USPP3574P - cobia - Google Patents

Description

June 18, 1974 B L COBlA Plant Pat. 3,574

CACTACEAE PLANT FAMILY Filed March 13, 1973 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Plant Pat. 3,574

June 18, 1974 B. L. cQBlA CACTACEAE PLANT FAMILY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fied March 13, 1973 humm United States Patent Ofice 3,574 CACTACEAE PLANT FAMILY Barnell L. Cobia, Winter Garden, Fla., assignor to B. L. Cobia, Inc., Winter Garden, Fla. Filed Mar. 13, 1973, Ser. No. 340,931

Int. Cl. A01h 5/00 U.S. Cl. PIL-88 1 Claim ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A new and distinct hybrid plant variety of the Cactaceae family obtained through cross-pollination of a plant of the Zygocactus truncatus Delicatus variety and a Zygocactus truncatus variety known commercially as Christmas Cheer is principally distinguished from its parents and known .related varieties by a growth habit that combines a fast growth rate, an upright and compact appearance', thin cladophylls with from 6 to 9 teeth per cladophyll, and a flower having a small ovary with a high sterility factor, a bloom with translucent white perianth tube forming and laminating tepals, a carina which is clearly demarcated by its color, and a bloom life of from about 6 to about 8 days.

The invention relates to a new and distinct plant variety of the Cactaceae family and which has been named the Zygocactus truncatus Alba by the inventor.

Certain plants of the Cactaceae family are well known lin the foliage plant market and among these are those of the Zygocactus truncatus Delicatus variety and a Zygocacms truncatus variety commonly known as the AChristmas Cheer variety. These varieties tend to bloom V,in the months of November and December in the northern hemisphere and are found in the foliage plant retail 'market area during the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons.

The D'elicatus variety has translucent white tepals that are involved in manually selecting plants for shipment which are at the proper stage of budding to provide reasonable assurance of mature blooming when the plants .reach their destination.

The variety commonly known asiChristmas Cheer has abloom life in the area of from about five to eight days but has a bloom with tepals that are salmon colored. This color is less appealing to the general public during the Thanksgiving-Christmas season and hence there is a need for a Zygocactus truncatus variety that has a white bloom and also a bloom life which provides a suitable shelf life at the retail level of sales.

A general object of theinvention has been to develop ia variety of the Cactaceae family which may be considered as having a white bloom and a relatively long bloom life. Yet another object of the invention has been to develop a Variety having the foregoing general objective and 4which isfaster growing and more compact in appearance l than the two varieties heretofore mentioned.

The objectives of the invention have been fully realized by the development of the new plant variety hereinafter described in detail. The new plant variety was developed in a nursery located at Winter Garden, Fla., as a hybrid secured by cross-pollinatingthe flower of a plant of the Zygocactus truncatus Delicatus variety with pollen from aplant of the Zygocactus truncatus variety commonly known as Christmas Cheer. The seeds taken from the fertilized seed pod of the Delicatus variety were cultifvanted at the mentioned nursery location by the inventor Plant Pat. 3,574 Patented June 18, 1974 and after prolonged observation of the seedlings the hybridized plant of the new plant variety was selected and asexually reproduced by the inventor at the Winter Garden nursery by the propagation of stem cuttings taken from the original hybrid plant.

Through successive propagations, it has been ascertained that plants of the new variety generally resemble the parent varieties but are distinguishable from the parent Varieties and from other related Varieties known to the inventor by a growth habit which is evident in plants propagated and grown under nursery conditions utilized in the growing of tropical plants at Winter Garden, Fla., as combining the following principal characteristics:

1. A faster growth rate than its parents,

2. A more upright and compact (denser) appearance than its parents, as evidenced by more erect stems with heavier (moreA frequent) branching,

3. Thinner cladophylls than its parents and with from 6 to 9 teeth that are generally longer than its parents, and

4. A flower having (a) an ovary with a high sterility factor and which is smaller in size than its parents, and (b) a bloom with a life from about six to about eight days, translucent white perianth tube forming and laminating tepals, and a carina which is clearly demarcated by its color.

The accompanying drawings serve, by color photographic means, to illustrate the new plant variety and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a color photograph of a plant specimen of Athe new plant variety;

FIG. 2 is a color photograph showing a fully opened bloom of the new variety together with several buds of the new variety in various stages of bloom maturity; and

FIG. 3 is another color photograph of a fully open bloom as seen when looking into the throat of the perianth tube.

The following is a detailed description of the new plant variety with colors and hues, unless otherwise clearly -which were grown under Sil-70% shaded glass-house nursery conditions in the Winter Garden, Florida area and wherein temperatures range from 60 to 85 during the winter months, from to 95 F. during the summer `months and are ambient during intervening periods.

DETAILED PLANT DESCRIPTION Name: Zygocactus trurzcatus Albaf Parentage:

A. Maternal.-Zygocactus truncatus Delicatus.

B. PaternaZ.-Zygocactus truncatus variety known commercially as Christmas Cheer.'

Classification:

A. Botanic (Britton and Rose, The Cactaceae, Constable and Co., Ltd., London 1937, V01. IV)- 1) Family:y Cactaceae (2) Tribe: Cereeae (3) Sub-tribe: Epiphyllanae (4) Genus: Zygocactus (5) Species: truncatusv (Haworth) Schumann 3,574 Y, 53 4 B. `Commercial---Thanksgiving---Christmas bloom- (7.5 GY 5/6) and/no1'y moderate olive green ing cactus. (7.5 `GY 4/4) (7.5 GY 4/6).

Form: Terrestrial, shade-loving, succulent, leaess plant (5) Areoles-(a) Terminal areole-Large elon- -Awith jointed and branched stems. gated oval-shaped with several acicular Stems; e e L e e 4 t l e l 5 bristlescopious multicellular hairs, and sev- A..`Genelrr zlv.l- Irregular with usually multi-chotornous eral buds that may mature into either new branching kof both upright and pendulous, adventiously rootable, flattened cladophylls that have a prominent midrib and prominently toothed lateral (1) General-Elongated and -flat .with transversely elongated,` areole bearing, truncated apex, with inwardly tapering basal wing margins that merge through a broad usually pointed basaljuncture with the cladophyll therebelow, with an axillary areole associated with each tooth, and with some tendency for wings t curl.

(2) Midrib-(a) `General-*Extends llongitudinally of cladophyll and continuously through Yjoints with laterally tapering cortex at wing insertions. Pith surrounding vascular bundles that branch and provide lateralextensions of the 4vascular system to marginal teeth. (b) texture-Smooth waxy epidermis with wax in lsmall embedded scales and becoming corky in basal ystem areas with age. (c). Size (v2-6 mos. old)-(1) Length: yUsually between 20 and 60 mm. `(2) Thickness: Usually between 1 and 7 mm. (d) AColor (at maturity)-Com monly moderate yellow green (7.5 GY 5/4) (7.5 GY 5/6) and/or moderate olive green (7.5 GY 4/4) (7.5 GY 4/6).

(3) Wings-(a) )General shape-Generally attened from midrib cortex to tooth insertions with tendency to curl. (b) Margins- Toothed (modilied leaves). (c) Texture- Succulent to leathery with smooth waxy epidermis having wax arranged in small embedded scales and becoming corky in basal plant areas with age. (d) Size (2-6 mos. old)-(1) Center thickness- Usually between 1.0 and 2.5 mm. (2) Widthl (as measured `from cladophyll axis to most oset lateral `areole)-Usually between 7 and 16 mm. (e) Color (at maturity)-Commonly moderate yellow green (7.5 vGY 5/*4 (7.5 GY 5/6) and/or moderate `olive green (7.5 GY 4/4) (7.5 GY 4/6).

(4) Teeth-(a) General shape-Generally attened and tapered along margins from wing insertions to an apex havinga hyaline, single lcell, pointed spine with nonpredictable bending, and with irregular adaxial land abaxial marginal curvatures. (b) Orienta.

tion- Usually projects generallyI distally of vc'ladophyllbase with the median of the tooth 'angles (as measured at the distal side of the intersect with 4the cladophyll axis of a line through thetooth apex and the midpoint between the abaxial and adaxial areoles thereof) formed yby non-basal teeth of a cladophyll usually being 'between 12 and 24?. (c) Margins--Entira (d) Texture-Suoculent to leathery with ,smooth waxy epidermis having wax in small embedded scalesv and becoming corky in basal plant areas with age. (e) Number-Usually from 16 to 9 and commonly 8 per cladophyll. (f) Size (2-6 mos. old) (1) Center thickness: Usuallyl between 0.5 and 1.3 mm. (2) Aerole to apex dimension (adaxial marginal side): Usually between 1 and 12 mm. (g) Color (at m'aturity)-Com monly moderate yellow green (7.5 GY 5/4) Buds: Unarmored, ovoid and chlorophyllous. Flowers:

A. General.-Sessile, zygomorphic, usually solitary,

terminal, perfect, and epigynous with double hypanthium and tepals (undiiferentiated whorled sepals and petals) having a spiral emergence as a perianth provided with a sepaloid series of free tepals, a tube laminating series of tepals, and 'a tube formingseries of united tepals.

B. Sepalod seresf-v-(l) General; Free tepals inserted on top of ovary. (2) Shape; Taperedfrom insertion to apex in outer membersnjofUU whorl and grading inwardly in the whorl to provide progressively broader lapices and longer base-tip dimensions. All members have pointed tipkand entire margins with sparse irregularyte'eth4 appearing mainly in apex areas of the" inner members of the fwhorl. (3) Texture: succulent and glabous outer whorl members and grading inwardly in the whorl to silken blades with fleshy basal areas. (4) Number: Usually from 4 to "6. (5) Size (aft full bloom): (a) Base-tip dimension-Usuallyles's than 15 mm. (b) Maximum widthdimension- Usually less than 12 mm. (6) Color: Yellow 'green hue fading inwardly in the whorl in the marginal areas to a translucent white. Commonly strong yellow green (2.5 GY 6/8) (2.5 GY 7,/8 (5 GY 7/3), brilliant yellowgreen (2.5 `GY 8/8) and/or moderate yellow green (2.5 GY 7/ 6) (5 GYv 7/ 6) in outer members of the whorl with light yellow green (2.5 GY 8/6) (2.5 GY 9/4) (2.5 GY 9/6) (5 GY 8/6) (5 GY 9/4) along axis and 'autran'slucent white along margins of the inner members of the whorl. (7) `Orientation at full bloom: Varying inwardly in the whorl from erect `to recurve.

C. Tube laminating series.(1) General: Inserted on ovary and basally united below the throat'a's outer laminations on the perianth tube and Awith progressively greater amounts of basal fusion inwardly in the whorl. (2) Shape: Gradinginwardly in whorl with progressively longer base-tip dimensions `and progressively broader apices so that blade area changes from ovate inwardly to spactulate with acute tips. Entire margins with sparse irregular teeth mainly in apex areas.` (3) Texture: Succulent, slightly fleshy, A basal areas with, silken blades. (4) Number: Usually 5 to 7. (5) Size (at full bloom):

(a) Base-tip dimensions-Usually between 20 and 60 mm. (b) Maximum Width dimensions-Usually between 12 and 17 mm. (6) Color: A translucent white. (7) Orientation at full bloom: Upright to recurved.

D. Tube forming series- (1) 'Genera1z-asa1'1y united to form hollow perianth tube that is inserted 5. on ovary and equipped with irregular carina (keel) at throat. (2) Shape:

(a) Perianth tube-Elongated, and ellipsoidal in cross section with major ellipsoidal axis arranged generally perpendicular to general plane of cladophyll.

(b) Blades-Nearly zygomorphic, thin spatulate with acute tip. Entire margins with sparse, irregular teeth mainly in apex area.

(c)Carina (=keel)-Irregular and transending.

(3) Texture:

(a) Perianth tube-Thick, succulent and slightly ribbed.

(b) Blades-Translucent and silken.

1 (c) Carina (keel)-Fleshy. (4) Blade number: Usually 8. (5) Size (at full bloom):

(a) Perianth-tube-(1) Base to keel length: Usually between 30 and 40 mm. (2) Internal major axis (at throat): Usually between 8 and 11 mm. when measured perpendicular to kaxis of perianth tube. (3) Internal minor axis (at throat): Usually between 6 and 8 mm. lwhen measured perpendicular to axis of perianth tube.

(b) Blades-(1) Length (keel to tip): Usually between 25 and 45 mm. (2) Width (maximum): Usually between and 15 mm.

(6) Color (at full bloom):

(a) Perianth tube-A translucent white.

(b) Bladesf-A translucent white.

l (c) Car-ina (keel)-Typica1ly moderate purplish r'ed (2 .5 RP 4/ 10) (5 RP 5/ 10), dark purplish pink (5 RP 6/ 8), deep'purplish pink (5 RP 6/ 10) and/or strong reddish purple A(7) Orientation at full bloom: lErect to recurve.

E. Androecium (stamens).(1) General-Numerous exserted and diadelphous stamens with one grouphaving filaments basally fused to the perianth tube and the other group having filaments basally united to form a nectary housing, thin annulus around the style and which is provided with a thin,l deexed, irregularly toothed margin or rutile at the throat of the annulus. (2) Stamen number- (a) Tube attachedgroup: Usually from 86 to (b) Basally united group: Usually from 20 to f l(3) Filamentf (a) General: Translucent and glabrous with anther connective.

(b) Shape: ILong', slender and gradually tapering from base to anther connective.

(c) Texture: Glabrous and silken.

(d) Color: A translucent white.

l(e) Size (at full bloom): (1) Length-(a) Tube attached group: Usually 42 to 62 mm. (b) Basally united group: Usually from 44 to 57 mm. (2) Diameter-Usually between 0.3 and 0.4 mm. intermediate the opposite ends.

(a) General: Adnate with four longitudinally dehiscent pollen sacs.

(b) Shape: Elongated.

(c) Texture: Waxy.

(d) Color (before dehiscing): Usually pale yellow (5 Y 9/4) and/or pale yellowish green (7.5 Y 9/4).

(e) Size: Usually 1.2 to 2.1 mm. in length.

(f) Sterility: Usually between 7 and 21%.

F. Gynoecium (pz'stil.).(l) General-Compound,

6,1 parietal placentation with united style surrounded by annular diffuse nectary at its insertion.,.(2).

Style- (a) General: Hollow, stout and inserted 4in ovary.

(b) Shape: Elongated, cylindrical and generallyl tapering.

(c) Texture: lFleshy and glabrous with short inner glutinous hairs at distal end.

(d) Color: Usually strong reddish purple (near 10 P 5/10) (2.5 RP 5/10), moderate purplisl red (5 RP'5 10),.and/or light reddish purple (2.5 RP 6/8). y v` (e) Size (at full bloom): 1) LengthUsually between 61 and 72 mm. (2) Diameter- Usu-v ally varies from about 0.5 to about 1 mm: (3) stigma- (a) General: Exserted and erect with usuallyv from 6 to 9 inner marginally adhering lobes. (b) Shape: Elongated and tapering toward lobe tips and having'relatively blunt apices. (c) Texture: Fleshy and smooth with short glutinous hairs. (d) Color: Usually strong reddish purple (2.5 RP 5/ 10) and deep purplish pink (near 5 RP 6/10). (e) Size. (lobe length. at full bloom): Usually from 4 to 6 mm., along inner margins.l

4) ovary 1 (a) General: -Epigynous with thin epidermis and distallylocated concavity and with single cavity having from 6 to 9 carpels commonly devoid of ovules.

"(b) Shape: Terete to ovoid and generally broadening from insertion to iloral end.

(c) Texture: Suc'culent and glabrous-with thin outer epidermis. V

(d) Color: Usually moderate yellow green (2.5

yGy 7/6) (5 GY 7/6) (5 GY 6/6).

(e) Size (at full bloom): (l) Length (insertion toconcavity base)-Usually between 4 and l2 mm. (2) Major axis (distal end of concavity-#Usually between 2.0 and 5.5 mm.

(f) Sterility factor: Usually more than 8,0%.

Fruit: Data unavailable because 'of sterility. Growing characteristics: A fast growth rate with the production of morethan 1;.5 times the number of mature cladophylls during comparable growing periods than either parent, a more upright and compact (denser) apparan'ce than" its parents," as 'evidenced by 'more erect stems with heavier (morefrequent) branching, a greater resistance ,than its parents' to nutrient deficiencies, and a bloom life (from initial tepal separation to initial tepal withering) of from about 6 to about 8days.= The following is a general descriptionfof a specimen of the new plant variety that was grown fromv the propagation of a single cladophyll in a nursery at Winter Garden, F1a.

Age of plant: 10 months from initial propagation. Branches from propagated cutting: 3.

Total number of cladophylls grown from cutting: 33. General:

Number of Max. Number Branch No. cladophylls length, mm. of tips Midribs:

Length Thickness Brauch No. (avg.) mm. (avg), mm.

7 8 Wings: te) Carina (keen-Deep purplish pink (s RP 6/ 10). l Center Androecum: l thi k M .Width Branch No. (avgJc, (as), mm, (1) Stamen number.-

1 69 12 8 5 (a) Tube attached vgroup-89. 1s3 1015 (b) Basally united group--23. 1-72 11'2 (2) F l'laments.- (a) Color--A translucent white. Teeth: (b) Size (at full bloom)(l) Length(a) 10 Tube attached group: 56 mm. (avg). (b) Areole Tootlh Basally united group: 52 mm. (avg). (2) Diaan-.h anni naar; maar (maas meer-About. mmmtefmedlaf@ the 0p- No. (avg.) (avg), mm. (avg.)1 mm. deg. (3) A plslte ends.

M yn't ers.- 12:11: gft? 118g gli im 15 (a) Color (before dehiscing)-Pale yellowish 3. 7.7 .94 6.3 15.3 green (7 5 Y 9/4) (b) Size-1.8 mm. (avg). (c) Sterility factor-15%. Gynoecium (pistil):

(1) Style (a) Color--Moderate purplish red (5 RP 5/ Cladophyll color: Moderate yellow green (7.5 GY 5/4),

moderate olive green (7.5 GY 4/ 6).

The following is a general description of aower of 20 the new plant variety which bloomed in November on a i t f d-fons 10 plant grown under shaded glasshouse nursery con r1 (b) Size (at full bloom-(Dlengthmm.

m Wmte'r Garden F1a' (2) Diameter-Varies from .5 to 1 mm. Bloom life: 7days. 25 (2) Stz'gma. SPrllOd Series 0f t@Pals (a) Color- Deep purplish pink (near 5 RP (l.) .Number- 6. 6/ 10). (2) Size (at full bl00m)(a) Maximum basenl (b) Size (lobe length)5 mm.

dimension- 14 mm. (b) Minimum base-tip dimen- (3) Ovary* n SiOIl--l mm ("5) Maximum Wldh dmenS10n-11 30 (a) Color-Moderate yellow green (5 GY 7/6). mm n (b) Size (at full bloom)(1) Length (insertion (3.), Color'd'stmng, yellow green (2'5 GY 6 /8) to concavity base)9 mm. (2) Major axis (2-5 GY 7/8) 1D Outer WhOrl membefs Llglt (distal end of concavity)5 mm. (3) Minor yellow greenv(2.5 GY 9/6) (5 GY 9/4) along axis axis (distal end of c0ncavity) 3,0 mm of inner whorl members and fading to a translucent 35 (c) sterility fact0r 100%, white along the margins thereof. I claim;

Tube laminating SerieS 1. The new and distinct hybrid plant variety of the (l) Number-6. Cactaceae family asl described and illustrated and which '(2) Size (di full b00m).-`(a batlp is principally distinguished by a growth habit that comdmDSiOIl--53 mm- (b) MimmPm bse'tlR dlmen' 40 bines the following characteristics: SOI122 mm- (C) Malmum wldth dimension-16 (1) .A faster growth rate than its parents, mm (d.) Minimum Wldh dlmenSlUn-li mm (2) A more upright and compact appearance than its (3) Colon-A translucent white. parents,

Tube forming series of tepals: (3) Thinner cladophylls than its parents and with from (1) Number- 8.r 45 v6 to 9 teeth that are generally longer than its parents, (2) Size (at full bl00m). and

(a) Perianth tube-(1) Base keel length-36 mm. (2) Interior major axis (at throa'U-Q mm. (3) Interior minor axis (at throat)-6 5 (4) A ower having (a) anfovary with a high sterility factor and which is smaller in size than its parents, and (b) a bloom 'with ka lift from about 6 to about 8 days, translucent white p'erianth tube forming and laminating tepals, and ra carina which is clearly vdemarcated by its color.

(b) Blades-(1) Maximum length (keel to tip)38 mm. (2) Minimum length (keel to tip)-'31 mm. '(3) Maximum width-14mm. I(4) Minimum width--lO mm.

(3) Color.- 55

(a) Perianth tube--A translucent white.

(b) Blades-A translucent white.

No referencescited.

ROBERT E. BAGWILL,`Prmary Examiner Po-wso UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE A; CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION gln SNO- 3574 y Dated June is,v 1974 Inventor`(s) Barnell L. Cobia v It is eertified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said. Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

l- Column '3, Lines 7 & 8, delete ,"adventiously" and substitute 1 adventitiously Line 48, delete (7. 5 GY 5/4" and substitute (7.5 GY 5/4) C 7 Column 4, Line ll, delete "Auxiliary" and substitute Axillary Line 45, delete (2.5 GY 7/8" and substitute (2. 5 GY 7/8) --r Column 6, Line 43, delete "Usually between 2.0 and 5. 5 mm. and

substitute Usually between 4 and 9 mm. (3) Minor Axis (distal end of concavity) Usually between 2.0 and 5. 5 mm.-; v

Lines 50. c 5l, delete "apparance" and substitute appearance Column 7, -Line l5, cancel "8.9" and substitute 8. O

,Line 47, delete "Base keel" and substitute Base to keel Signed and sealed this 29th day of October lQ'ZLp.

(SEAL) Attest:

MCCOY N. GIBSON JR. c. MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer `Commissioner: of Patents

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