Patent Application
20160073564
Medinilla hybrid
‘AROSA’
The present invention relates to a new and distinct hybrid cultivar of Medinilla plant, botanically known as Medinilla hybrid, hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘AROSA’. The genus of Medinilla belongs to the Melastomataceae family.
The new Medinilla ‘AROSA’ is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the inventors, Elly Bak and Nico D. M. Steur, in Assendelft, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to develop a new Medinilla variety with a good growing habit and attractive inflorescence.
The new Medinilla ‘AROSA’ is the result of some generations of selection in a Medinilla hybrid. The female or seed parent of the hybrid is proprietary, unpatented Medinilla selection identified by code 82984514. The female or seed parent of the hybrid is proprietary, unpatented Medinilla selection identified by code 82981030. The crossing resulting in Medinilla ‘AROSA’ was made during 2009 and with the plant flowered for the first time in 2011 in Assendelft, the Netherlands.
Asexual reproduction of the new Medinilla hybrid ‘AROSA’ performed by vegetative means by cuttings was first performed in 2011, in Assendelft, the Netherlands. The first ‘AROSA’ plants propagated through the use of cuttings flowered in 2012 in Assendelft, the Netherlands, and have demonstrated that the combination of characteristics herein disclosed for the new cultivar are firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction. The new cultivar reproduces true-to-type.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be unique characteristics of ‘AROSA’ which in combination distinguish the Medinilla hybrid as a new and distinct cultivar:
1. Solid growth habit;
2. Erect shrub plant, measuring about 30 cm in height (above the pot when first flowering);
3. Green colored leaves, measuring about 13-18 cm in length and about 7 cm in width;
4. Pendulous panicles with red-purple (RHS 65D) colored flowers;
Of the many commercials cultivars known to the present inventors, the most similar in comparison to the new Medinilla ‘AROSA’ is the Medinilla ‘MAGIC’ application Ser. No. 13/694,587. Plants of the new Medinilla ‘AROSA’ differ from plants of the Medinilla ‘MAGIC’ primarily in leaf size. Plants of ‘MAGIC’ have smaller leaves than plants of ‘AROSA’.
The accompanying photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Medinilla ‘AROSA’ showing the colors as true as is reasonably possible with colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describes the color of ‘AROSA’.
‘AROSA’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with the variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, day length, fertilizers and humidity without any change in the genotype of the plant.
The aforementioned photograph, together with the following observations, measurements and values describes the new Medinilla ‘AROSA’ as grown in a greenhouse in Assendelft, the Netherlands, under conditions which closely approximate those generally used in commercial practice.
Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.), 2001 Edition, except where general colors of ordinary significance are used. Color values were taken under daylight conditions in a greenhouse in Assendelft, the Netherlands. The age of the plants of ‘AROSA’ described is about 50 weeks from potting.
