Patent Grant
PP36797
Latin name of the genus and species: Schefflera schizophylla.
Variety denomination: ‘Mato’.
The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Schefflera plant, botanically known as Schefflera, of the family Araliaceae, and hereafter referred to as ‘Mato’.
The new Schefflera ‘Mato’ originated as a naturally induced whole plant mutation from an unnamed selection of Schefflera schizophylla. The new Schefflera was discovered and selected by the inventor in 2018 as a single plant in a controlled environment commercial greenhouse in Assendelft, the Netherlands.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar ‘Mato’ was first performed by vegetative cuttings beginning in 2018in Assendelft, the Netherlands. The new cultivar reproduces true to type by asexual methods.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Mato’, which in combination distinguish ‘Mato’ as a new and distinct Schefflera cultivar:
Plants of the new cultivar Schefflera schizophylla ‘Mato’ are similar to the parent variety in most horticultural characteristics. The new cultivar exhibits the following differences from the parent plant:
The new cultivar ‘Mato’ is comparable to plants of the species Schefflera actinophylla in many horticultural characteristics. The new cultivar, however, differs in the following:
The accompanying photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Schefflera cultivar ‘Mato’ 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 ‘Mato’.
‘MATO’ has not been tested and observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, frequency of fertilization, composition of fertilizer, flowering treatment, day length and humidity, without any change in the genotype of the plant. For example, substantial differences in plant height and diameter, number of leaves, can result depending on the size of the plant at the time that flowering is induced by flowering treatment. Since treatment to induce flowering disrupts normal watering and fertilization regimens, flowering treatment of relatively smaller plants adversely affects the growth of the plant.
The aforementioned photograph, together with the following observations, measurements and values describe the new Schefflera ‘Mato’ as grown in a greenhouse in Assendelft, The Netherlands, under conditions which closely approximate those generally used in commercial practice. Plants of ‘Mato’ were grown in a greenhouse with day temperatures ranging from 20° C. to 28° C. and night temperatures ranging from 18° C. to 23° C. No artificial lighting or photoperiodic treatments were conducted, but plants of ‘MATO’ are forced into flowering. The following fertilizer is added when growing plants of ‘MATO’: 1 part nitrogen, 0.6 parts phosphor, 2 parts Kalium and 0.1 parts magnesium.
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.
