<i>Vriesea </i>‘happyyellow’

Abstract

A new and distinct Vriesea plant named HAPPYYELLOW characterized as a funnel-form rosette plant, measuring about 25 cm in height (above the pot when flowering) and 35 cm in diameter; bipinnate spike inflorescence, measuring about 40 cm in height and about 25 cm in diameter, and yellow (closest to RHS 7A) in color; and linear-lanceolate foliage, measuring about 25 cm in length and about 2.5 cm to 3.5 cm in width, and green (RHS 137A) in color.

Claims

1. A Vriesea plant named HAPPYYELLOW representative seed having been deposited at the NCIMB in Aberdeen, Scotland having accession number NCIMB 43443.

2. A Vriesea seed that produces the plant of claim 1.

3. A plant part obtained from the Vriesea plant of claim 1.

4. A method of producing a Vriesea progeny plant comprising the steps of (a) crossing Vriesea HAPPYYELLOW, representative seed having been deposited at the NCIMB in Aberdeen, Scotland having accession number NCIMB 43443, as a female or male parent with another Vriesea plant, and (b) selecting progeny.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the second Vriesea plant is HAPPYYELLOW.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

(1) The patent or application file contains at least one drawing executed in color. Copies of this patent or patent application publication with color drawings will be provided by the Office upon request and payment of the necessary fees.

(2) The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Vriesea hybrid HAPPYYELLOW 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 values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describes the color of HAPPYYELLOW.

(3) FIG. 1 shows a side view perspective of a typical potted, flowering plant of HAPPYYELLOW, at 11 months of age from potting size.

(4) FIG. 2 shows a close-up side view perspective of the inflorescence and top bracts produced by a typical potted, flowering plant of HAPPYYELLOW, at 11 months of age from potting size.

(5) The present invention was created by the inventors, Elly Bak and Nicolaas D. M. Steur in 2010, and flowered for the first time in 2015 in Assendelft, The Netherlands.

(6) This invention is directed to Vriesea plant having all the morphological and physiological characteristics of the hybrid HAPPYYELLOW produced from seeds which are the product of the cross of the unnamed Vriesea selection identified by code 870612 (unpatented) as the female or seed parent with the unnamed Vriesea selection identified by code 1003092 (unpatented) as the male or pollen parent. Both parents have a sufficient degree of homozygosity such that the progeny of the cross were, and continue to be, phenotypically uniform. The new hybrid HAPPYYELLOW can therefore be produced by sexual reproduction by crossing of the inbred selections identified by the codes 870612 and 1003092 to produce a population of progeny plants, each of which has the combination of characteristics herein disclosed for the new hybrid HAPPYYELLOW.

(7) The new hybrid HAPPYYELLOW can also be produced by asexually reproducing progeny from the cross of the parental inbred lines identified by the codes 870612 and 1003092. Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by vegetative means by cuttings was first performed in 2015, in Assendelft, The Netherlands. The first HAPPYYELLOW plants propagated through the use of such cuttings flowered in 2016, in Assendelft, The Netherlands, and have demonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true-to-type and that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for the new cultivar are firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(8) The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be unique characteristics of HAPPYYELLOW which in combination distinguish this Vriesea as a new and distinct cultivar: 1. Funnel-form rosette plant, measuring about 60 cm in height (above the pot when flowering) and 35 cm in diameter; 2. Panicle inflorescence, measuring about 40 cm in height and about 16 cm in diameter, and yellow (closest to RHS 7A) in color; 3. Linear-lanceolate foliage, measuring about 25 cm in length and about 2.5 cm to 3.5 cm in width, and green (RHS 137A) in color.

(9) Of the many commercial plants known to the present inventors, the most similar in comparison to the new Vriesea hybrid HAPPYYELLOW is the Vriesea species delicatula (unpatented). Plants of the new hybrid HAPPYYELLOW differ from plants of V. delicatula primarily in size, with the new variety producing a larger plant. Furthermore, plants of HAPPYYELLOW produce inflorescences which have yellow floral bracts, whereas plants of Vriesea delicatula produce inflorescences with yellow-green bracts.

(10) HAPPYYELLOW 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.

(11) 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. Since treatment to induce flowering disrupts normal watering and fertilization regimens, flowering treatment of relatively smaller plants adversely affects the growth of the plant.

(12) The aforementioned photographs, together with the following observations, measurements and values describe the new Vriesea HAPPYYELLOW as grown in a greenhouse in Assendelft, The Netherlands, under conditions which closely approximate those generally used in commercial practice. Plants of HAPPYYELLOW 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 HAPPYYELLOW are forced into flowering. The following fertilizer is added when growing plants of HAPPYYELLOW: 1 part nitrogen, 0.6 parts phosphor, 2 parts Kalium and 0.1 parts magnesium.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

(13) Color references are made to the Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (RHS), 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 HAPPYYELLOW described is about 11 months from potting size.

(14) Classification: Botanical: Vriesea sp.

(15) Parentage: Female or Seed Parent: Vriesea selection designated 870612 (unpatented) Male or Pollen Parent: Vriesea selection designated 1003092 (unpatented)

(16) Plant: General Appearance and Form: Height: About 60 cm (when flowering) Width: About 35 cm Shape: Funnel form rosette Growth habit: Stemless Plant Vigor: Good Flowering Season: A fully grown plant can flower year round, starting 11 weeks after induction of natural light or through flowering treatment. Duration of Bloom: Each flower blooms one (1) day and the total blooming of the whole inflorescence is about five (5) weeks. Cold Tolerance: Frost tender. Temperatures below 5 C. may damage plants. Fragrance: None

(17) Foliage: Quantity: About 25 (depending on size of the plant) Size of Mature Leaf: Length: About 25 cm Width: About 2.5 cm to 3.5 cm Overall Shape: Linear, lanceolate Apex Shape: acuminate Base Shape: Strap-like around central axis Margin: Entire Texture: Smooth Orientation: Leaf blades arch continuously from base. Color: Leaf color can vary somewhat depending on growing conditions Mature and Immature: Upper surfaces: Green, RHS 137A Under surfaces: Green, RHS 137B Venation: None Pattern: None

(18) Inflorescence: Quantity and Form: 1 flower per floral bract, typical for the genus Vriesea; flowering is normally in progression from base to tip of scape. Borne: Erect Shape: Bipinnate spike (main spike about 20 cm in length and about 6 cm in width, side spike about 16 cm in length and about 3 cm in width) Size: Height: About 40 cm Diameter: About 2 cm to 3 cm Color: Yellow, RHS 7A, space color Red, closest tom RHS 53B Corolla: Form: Long and narrow, petals and sepals fused at the base around the ovary Number: About 45 depending on the size of plant Petals: Number: 3 per flower Length: About 4 cm Width: About 0.6 cm Overall Shape: Ligulate Apex Shape: Ovate Base Shape: Fused Color: Upper surface: Yellow, RHS 8A Under surface: Yellow, RHS 8A Sepals: Number: 3 per flower Length: About 3 cm Width: About 0.8 cm Overall Shape: Ligulate Apex Shape: Acute Base Shape: Fused Color: Yellow, closest to RHS 8D
Branches: Quantity: about 9 (depending on the size of the plant) Length: About 16 cm Width: About 3 cm Color: Yellow, closest to RHS 7A

(19) Bracts: Quantity of bracts on the main spike: About 8 Arrangement: Alternate Size: Length: About 4.0 cm Width: About 0.8 cm Overall shape: Ovate, folded around the petals Primary bract color: Red with green tip,

(20) Scape bract color: Red, RHS 53B

(21) Reproductive Organs:

(22) Androecium:

(23) Stamen: Number: 6 per flower Length: About 3.5 cm Diameter: About 0.1 cm Color: Yellow, closest RHS 4D

(24) Anther: Length: About 0.5 cm Color: Green, (too small to distinguish RHS value)

(25) Pollen: Amount: too small to count Color: Yellow, (too small to distinguish RHS value)
Gynoecium:

(26) Pistil: Number: 1 per flower Length: About 5.3 cm

(27) Stigma: Shape: 3-parted Width: About 0.2 cm Color: Green, RHS 145C

(28) Style: Length: About 4.4 cm Color: Yellow, RHS 8D

(29) Ovary: Shape: Conical Length: About 0.5 cm Diameter: About 0.2 cm Color: Yellow-Green, RHS 150D

(30) SEEDS/FRUIT: Not Observed

(31) DISEASE/PEST RESISTANCE AND SUSCEPTIBILITY: Neither resistance nor susceptibility to normal diseases and pets of Vriesea have been observed.