USPP1988P - Camellia plant - Google Patents

Description

NOV. 22, 1960 c, W Plant Pat. 1,988

CAMELLIA PLANT Filed Dec. 7, 1959 United States Patent O CAMELLIA PLANT Herbert C. Swim, Ontario, Calif., assignor to Armstrong lglurseries, Inc., Ontario, Calif., a corporation of Caliornia Filed Dec. 7, 1959, Ser. No. 858,004

1 Claim. 01. 47-60) The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of camellia plant which was originated by me by crossing one of the varieties of Camellia japonica known as Lady Vansittart" (unpatented) with another unnamed and unpatented variety of the species Camellia saluenensis.

' The primary objective of this breeding was to produce an improved camellia which combines the floriferousness, well-branching habit and sun-hardiness of the unnamed pollen parent of the species C. salaenensis, with the larger and more attractive foliage and larger flowers of the seed parent, Lady Vansittart. This objective was fully achieved, along with other desirable improvements, as evidenced by the following unique combination of characteristics which are outstanding in my new camellia variety and which distinguish it from its parents, as well as from all other varieties of which I am aware:"

(1) A vigorous, upright, well-branched, and relatively compact plant habit; v

(2 Attractive dark green glossy foliage, ranging in size from small to medium;

(3) Relatively good sun-hardiness under conditions where reasonable soil moisture is maintained at all times, as evidenced by the fact that plants of my new variety grown in southern California have withstood temperatures as high as 105 to 110 F. for periods of several days, without undue yellowing of the foliage by sunburn, thereby representing a definite improvement over previously known C. japonica varieties;

(4) A very floriferous habit, with the flowers borne laterally on many shoots, as well as borne terminally;

(5) A relatively precocious blooming habit, as evidenced by the fact that the plants bloom well while still quite small and young, in contrast to the usual habit of most (1. japonica varieties;

(6) The-single form of the flowers, with each flower consisting essentially of six petals arranged in two imbricated layers of three petals each, and with the petals of the outer layer somewhat shorter than the others, thereby presenting an interesting and attractive flower form;

(7) A distinctive and attractive pale pink general color tonality of the flowers;

(8)- A blooming period ranging from midseason to late, and extending over a period of two months or more; and

(9) A habit of cleanly dropping the old flowers in their individual entireties.

The seed parent, Lady Vansittart, of my new camellia is a variety of'C. japonica, and is characterized by having an upright and vigorous plant habit, with attractive, glossy, lanceolate, dark green foliage. Its flowers are semi-double and range to 10 or 11 cm. in width and approximately one-half this dimension in depth, when fully expanded, with the flower form quite regular, gen erally symmetrical and imbricated, and having the central stamens showing very readily. The flowers of the particular seed parent used in breeding the present new camellia were dark pink in color, although other plants of Lady Vansittart sometimes bear flowers varying from nearly white to a darker red. In comparison with the seed parent, my new camellia is differentiated therefrom by having a more branching habit; the foliage is considerably smaller than that of this parent; the new variety is much more sun-hardy, whereas this seed parent is not sun-hardy; the new variety is considerably more floriferous, and its flowers are borne laterally quite commonly, whereas those of this parent are not; the flowers of the new variety are single in form and pale pink in color, whereas those of the seed parent are semi-double in form and dark pink in color; and the flowers of the new variety are somewhat smaller than those of this parent.

The unnamed pollen parent of my new variety, which was a form of C. saluenensis, is a more or less semispreading to spreading plant of compact bushy form, well-branched, and with very small leaves. It was further characterized by a very floriferous habit, with the flowers ranging about 4 or 5 cm. wide, said flowers being of single form and having 6 'or 7 petals, and the flowers being very pale pink or near white in color. In contrast to this parent, my new variety is quite upright in habit; the foliage is considerably larger; the flowers are also larger; and although the flowers are pale pink in color, they are somewhat darker than the color of the flowers of the pollen parent.

Asexual reproduction of my new variety by both graft ings and cuttings, asperformed at Ontario, California; shows that the foregoing characteristics and distinctions come true to form in my new camellia and are estab'f lished and transmitted through succeeding propagations;

The accompanying drawing shows-a typical specimen plant of my new camellia ,varietyas depicted in blackand-white to indicate primarily its general form and habits of growth, as well as typical specimens of the flowers and foliage in different stages of development as depicted on an enlarged scale and in color as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in a color illustration ofthis character.

The following is a detailed description of the new variety, with color terminology in accordance with 'Robert F. Wilsons Horticultural Colour Chart (hereinafter abbreviated as Wilson) and Robert Ridgways Color Standards and Nomenclature (hereinafter abbreviated as Ridgway) as indicated:

Type: Ornamental; flowering evergreen shrub; for general landscape use and for cut flowers. Class: Japonica saluenensis hybrid. Breeding: Seedling.

Seed parent.-Lady Vansittarti Pollen parent.An unnamed variety of the species C. saluenensis.

sloughed off. Color-between Drab-Gray, Plate XLVI (Ridgway) and Light Grayish Olive, Plate XLVI (Ridgway).

Leaves: 7

Habit.Abundant; borne alternately.

Texture-Leathery.

Size-From small to medium in comparison with average size for usual varieties of C. japonica. Width--from 3 to cm. Lengthfrom 6 to cm.

Peti0le.Medium caliper; from 4 to 10 mm. long; with shallow groove along upper surface; almost glabrous and with slight pubescence, particularly along margins of groove.

Shape.From oval to lanceolate. Apex-usually acute, but sometimes acuminate. Baseusually acute, but sometimes obtuse. Marginsimply serrate, except lower A or /3 toward base is usually entire.

Upper surface.GlOSSy. Color: mature leaves between Cossack Green, Plate VI (Ridgway) and Empire Green, Plate XXXII (Ridgway); young leavesnear Cress Green, Plate XXXI (Ridgway). Veinslighter in color.

Lower surface.Glossy. Color: mature leaves-- near Light Elm Green, Plate XVII (Ridgway); young leavesbetween Courge Green, Plate XVII (Ridgway) and Biscay Green, Plate XVII (Ridgway). Veins--darker in color.

Flower Flowers borne: Sessile; terminal or axillary; usually singly, but often doubly when terminal.

Quantity of bloom: Abundant.

Time of bloom: One season; from about mid-February to about mid-April at Ontario, California.

Fragrance: None.

Bud:

Size-Medium.

Form.--'Slender; pointed.

Sepals-Numerous; usually from 6 to 9 in number; increasing in size from the outermost which are nearly round, to the'innermost, which are broadly obovate. Outside surfacepubescent; colornear Rainette Green, Plate XXXI (Ridgway). Inside surface-glabrous; color-near Absinthe Green, Plate XXXI (Ridgway).

0pening.-Opens up well.

Bloom:

' Size (when fully open).--Medium; from 7 to 9 cm.

Petalage.-Single; 6 m7 petals, without petaloids; seventh petal is usually reduced in size and is more a sepal than a petal.

Form-Usually arranged in two imbricated layers, with the three outer petals often ranging up to one cm. shorter than the three inner petals; all petals usually reflexed outward and greatest at the apex; newly opened flowers are cup-shaped, later becoming more bell-shaped to flat at maturity.

Petals. Thickness moderate. Surfaces shiny, both inside and outside. Shape-oval; usually with one notch at apex.

C0lor.-Newly opened flowerOuter petals: outside surfacenear Rose Madder, Plate 23/ 3, page 23 (Wilson), with area in center of petal from apex toward base near Carmine, Plate 21/1, page 21 (Wilson), and with occasional vegetative streak near apex of near Lemon Yellow, Plate 4/ 3, page 4 (Wilson); inside surface-between Rose Madder, Plate 23/3, page 23 (Wilson) and Tyrian Rose, Plate 24/3, page 24 (Wilson), with occasional vegetative streak near apex of near Lemon Yellow, Plate 4/3, page 4 (Wilson). Inner petals: outside surface-near Phlox Pink, Plate 625/3, page 77 (Wilson); inside surfacenear Fuchsine Pink, Plate 627/3, page 78 (Wilson). 2-3 days open flower Outer petals: outside surface-near Rose Madder, Plate 23/3, page 23 (Wilson), with area in center of petal from apex toward base near Carmine, Plate 21/1, page 21 (Wilson), and with occasional vegetative streaks near apex of near Lemon Yellow, Plate 4/3, page 4 (Wilson); inside surface-near Phlox Pink, Plate 625/3, page 77 (Wilson), with occasional vegetative streaks near apex near Lernon Yellow, Plate 4/3, page 4 (Wilson). Inner petals: outside surface near Fuchsine Pink, Plate 627/3, page 78 (Wilson); inside surface near Persian Rose, Plate 628/3, page 149 (Wilson).

General color eflect.Newly opened flower near Fuchsine Pink, Plate 627/3, page 78 (Wilson); 2-3 days open flower-near Persian Rose, Plate Reproductive organs Stamens: Up to from 60 to 70 in number; from 5 to 15 mm. in length; most with anthers; outer filaments united at base equal to from 3 4 to /2 their length.

Color of filament.Near Shell Pink, Plate 516/3,

page 135 (Wilson).

Color of anthers.--Newly opened flower margins near Indian Yellow, Plate 6, page 6 (Wilson), with remainder near Shell Pink, Plate 516/3, page 135 (Wilson). 2-3 days open flower margins near Mahogany Red, Plate II (Ridgway), with remainder near Shell Pink, Plate 516/3, page 135 (Wilson).

Pistils: One; about 2 or 3 cm. long; style divided into three arms at apex for A to /2 its length. Colornear Chartreuse Green, Plate 663/3, page (Wilson).

Seeds: None produced at Ontario, California.

I claim:

A new and distinct variety of camellia plant, substantially as herein shown and described, characterized particularly as to novelty by the unique combination of a vigorous, upright, well-branched, relatively compact plant habit, attractive dark green glossy foliage, ranging in size from small to medium, good sun-hardiness, a very fioriferous habit, with the flowers borne both laterally on many shoots and terminally, a relatively precocious blooming habit, the single form of the flowers, said flowers essentially having six petals each, with the petals of the outer layer being somewhat shorter than the others; a distinctive pale pink general color tonality of the flowers, a blooming period ranging from midseason to late and extending over a period of approximately two months or more, and a habit of dropping the old flowers cleanly in their respective entireties.

No references cited.

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