Patent Application
20210068326
Latin name of the genus and species: Sansevieria trifasciata.
Variety denomination: ‘HANSOTI21’.
The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Sansevieria plant, botanically known as Sansevieria trifasciata, of the family Asparagaceae, hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘HANSOTI21’.
Sansevieria is a monocotyledonous plant with fleshy, succulent leaves which are available in a huge range of species, varieties and cultivars as an outdoor ornamental plant (under tropical conditions) or as indoor plants.
The new Sansevieria ‘HANSOTI21’ was discovered and selected by the inventor, Ashish Hansoti, as a naturally occurring, single whole plant mutation within a planting of Sansevieria trifasciata ‘Hahnii Green Compacta’, a non-patented Hahnii or Birds Nest type of Sansevieria. The discovery was made at the inventor's nursery, in Village Vangani, District Thane, Maharashtra State in Western India. The inventor noted the unique plant had particularly compact growth and wide leaves compared to the normal, common green Sansevieria trifasciata ‘Hahnii’ types. ‘HANSOTI21’ originated as a naturally-occurring mutation of the Sansevieria variety ‘Hahnii Green Compacta’ (unpatented) selected in May 2011.
Asexual reproduction of the new Sansevieria cultivar by vegetative cuttings was first performed in August of 2011 at a commercial nursery in Village Vangani, District Thane, Maharashtra State in Western India. This first and subsequent propagation have shown that the distinctive combination of characteristics of the new cultivar are reproduced true to type as long as the propagation was done through side shoots (basal suckers) originating from the base of the originally discovered plant. Thus, it can be said that the new cultivar reproduces true to type through side shoots (basal suckers).
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be unique characteristics of ‘HANSOTI21’, which in combination distinguish this Sansevieria as a new and distinct cultivar:
‘Hansoti21’ coloration is otherwise similar to many Sansevieria trifasciata cultivars including Sansevieria trifasciata ‘Future Superba’ and the old, tall Sansevieria trifasciata ‘Laurentii’. Variegated foliage with a wide green band in centre and creamy yellow border of 3-15 mm wide, the whole marked with horizontal and alternate bands or striations of light and dark green across the leaf blade as is typical with a lot of the Sansevieria trifasciata varieties.
Leaf width in all Sansevieria trifasciata cultivars is quite variable, depending on growing conditions and overall feed levels as well as ratios of Potassium, Nitrogen and Phosphorus and the strongest, healthiest plants have the widest leaves. This variation means leaf width in ‘Hansoti21’ can be anything form 3 cm to 6 cm wide depending on season, growing conditions and plant vigour. Typically, the leaves are of medium width (4 cm average measured at the widest part of the mature leaf under good growing conditions) and lanceolate with a firm, waxy texture. The blades are thick or fleshy, curved and twisted.
The new variety ‘Hansoti21’ can be considered a variety of Sansevieria in the group denominated as “Birds Nest” types based on its origin. The new variety presents an average of 9 leaves per plant when it reaches its maturity (between 3-4 months from rooted liner).
The new variety is moderately drought tolerant and adapts well to conditions of bright light as well as heavy shade (exterior and interior). Under high shade levels the contrast of the variegation pattern reduces substantially.
The leaves show a variegated coloration, with a central wide band of darker green and a border of lighter yellowish-green. The whole leaf is horizontally traversed by alternate bands of darker green (as characteristic of and typically seen in many Sansevieria trifasciata cultivars).
The central broad green band shows green colorations varying from a dark green similar to Green 139A to a lighter color similar to Yellow-Green 147C or 148D. However, due to considerable variability of color shade and the overlying creamy coloration it is difficult to pin point the exact shade.
The attached color pictures are a better guide to the overall coloration (and also the leaf phyllotaxy and spatial arrangement which are the real unique elements of this plant). As such, the coloration is very similar and not in any significant way different from several similarly colored Sansevieria cultivars including the common, unpatented Sansevieria trifasciata ‘Future Superba’ (unpatented) and the very old, unpatented and very well-known Sansevieria trifasciata ‘Laurentii’.
Each leaf has marginal bands that are a brighter yellow or cream and varying in width from just 3 mm to 15 mm or even wider. This marginal band, again variable in color, has little or no green overlay and so appears brighter. This creamy color is near Yellow 4B.
Superimposed on all the above are distinct lighter horizontal cross-banding (typical of broad leaved Sansevieria trifasciata cultivars including Sansevieria trifasciata ‘Futura Superba’) that is more obvious over darker central and marginal bands and very faint and hardly noticeable but present across the creamy border bands.
Backside of the leaves is similarly colored with wide central green band and creamy marginal bands and the typical S. trifasciata horizontal banding.
Young shoots are similar color overall but the border bands are more light green than cream: this color is similar to Yellow-Green 144C. As the leaves mature this border gets progressively less green and more yellowish cream.
Plants of the new Sansevieria ‘Hansoti21’ are visually closest to a substantially bigger, taller and more vertical twisted leaf unpatented cultivar from Thailand called ‘Dragon Tongue’ (Lin Muang Korn in Thai). While the varieties share some horticultural characteristics, plants differ substantially, as described in the characteristics in Table 1.
Plants of the new Sansevieria ‘HANSOTI21’ differ from plants of the commercial cultivar ‘Dragon Tongue’ (unpatented) in the characteristics described in Table 1.
Overall, the plants of ‘Dragon Tongue’ are taller, wider and obviously a variety that falls into the ‘Compact Group’ of modern Sansevieria cultivars but with swirling leaves forming a wide-mouthed, inverted funnel shape. In contrast, the cultivar ‘Hansoti 21’ presents a flat, more or less cylindrical mass of twisted leaves very suggestive of the vortex of a tornado and it falls into the ‘Birds Nest Group’ of modern Sansevieria hybrids and cultivars.
Individual leaves of ‘Hansoti21’ are much shorter, more twisted and the whole rosette is more compact and shorter.
In terms of overall coloration and variegation pattern the variety ‘Hansoti21’ looks similar to the Cultivar ‘Dragon Tongue’ and other similarly colored cultivars such as ‘Futura Superba’. There is nothing distinctive in the coloration and similar coloration is typically seen in several other Sansevieria trifasciata cultivars. It is the plant form—the swirling pattern of its leaves forming a ‘vortex’ and low height/flat presentation that are the main distinctive characteristics of ‘HANSOTI21’.
Plants of the new Sansevieria ‘HANSOTI21’ differ from plants of the parental cultivar in the characteristics described in Table 2.
The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Sansevieria cultivar ‘HANSOTI21’ showing the colors as true as is reasonably possible with colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color value cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the color of ‘Hansoti21’.
These pictures illustrate the plant form which is the unique characteristic of ‘Hansoti21’ and at the same time demonstrates that plant coloration and variegation pattern is similar to several other Sansevieria trifasciata cultivars. All plants were grown in an open poly house (high tunnel) at Village Asle, District Satara, Maharashtra State in Western India.
Average temperature in Asle is 25° C. with summer highs of 39° C. and winter lows of 6° C. Plants grow under natural light conditions and between 30% to 75% shade levels depending on the season (higher shade in hot summer conditions). These conditions closely approximate those used in commercial practice in India.
The new Sansevieria ‘HANSOTI21’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, fertilizer levels and composition and day length without any change in the genotype of the plant.
The aforementioned photographs, together with the following observations, measurements and values describe the new Sansevieria cultivar ‘HANSOTI21’ plants grown in an open poly house (high tunnel) at Village Asle, District Satara, Maharashtra State in Western India. Average temperature in Asle is 25° C. with summer highs of 39° C. and winter lows of 6° C. Plants grow under natural light conditions and between 30% to 75% shade levels depending on the season (higher shade in hot summer conditions).
This crop gets nearly constant fertilization to increase production Constant Liquid Feed at approximately 150 ppm N, 30 ppm P and 150 ppm K is used along with micronutrients. Production is closely related with proper and complete plant nutrition and an open soilless growing media based on coconut coir. The plants are grown in plastic pots on metal benching in spacing trays
Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.), (April 2009) except where general colors of ordinary significance are used.
The photographs and descriptions were taken during the Winter season in Asle, District Satara, Maharashtra State, India when outdoor day temperature was 25° C. to 30° C. The age of the plants described is 3-4 months.
