<i>Dionaea </i>plant ‘FLEXX’

Abstract

A new and distinct Dionea cultivar named FLEXX characterized by its small plant size, measuring about 3 to 10 cm high at maturity. Plants are well-filled in and full, producing a large quantity of long-lasting traps having a unique red-purple interior color.

Claims

1. A Dionaea plant named FLEXX, representative seed having been deposited at the NCIMB in Aberdeen, Scotland NCIMB accession number 43424.

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

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

4. A method of producing Dionaea progeny plant comprising the steps of (a) crossing Dionaea FLEXX, wherein a representative sample of seed of Dionaea FLEXX has been deposited under NCIMB accession number 43424, produced from seed as a female or male parent with another Dionaea plant, and (b) selecting progeny.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the second Dionaea plant is FLEXX, wherein a representative sample of seed of said Dionaea FLEXX has been deposited under NCIMB accession number 43424.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(1) The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be unique characteristics of FLEXX which in combination distinguish this Dionaea as a new and distinct cultivar:

(2) 1. Well filled in, full plant growth habit

(3) 2. Small rosette plant, measuring about 3 to 10 cm in height (above the pot at maturity);

(4) 3. Mature trap lobes have unique red-purple interior color.

(5) 4. Well-suited for smaller pot sizes

(6) 5. Long-lasting habit.

(7) The new Dionaea FLEXX can be compared to the unpatented commercial variety Dionaea Big Mouth. Plants of the new cultivar FLEXX are similar to plants of Dionaea a Big Mouth in most horticultural characteristics, however the varieties differ in the following:

(8) 1. Dionaea Big Mouth has shorter petioles

(9) 2. Interior surface color of trap lobes of this comparator is a different shade of red

(10) 3. This comparator's exterior surface color of trap lobes is yellow.

(11) The new Dionaea FLEXX can also be compared to the unpatented commercial variety Dionaea Red Green. Plants of the new cultivar FLEXX differ from plants of Dionaea Red Green in the following characteristics:

(12) 1. Dionaea Red Green has longer petioles.

(13) 2. Dionaea Red Green has smaller sized traps

(14) 3. Dionaea Red Green is a less vigorous plant

(15) FLEXX 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.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

(16) 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.

(17) The accompanying photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Dionaea cultivar FLEXX 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 FLEXX.

(18) The accompanying drawing shows an overhead view perspective of a typical potted plant of FLEXX, at approximately 9 months of age from potting size.

Detailed Botanical Description

(19) The present invention was created by the inventors, Elly Bak and Nicolaas D. M. Steur in 2014 and flowered for the first time in 2015 in Assendelft, The Netherlands.

(20) This invention is directed to Dionaea plant having all the morphological and physiological characteristics of the cultivar FLEXX produced from seeds which are the product of the cross of the proprietary parental selections of Dionaea muscipula Both parents have a sufficient degree of homozygosity such that the progeny of the cross were, and continue to be, phenotypically uniform. The new cultivar FLEXX can therefore be produced by sexual reproduction by crossing of the parental Dionaea muscipula selections to produce a population of progeny plants, each of which has the combination of characteristics herein disclosed for the new cultivar FLEXX.

(21) The new cultivar FLEXX can also be produced by asexually reproducing progeny from the cross of the parental selections. Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by vegetative means by cuttings was first performed in 2016 in Assendelft, The Netherlands. The first FLEXX plants propagated through the use of leaf cuttings flowered in 2017 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.

(22) The aforementioned photograph, together with the following observations, measurements and values describe the new Dionaea muscipula FLEXX as grown in a greenhouse in Assendelft, The Netherlands, under conditions which closely approximate those generally used in commercial practice. Plants of FLEXX 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.

(23) Color references are made to the Royal Horticultural Society Color 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 FLEXX described is about 20 weeks of age.

(24) Classification

(25) Botanical: Dionaea muscipula.

(26) Plant

(27) General Appearance and Form: Tender herbaceous plant composed of ornamental traps. Height: Approx. 3 to 10 cm (above the soil line at maturity) Width: About 12 cm Shape: Rosette Growth habit: Upright and outwardly arching growth habit. Rosette leaves are erect when young, becoming outwardly arching with development. Plant Vigor: Good Flowering Season: A fully grown plant can flower year round, starting 10 weeks after induction of natural light or through flowering treatment. Cold Tolerance: Frost tender. Temperatures below 5 C. may damage plants. Fragrance: None observed.

(28) Foliage Arrangement: Rosette Size of leaf: length: Average 4.5 cm (without trap) width: Average range 0.5-2 cm (without trap) Shape of leaf: spatulate Color: Upperside: Near RHS Yellow-Green 144A Underside: Near RHS Yellow-Green 144A Quantity: Average 22
Petiole:

(29) Length: Approx. 1 mm

(30) Diameter: Approx. 1 mm

(31) Color: Near RHS Yellow-Green 144A

(32) Texture: Smooth

(33) Traps Size of trap: Length: About 2.5 cm from leaf attachment Width: About 1.5 cm closed. 2.5 to 3.0 cm open Shape of trap: Lobate Margin: Ciliate Color: Outside: Near RHS Yellow-Green 144A Inside: Background color near RHS Yellow-Green 144A, completely overlayed with Red-purple RHS 59B
Quantity: Average 22
Trigger hairs:

(34) Length: 2 mm

(35) Color: Orange-White, closest to RHS 159B

(36) Guard Hairs:

(37) Length: Average range 2 to 8 mm (largest occurring at trap mid-section)

(38) Color: Near RHS Yellow-Green 144D

(39) Digestive gland: Not visible.

(40) Nectar Gland: Not visible.

(41) Exterior trap vein color: Near RHS Yellow-Green 144A

(42) Interior trap vein color: Near RHS Greyed-Purple183B

(43) Flowers

(44) Quantity: 2 to 4

(45) Length of flowering stem: approx. 20 cm

(46) Color: Near RHS Yellow-Green 144A, base Red-Purple 59B

(47) Inflorescence type: Umbel composed of on average 8 flowers.

(48) Diameter of individual flower: Approx. 2.5 cm

(49) Color of flower: Near RHS White 155A

(50) Reproductive Organs:

(51) SEEDS/FRUIT: Fruit and seed production have not been observed on plants of Dionaea FLEXX.

(52) DISEASE/PEST RESISTANCE: Not observed to date.

(53) DISEASE/PEST SUSCEPTIBILITY: Not observed to date.