AU2004222742B2 - Dianella caerulea plant named 'DCMP01' - Google Patents

Description

DIANELLA CAERULEA PLANT NAMED 'DCMP01' LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES The Latin name of the novel variety disclosed herein is Dianella caerulea.

VARIETY DENOMINATION The inventive variety of Dianella caerulea disclosed herein has been given the varietal denomination 'DCMP01'.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a new and distinct perennial Blue Flax Lilly variety of Dianella caerulea, which has been given the varietal denomination of 'DCMP01'. Its market class is that of an ornamental grass-like plant.

'DCMP01' is intended for use in landscaping and as a decorative grass-like plant, preferably grown in 25mm to 300mm wide pots, but not limited to these sizes as larger or smaller sizes may be required in commerce.

The Dianella caerulea variety 'DCMP01' was first discovered in October 1996 in an Australian nursery in the state of New South Wales, after an extensive breeding program.

In 1995, Dianella species were grown together in an open bed covering approximately 250 square metres of area. They were grown in groups of species and ecotypes including Dianella caerulea collected from the Sydney area, and other regions. The other Dianella species present were longifolia, revoluta and tasmanica. The plants were open pollinated with possible assisted pollination from general shaking of flower stems onto each other.

Seeds were collected and sown from the 'Sydney Ecotype' plants in December 1995. Approximately 30,000 plants were grown. In October 1996, a single plant was identified as having an absence of canes (aerial stems) and it was selected and potted into a 140 mm pot for further evaluation. It was named 'DCMP01'.

It was first asexually propagated by division the following April 1997, in the state of New South Wales, Australia and again during November 1997 and April 1998 and was found to be stable in character.

The distinctive characteristics of the inventive, 'DCMP01', are stable and true to type from generation to generation; clones of the variety produced by asexual reproduction maintain the distinguishing characteristics of the original plant.

'DCMP01' has a dense, slightly spreading and compact growth habit, with unusually short internodes located on short canes, which is unusual for a Dianella caerulea, particularly when compared to the 'Sydney Ecotype'. It was observed 'DCMP01' is less prone to falling over than the parent type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 'DCMP01' is a distinctive variety of Dianella caerulea which is characterized by the combination of its dense growth, slightly spreading and compact growth habit, unusually short internodes located on short canes, and a less likely tendency to fall over when it grows to maturity.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES Figure 1 shows a 'DCMP01' plant with unusually short internodes located on short canes and a medium height flower. 'DCMP01' has a purple blue colour of flower, and dense growth and short rhizome form.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT The following is a detailed botanical description of a new and distinct variety of a Dianella caerulea ornamental grass-like plant known as 'DCMP01'.

The descriptions disclosed herein are based upon observations of the plant grown in 140 mm nursery pots and field plots in New South Wales, Australia.

The plants were approximately 12-months-old. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that certain characteristics will vary with older or, conversely, younger plants. 'DCMP01' 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 with variations in the environment such as season, temperature, light intensity, day length, cultural conditions and the like.

'DCMP01' is a perennial Dianella caerulea plant, which was produced through an innovative breeding program. After its selection, 'DCMP01' was asexually propagated by division. 'DCMP01' has dense growth, slightly spreading and compact growth habit, short rhizome form, purple-blue flower colour, unusually short internodes located on short canes, and a less likely tendency to fall over when it grows to maturity.

Growth Habit, Dimensions and Colour 'DCMP01' is a short, rhizomatous plant forming a semi-compact tussock.

Its growth habit is erect, the height is short (mean 24.6 cm), and the density of shoots is strong. Length of internodes on stem is short (less than 10mm). The leaf attitude erect, leaf width medium (mean 12.2 mm), leaf upper side colour with waxiness removed yellow-green (RHS 147A), leaf lower side colour with waxiness removed yellow-green (RHS 147B), leaf upper side glaucosity weak, leaf shape ligulate, leaf apex acute, leaf cross section concave, leaf cross sectional shape with midrib keeled, spines on leaf margin absent, spines on leaf lower side midrib absent. Basal sheath. anthocyanin colour is approximately redbrown corresponding to RHS 178A-B fading to 182B with a weak intensity.

The inflorescence (flower spike) is a panicle with a longer than average length (range 50-60cm) when compared to Dianella caerulea 'DCNCO'. The inflorescence is positioned above the level of the foliage. The flower spike is soft to the touch. Peduncle color is yellow green (approximately RHS 146B-C).

Flowering season late spring -summer. The flower buds are 8-10mm long and 3- 4mm wide. Flower bud color changes from yellow green (RHS 147B) to violet blue (approximately RHS 90A) prior to opening. Mature flowers have 6 petals with ovate shape. Petal color is violet-blue (approximately RHS 92A-B). Anther filament color is yellow (approximately RHS 11A). Flower diameter range is 9- 13mm. Petal attitude is reflexed. The fruit is a succulent berry, fruit shape is globose, color of unripe berry is yellow green (RHS 146A) and color of ripe berry is approximately violet blue (RHS 89A), surface texture is smooth and glossy.

Seed color is black. A representative 'DCMP01' plant is shown in Figure 1.

'DCMP01' has good colour retention in winter and excellent drought tolerance compared to the common form of this plant. These features and other characteristics of the plant are apparent from the figures provided herein.

'DCMP01' Compared to Other Varieties of Dianella caerulea Grouping characteristics used to identify the most similar varieties of common knowledge to 'DCMP01' were short height, and dense growth habit.

Based on this, 'DBB03' was selected as the most similar suitable comparator for 'DCMP01'. The parent ('Sydney Ecotype') and another form from the Blue Mountains region of New South Wales were also included in the trial as was 'DCNCO' for further reference.

A comparative trial of Dianella caerulea 'DCMP01' with other D. caerulea including 'DBB03', 'DCNCO', 'Sydney Ecotype', and Blue Mountains Ecotype' was carried out in Summer 2002 through Autumn 2003 in Clarendon, New South Wales, Australia. The trial was conducted in open beds. The plants for this trial were propagated from divisions and planted into 130 mm pots filled with soilless potting mix. Nutrition was maintained with slow release fertilizers and pest and disease treatments were applied as required. The plants did not flower during the trial. Trial design included fifteen pots of each variety arranged in a completely randomized design. Measurements were taken from ten plants at random with one sample taken per plant.

In comparing 'DCMP01' with the other Dianella caerulea varieties, 'DCMP01' has a more compact habit than 'Sydney Ecotype', 'Blue Mountains Ecotype', 'DBB03' and 'DCNCO'. 'DCMP01' generally has short internodes located on short canes, whereas canes are generally absent on 'DBB03' and 'DCNCO', and the 'Sydney Ecotype' has canes of a long typical length above the ground. 'DCMP01' has a taller flower spike height compared to 'DCNCO', but a shorter flower spike height compared to 'DBB03'. The 'Sydney Ecotype' has a variable flower spike height. 'DCNCO' has a pale blue colour flower colour (RHS97C), whereas 'DCMP01' has a deeper blue almost purplish flower colour (RHS92A-B), and the 'Sydney Ecotype' has a variable flower colour (approximately RHS 92A to 97D).

In addition, 'DCMP01' is easier and more productive to propagate from division than other known Dianella caerulea. Further comparisons are presented in Table I.

Table I. Comparison of Dianella caerulea varieties.

'DBB03' 'DCMP01' 'DCNCO' Sydney Blue Mountains ecotype ecotype PLANT: GROWTH HABIT erect erect erect erect to semi-erect to semi-erect erect PLANT HEIGHT (cm) LSD (P<0.01) 6.03 mean 23.4 c 24.6 c 65.6 a 63.0 a 49.4 b std deviation 2.2 2.6 5.0 5.5 PLANT: DENSITY OF SHOOTS strong strong medium-strong medium weak STEM: INTERNODE LENGTH short short short long very long LEAF: WIDTH (mm) LSD (P<0.01) 1.97 mean 14.9 12.2 d 1 3 .6cd 17.1 b 22.2a std deviation 2.1 0.6 0.8 0.9 2.9 LEAF: FOLIAGE COLOUR overall appearance of leaf blue-green yellow-green yellow-green yellow-green yellow-green LEAF: COLOUR -waxiness removed upper side 147A 147A 147B 146B ca 147A lower side 147A 147B 147B 146B 147B LEAF: GLAUCOSITY strong weak weak weak weak LEAF: CROSS SECTION concave concave slight concave slight concave concave LEAF: PRESENCE OF SPINES ON MARGIN absent absent present present present LEAF: PROMINENCE OF SPINES ON MARGIN n/a n/a medium medium very weak LEAF: PRESENCE OF SPINES ON LOWER SIDE MIDRIB absent absent present present present LEAF: PROMINENCE OF SPINES ON LOWER SIDE MIDRIB n/a n/a medium medium medium BASAL SHEATH: COLOUR overall appearance of sheath blue- red- red- brown red to green brown brown to red- red-brown brown BASAL SHEATH: INTENSITY OF ANTHOCYANIN COLOUR absent weak medium medium strong Mean values followed by the same letter are not significantly different at P50.01 according to an S-N-K test.

Environmental Tolerances. 'DCMP01' has shown potential for shade tolerance. The winter hardiness of 'DCMP01' is at least to -10 degrees Celsius.

'DCMP01' has been observed to hold color to -6 degrees Celsius. 'DCMP01' has excellent drought tolerance compared with other Dianella caerulea varieties, most likely due to its tighter foliage. After severe wilting, 'DCMP01' has been noted to recover with watering.

Disease Resistance and Susceptibility. 'DCMP01' has excellent tolerance to pests (examples include snails, slugs, mites, aphids, whitefly, beetles, caterpillars moths) and diseases with good resistance to root rot caused by the disease causing organism phytophthora, which is a common problem in Dianella caerulea.

Claims (1)

1. A new and distinct variety of Dianella caerulea plant named 'DCMPOI', substantially as described and illustrated herein.