Chamelaucium (Waxflower) plant named Painted Lady
A new and distinct interspecific Chamelaucium hybrid cultivar (known commercially as waxflower) distinguished by its strong and erect flowering stems; upright and freely branching, dense plant habit; dark red flower bud color; purple flower color; and excellent postharvest longevity.
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The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Chamelaucium (Waxflower), botanically known as an interspecific Chamelaucium hybrid, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name Painted Lady.
The new cultivar is a product of a planned and controlled breeding program conducted by the inventors in Coorow, Western Australia, Australia. The new cultivar originated from a deliberate cross by the inventors between two different species of the genus Chamelaucium. An unnamed selection of Chamelaucium megalopetalum was used as the female or seed parent and the Chamelaucium uncinatum cultivar Purple Pride (not patented) was used as the male or pollen parent. Twenty days after the cross-pollination, the immature seed pod was harvested and the developing embryos were aseptically dissected and transferred onto a nutrient agar-based medium for further development. Mature plants developed from these dissected embryos. The cultivar Painted Lady was discovered and selected by the inventors as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment in Coorow, Western Australia, Australia.
Asexual propagation of the new cultivar by cuttings taken at Coorow, Western Australia, Australia, and Escondido, Calif., has shown that the unique features of this new Chamelaucium plant are stabilized and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual propagation.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of the new Chamelaucium. These characteristics in combination distinguish Painted Lady as a new and distinct cultivar:
1. Strong and erect flowering stems.
2. Upright and freely branching, dense plant habit.
3. Dark red flower bud color.
4. Purple flower color.
5. Excellent postharvest longevity.
The new Chamelaucium differs from its seed parent, the selection of Chamelaucium megalopetalum, in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Chamelaucium flower faster than plants of the seed parent.
2. The petal shape of plants of the new Chamelaucium is round whereas the petal shape of plants of the seed parent is obovate.
3. When opening, the petal color of the new Chamelaucium is light violet whereas the petal color of the seed parent is white. At maturity, the petal color of the new Chamelaucium is purple whereas the petal color of the seed parent is white.
4. The floral tubes of the new Chamelaucium are more narrow than the floral tubes of the seed parent.
5. Plants of the new Chamelaucium have more flowers per stem and appear more dense and full than plants of the seed parent.
6. Plants of the new Chamelaucium have broader flowering stems compared to plants of the seed parent.
The new Chamelaucium differs from its pollen parent, the Chamelaucium uncinatum cultivar Purple Pride, in the following characteristics:
1. The petal shape of the new Chamelaucium is round whereas the petal shape of Purple Pride is obovate.
2. The petal color of the new Chamelaucium when opening is light violet compared to the purple petal color of Purple Pride. At maturity, the petal color of the new Chamelaucium is lighter and less red than the petal color of Purple Pride. The floral tube color is also different, as the floral tube of the new Chamelaucium is yellow green and the floral tube of Purple Pride is red brown. Additionally the floral tube is narrow on plants of the new Chamelaucium compared to plants of Purple Pride.
3. Plants of the new Chamelaucium have more flowers per stem and appear more dense and full than plants of Purple Pride.
The new Chamelaucium can be compared to the Chamelaucium cultivar Revelation, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,791. Plants of Painted Lady differ from plants of Revelation in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Chamelaucium have a more freely branching habit, shorter internodes and more flowers than plants of Revelation giving plants of the new Chamelaucium a dense and full appearance compared to Revelation's semi-open habit.
2. Plants of the new Chamelaucium have shorter leaves and peduncles than plants of Revelation.
3. The petal color of the new Chamelaucium when opening is light violet compared to the white petal color of Revelation. At maturity, the petal color of the new Chamelaucium is purple compared to the light violet petal color of Revelation. The petal coloration develops slower on plants of the new Chamelaucium compared to plants of Revelation.
4. Plants of the new Chamelaucium have narrow and smooth floral tubes compared to the wide and fluted floral tubes of plants of Revelation.
5. Cut flowering stems of plants of the new Chamelaucium last twice as long after harvesting as cut flowering stems of Revelation.
A detailed comparison of the new Chamelaucium, its parents and Revelation plants appears in Chart A at the end of the specification.
The new Chamelaucium plant has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment such as temperature and light level, without, however, any variance in genotype.
The accompanying colored photographs show typical specimens of the vegetative growth and flowers of the new Chamelaucium plant, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.
The first photograph comprises a side perspective view of typical flowering stems of the new Chamelaucium plant grown in Escondido, Calif. This photograph shows the floriferousness, freely branching habit and denseness of flowering stems of the new Chamelaucium.
The second and third photographs comprise close-up views of the cultivar's unique petal colors that change with the development of the flower. In the second photograph, flower buds are dark red; and as the flowers open, the petal color changes to a light violet at the distal end with a lighter violet or white at the petal base. In the third photograph, flowers shown are mature and petal color is uniformly purple. In these photographs, the petal colors appear more red than the actual petal colors due to light reflectance.
The following observations, measurements, values, and comparisons describe plants grown in Escondido, Calif. Values representing size of plants, flowers and foliage are averages of plants produced under standard commercial cultural practices. Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.
Classification:
Botanical.--An interspecific Chamelaucium hybrid, Chamelaucium megalopetalum.times.Chamelaucium uncinatum cultivar Painted Lady.
Commercial.--Hybrid waxflower.
Parentage:
Female or seed parent.--Selection of Chamelaucium megalopetalum (not patented).
Male or pollen parent.--Chamelaucium uncinatum cultivar Purple Pride (not patented).
Plant description:
Form.--Erect, branched woody shrub.
Growth habit.--Vigorous rigid and unright. Freely branching, dense, full appearance.
Flowering stem length.--1.5 to 2 m.
Foliage description.--Numerous leaves on one- and two-year-old wood; opposite arrangement; sessile; and aromatic. Internode length: 8 mm. Leaf size: Length: 13 mm. Width: 1.5 mm. Shape: Narrowly lanceolate. Texture: Glabrous. Margin: Entire. Aspect: Flat and thick. Color: Dark green sometimes with red tint.
Flower description:
Flowering season.--Flowers develop and open throughout the spring.
Flower longevity as a cut flower.--Flower last at least 28 days after harvesting, flowers and calyx persistent.
Flowering habit.--Flowers develop on thin first-year stems from upper axils. Numerous flowers arranged in terminal clusters, broad and dense floral display.
Flower shape.--Rounded outline, flattened cup-shaped floral tube with rounded, slightly cupped, orbicular petals.
Flower diameter.--1.7 cm.
Flower bud.--Form: Rounded, covered with thin deciduous bracteoles. Diameter: 7 to 8 mm prior to petal opening. Color: With operculum: Dark red (53A) with hints of dark green (147A). Without operculum: White (155D) to very light violet (77D). Bud tube: Green (143B).
Petals.--Quantity: Five. Shape: Rounded, slightly cupped and orbicular. Diameter: 7 mm. Texture: Waxy. Calyx: Five calyx lobes arranged alternately between petals. Color: When opening: Light violet (77C) on the distal portion of the flower petal shading to a lighter violet (77D or 75D) or white (155D) at the base of the petal. Mature flowers: Purple (72B). Flower nectary, immature: Yellow green (152C). Flower nectary, mature: Purple brown (183B). Calyx lobe, mature: Pale pink/purple. Floral tube: Fluting: Slight. Outline: Flared. Diameter: Narrow, 3.5 mm. Color: Midpoint: Yellow green. Distal end: Yellow green. Peduncles: Length: 6 to 8 mm. Aspect: Upright and erect. Color: Green. Fragrance: Aromatic when crushed.
Reproductive organs.--Stamens: Quantity: Ten fertile stamens with ten infertile stamenoids arranged alternatively between stamens. Staminoidal outline: Narrow to medium, triangular. Stamenoidal collar color, mature: Pale pink to purple. Anthers, mature: Width: 0.7 mm. Color: Brown (199B). Filaments: Length: 25 mm. Color: White. Pollen: Color: Green brown. Texture: Waxy and sticky. Pistils: Quantity: One. Style: Length: 7 mm. Color: Immature: White. Mature: Light violet (84B) with red base. Stigma: Color, mature: Yellow (17B). Texture: Bearded and pubescent.
Fruit.--Shape: Hemispherical. Form: Three-celled capsule formed by the hardened base of the persistent calyx.
Disease resistance: No resistance or susceptibility to plant pathogens has been observed.
CHART A
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Chamel-
aucium
PUR- mega-
PLE petalum
PAINT- PRIDE, selection,
REV-
CHARACTER- ED pollen seed ELA-
ISTIC LADY parent parent TION
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FLOWER BUD Dark red Dark red Red Dark red
COLOR, WITH with hint 46A 46B 46A
OPERCULUM of dark
green 53A
with 147A
BUD COLOR, White to Pale White White
WITHOUT light purple 155B 155D
OPERCULUM violet 155D
80A
to 77D
BUD TUBE Green Green Light Green to
COLOR 143B 146A green violet
145A 144A to
77B
PETAL SHAPE,
Round Obovate Obovate
Round
AFTER
OPENING
PETAL COLOR,
Light violet
Purple White White
WHEN OPENING
Tip: 77C 78A 155B 155C
Base: 77D
to 75D
to 155D
PETAL COLOR Medium Medium Slow Fast
DEVELOPMENT
RATE
PETAL COLOR,
Purple Red White Light
MATURE 72B purple 155D violet
59B/59C 84B
FLOWER Yellow Light Green Green
NECTARY green 152C
brown 148A 146D
COLOR, 177D
IMMATURE
FLOWER Purple Dark Green Green
NECTARY brown purple 146B/ 147A
COLOR, 183B 187A 146C
MATURE
STAMINOIDAL Narrow to Broad, Medium,
Narrow,
OUTLINE medium, triangu- triangu-
triangu-
triangular
lar lar lar
STAMINOIDAL Pale pink/
Pale White Very
COLLAR COLOR,
purple pink/ pale
MATURE purple pink/
purple
CALYX LOBE Pale pink/
Pale White Pale
COLOR, purple pink/ purple
MATURE purple
STYLE COLOR,
Light Purple White Light
MATURE violet, 84B, violet
with red 84B
base
FLORAL TUBE Slight Slight Slight Prom-
FLUTING, inent
IMMATURE
FLORAL TUBE Flared Flared Conical
Flared
OUTLINE
FLORAL TUBE 3.5 mm 7 mm 6.8 mm 6.8 mm
DIAMETER
FLORAL TUBE Yellow Red/ Green Green
COLOR, green brown
MIDPOINT
FLORAL TUBE Yellow Red/ Green Purple
COLOR, DISTAL
green brown brown
END
FLOWERING Broad Broad Narrow Broad
STEM SHAPE
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Claims
1. A new and distinct Chamelaucium interspecific hybrid plant named Painted Lady, as illustrated and described.
Type: Grant
Filed: Feb 20, 1996
Date of Patent: Jul 8, 1997
Assignee: New World Plants USA (Escondido, CA)
Inventors: Brian Jack (Coorow), Victoria Syme (Coorow)
Primary Examiner: James R. Feyrer
Attorney: C. A. Whealy
Application Number: 8/604,069
International Classification: A01H 500;
