024 describe averages from a sample set of six specimens of 42-month-old ‘OVROCKS15’ plants grown in 12 cm nursery containers at commercial greenhouse in Heerhugowaard, the Netherlands. Plants were produced using conventional greenhouse production protocols for xGasteraloe plants which consisted of minimal irrigation and fertilizer applications, and chemical pest and disease control measures against mealy bug and Botrytis as required. Plants were grown under approximately 50 percent shade after propagation and later exposed to full sun once they began to mature. No photoperiodic treatments or artificial light was given to the plants.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that certain characteristics will vary with older or, conversely, with younger plants. ‘OVROCKS15’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. Where dimensions, sizes, colors and other characteristics are given, it is to be understood that such characteristics are approximations or averages set forth as accurately as practicable. The phenotype of the variety may differ from the descriptions set forth herein with variations in environmental, climatic and cultural conditions. Color notations are based on The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, The Royal Horticultural Society, London, Sixth Edition.

A botanical description of ‘OVROCKS15’ and a comparison with the parents and closest known comparator is provided below.

• Plant description:
  • • Growth habit.—Succulent perennial with foliage growing in a stemless, non-branched basal rosette.
    • Plant shape.—Flattened globular.
    • Height from soil level to top of foliar plane.—13.3 cm.
    • Plant spread.—Average of 23.4 cm.
    • Propagation.—Type — Leaf cuttings. Time to initiate rooting — Approximately 21 days at 18 degrees Celsius. Crop time — Approximately 35 weeks to produce a marketable plant in a 10.5 cm container.
    • Disease and pest resistance or susceptibility.—Neither resistance nor susceptibility to typical Gasteraloe pests and diseases has been observed.
    • Environmental tolerances.—Adapt to, at least, USDA Zones 10 to 12 and temperatures as high as 40 degrees Celsius; low tolerance to rain; high tolerance to wind.
• Root system:
  • • General.—Fine, well-branched fibrous roots.
• Stems:
  • • Branching habit.—Leaves in a non-branching basal rosette; no main branches or lateral branches present.
• Foliage:
  • • Arrangement.—Spirally arranged in a rosette.
    • Division.—Simple.
    • Attachment.—Sessile.
    • Quantity.—40 leaves per rosette.
    • Shape.—Narrowly lanceolate, succulent foliage.
    • Dimensions.—12.4 cm long, 2.6 cm wide, and 0.9 cm thick, on average.
    • Aspect.—Slightly concaved.
    • Attitude.—Juvenile foliage at the center of the rosette is held upward to slightly outward; foliage becomes progressively more relaxed towards the outer whorls of mature foliage, at an average angle of 32.5 degrees from horizontal; lamina tips are reaching upwards at an average angle of 60 degrees from the lamina.
    • Apex.—Narrow acute, with a soft mucronate tip.
    • Base.—Broad cuneate.
    • Margin.—Finely serrate; teeth have an average length of 0.1 cm and are colored greyed-green, nearest to RHS 190D. Margins are not undulated or lobed.
    • Texture, adaxial surface.—Glabrous and moderately covered with orbicular protuberances irregularly arranged in transverse rows; protuberances are approximately 0.2 mm high and 1.25 mm in diameter at maturity.
    • Texture, abaxial surface.—Glabrous and densely covered with orbicular protuberances irregularly arranged in transverse rows; protuberances are approximately 0.1 cm high and 1.25 mm in diameter, at maturity. The distal one-third portion of the midrib bears protuberances which are modified into spines and arranged in a longitudinal row; spines have an average length of 0.8 mm.
    • Luster, adaxial surface.—Slightly glossy.
    • Luster, abaxial surface.—Slightly glossy.
    • Color.—Juvenile foliage, adaxial surface — Green, nearest to a blend of RHS NN137A and 139A, generally appearing as a dark green coloration yet slightly lighter than the mature foliage; and fading to yellow-green towards the base, nearest to RHS 137D, ultimately becoming RHS 152B proximally to the point of attachment; mucronate tips are colored greyed-purple, nearest to RHS 186D; protuberances are colored very light greyed-green, nearest to RHS 193D, generally appearing as a near-white coloration. Juvenile foliage, abaxial surface — Yellow-green, nearest to RHS 147A, and fading to grey-brown towards the base, nearest to RHS 199B; mucronate tips are colored greyed-purple, nearest to RHS 186D; protuberances are colored very light greyed-green, nearest to RHS 193D, generally appearing as a near-white coloration. Serrate teeth along the distal one-third of the midrib are greyed-green, nearest to a blend of RHS 190C and 190D. Mature foliage, adaxial surface — Yellow-green to greyed-green, nearest to a blend of RHS 147A and N189A, generally appearing as a dark green coloration; fading to greyed-green towards the base, nearest to RHS 191A; mucronate tips are colored greyed-purple, nearest to RHS 186D; protuberances are colored greyed-green, nearest to RHS 190A and 190B, generally appearing as a near-white coloration. Mature foliage, abaxial surface — Yellow-green to greyed-green, nearest to a blend of RHS 147A and N189A, and fading to yellow-green towards the base, nearest to RHS 144A, ultimately becoming grey-brown, nearest to RHS 199B, proximally to the point of attachment; mucronate tips are colored greyed-purple, nearest to RHS 186D; protuberances are colored greyed-green, nearest to a combination of RHS 190A, 190B, and 190C, generally appearing as a near-white coloration. Serrate teeth along the distal one-third of the midrib are greyed-green, nearest to a blend of RHS 190C and 190D, generally appearing as a near-white coloration.
    • Venation.—No venation is visible.
    • Petiole.—No petiole; leaves are sessile.
• Inflorescence: No flowering has been observed to date.

COMPARISONS WITH THE PARENT PLANT AND CLOSEST KNOWN COMPARATOR

Plants of the new cultivar ‘OVROCKS15’ differ from the seed parent, an unnamed Gasteria carinata plant (not patented), in the following characteristics described in Table 1 below.

TABLE 1
Comparison Between ‘OVROCKS15’ and The Seed Parent.
Characteristic	‘OVROCKS15’	The Seed Parent
Plant size.	Smaller than the	Larger than
	seed parent.	‘OVROCKS15’.
General coloration	Yellow-green to	Green.
of the mature	greyed-green.
foliage.
Foliage length and	Shorter leaves in a	Taller leaves than
arrangement.	whorled basal	‘OVROCKS15’,
	rosette.	arranged in a
		distichous leaf ar-
		rangement on a singular
		plane with secondary
		shoots growing from
		the base of the plant.
Leaf shape.	Thin lanceolate	Thicker and broader
	leaves with narrow	lanceolate succulent
	acute apices and a	leaves than
	mucronate tip.	‘OVROCKS15’
		with obtuse apices.

Plants of the new cultivar ‘OVROCKS15’ differ from the pollen parent, an unnamed Aloe aristata plant (not patented), in the following characteristics described in Table 2 below.

TABLE 2
Comparison Between ‘OVROCKS15’ and The Pollen Parent.
Characteristic	‘OVROCKS15’	The Pollen Parent
General color-	Darker shade of	Lighter shade of green
ation of the	green than the	than ‘OVROCKS15’.
mature foliage.	pollen parent.
Foliage shape	Lanceolate succulent	Ovate succulent foliage
and dimen-	foliage that is longer on	that is shorter on
sions.	average than the pollen	average than
	parent.	‘OVROCKS15’.
Abundance	Less leaves that rest	More leaves in a tighter
and attitude	more relaxed than the	compact basal rosette
of foliage.	pollen parent.	than ‘OVROCKS15’.
Prominence	Less prominent than	More prominent than
of leaf pro-	‘OVROCKS06’.	‘OVROCKS15’.
tuberances.
Leaf margins.	Spines of	The quantity of spines
	‘OVROCKS15’ are	on the pollen parent's
	evenly distributed and	serrate margins are
	spaced in serrate	higher and more
	margins.	prominent than
		‘OVROCKS15’.

COMPARISONS WITH THE CLOSEST KNOWN COMPARATOR

Plants of the new cultivar ‘OVROCKS15’ differ from the closest known commercial comparator, the xGasteraloe plant called ‘OVROCKS06’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 31,673) in the following characteristics described in Table 3 below.

TABLE 3
Comparison Between ‘OVROCKS15’ and ‘OVROCKS06’
Characteristic	‘OVROCKS15’	‘OVROCKS06’
General	Darker shade of green	Lighter shade of green
coloration of	than ‘OVROCKS06’.	than ‘OVROCKS15’.
the mature
foliage.
Foliage	Narrowly lanceolate	Ovate succulent
shape and	succulent foliage that	foliage that is shorter
dimensions.	is longer on average	on average than
	than ‘OVROCKS06’.	‘OVROCKS15’.
Abundance	40 leaves per rosette;	32 leaves per rosette;
and attitude	more compact and upright	more relaxed and
of foliage.	than ‘OVROCKS06’.	spreading than
		‘OVROCKS15’.
Prominence	More prominent than	Less prominent than
of leaf	‘OVROCKS06’.	‘OVROCKS15’.
protuberances.
Size of	Larger than	Smaller than
the foliar	‘OVROCKS06’.	‘OVROCKS15’.
protuberances.
Color	Very light greyed-green,	Yellow-green
of foliar	generally appearing as a
protuberances.	near-white coloration.
Arrangement	Arranged in irregular	Random, with no
and density	transverse rows across	apparent order;
of foliar	the lamina; fewer	significantly more
protuberances.	protuberances per leaf	protuberances than
	relative to ‘OVROCKS06’.	‘OVROCKS15’.

Claims

1. A new and distinct variety of xGasteraloe hybrid plant named ‘OVROCKS15’, substantially as described and illustrated herein.