<i>Ranunculus </i>plant named ‘ABTHUNOR’

Abstract

A new and distinct cultivar of Ranunculus plant named ABTHUNOR is disclosed, characterized by flowers colored light and medium pink, and a large corolla. Plants produce a high quantity of quality, large size flowers throughout the harvest season. The new variety is a Ranunculus, normally produced as a cut flower and potentially useful as an ornamental plant.

Claims

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Ranunculus plant named ABTHUNOR as herein illustrated and described.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

(1) The accompanying photograph in FIG. 1 illustrates a close-up of plant parts.

(2) FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of an individual flower.

(3) FIG. 3 illustrates illustrates in full color flowering plants of the new variety at approximately five months old, grown in a greenhouse. The photographs were taken using conventional techniques and although colors may appear different from actual colors due to light reflectance it is as accurate as possible by conventional photographic techniques.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

(4) In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart 6.sup.th edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observations and measurements describe 5-month-old ABTHUNOR plants grown in a greenhouse in Camporosso Mare, Italy. The plant described has been cultivated in the month of March. In order to protect the crop against pests, some chemical treatments are performed. Treatments with growth regulators can be performed to limit the plant sizes. In particular, no growth regulators have been applied on the plant described. The rhizome has been planted on raised benches in a peat and pumice substrate mixture. The growing temperature ranged from 12 C. to 24 C. during the day and from 0 C. to 6 C. during the night. General light conditions are bright, normal sunlight. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical plant types. Botanical classification: Ranunculus asiaticus ABTHUNOR. Propagation: Time to rooting.15 days at approximately 10-12 C. Time to produce a rooted plantlet.20 days. Root description.Tuberous root. Plant: Growth habit.Herbaceous perennial, robust plant, erect vegetation. Height to top flower.Average range 50 to 60 cm. Leaf height.Average range 40 to 50 cm. Plant spread.Average range 50 to 55 cm. Growth rate.Medium. Branching characteristics.Main floral stems grow from a basal rosette with one or two lateral branches, each of which has one or two flowers. Length of lateral branches.Average range 45 to 50 cm. Diameter of lateral branches.Average range 0.6 to 0.8 cm. Texture of lateral branches.Slightly tomentose. Internode length.Internodes are extremely close together, forming a basal rosette. Strength of lateral branches.Medium. Color of lateral branches.RHS Yellow Green 144A. Aspect/angle of branches.20 to 25. Number of leaves per lateral branch.Usually 2. Foliage: The plant has a marked heterophylly that means that in the same plant the leaves may have different size and arrangement (simple, ternate and biternate), in relation to the degree of development (young leaf and mature leaf) and their position on the plant (basal leafleaf at the base of the plantand cauline leafleaf inserted at the nodes of the floral stems). In other words, there are significant variation in leaf shape on a same plant. Leaf at the base of the plant.Arrangement: Young Leaf: Simple. Mature Leaf: Ternate. Average Length: 23 to 26 cm. Average Width: 14 to 18 cm. Overall Shape of blade: Young Leaf: Obovate. Mature Leaf: Palmatipartite. Dissected leaves, describe lobes, quantity of dissection: Young leaves are generally not lobed; mature leaves are generally divided in 3 lobes, each one of which further divided. Apex: Rounded. Base: Acute. Attachment: Base of the plant. Margin: Dentate. Texture of top surface: Slightly tomentose. Texture of bottom surface: Glabrous. Appearance of top surface: Matte. Appearance bottom surface: Matte. Leaf internode length: The internodes are extremely close together, forming a basal rosette. Color: Young foliage upper side: RHS Green 138A. Young foliage under side: RHS Green 138B. Mature foliage upper side: RHS Green 138A. Mature foliage under side: RHS Green 138B. Venation: Type: Palmate; plunging into the limb at the upper surface; raised on the limb at the lower surface. Venation color upper side: RHS Yellow-Green 144A. Venation color under side: RHS Yellow-Green 144A. Petiole: Appearance: Long, tubular. Length: Average range 12 to 15 cm. Diameter: Average range 0.3 to 0.6 cm. Pubescence: Slightly tomentose. Color: RHS Yellow-Green 144A. Leaf inserted at the nodes of the floral stems.Arrangement: Ternate. Average Length: 6 to 10 cm. Average Width: 3 to 8 cm. Overall Shape of blade: Palmatipartite. Dissected leaves, describe lobes, quantity of dissection: Generally simple or divided in 3 or 3 lobes, each of which is further divided in many lobes. Apex: Acute. Base: Acute. Attachment: Floral stems. Margin: Dentate. Texture of top surface: Slightly tomentose. Texture of bottom surface: Slightly tomentose. Appearance of top surface: Glossy. Appearance bottom surface: Glossy. Leaf internode length: Average range 3 to 15 cm. Color: Foliage upper side: RHS Green 137A. Foliage under side: RHS Green 138B. Venation: Type: Palmate, plunging into the limb at the upper surface and raised on the limb at the lower surface. Venation color upper side: RHS Green 138B. Venation color under side: RHS Green NN137A. Petiole: Appearance: Slightly flat. Length: Average range 2 to 3 cm. Diameter: Average range 0.2 to 0.5 cm. Pubescence: Slightly tomentose. Color: RHS Yellow-Green 144A. Flower: Quantity per plant.8 to 10. Bloom period.Winter to Spring. Vase Life (cut flower).20 to 25 days. Persistent or self-cleaning.Self-Cleaning. Bud.Closed bud: Shape: Flattened globular with a sharp point. Length: Average 2.0 to 2.5 cm. Diameter: Average 1.1 to 0.8 cm. Color: RHS Green 137B, Purple N79A at the margin. Slightly open bud: Shape: Flattened globular with a sharp point. Length: Average range 2.0 to 3.0 cm. Diameter: Average range 2.0 to 3.0 cm. Color: RHS Yellow-Green 150D. Flower.Diameter: Average 8 to 10 cm. Height: Average 4 to 5 cm. Corolla.Round, regular, in the form of a flat section. Petals.Arrangement: Imbricated, disposed on the receptacle in very tight verticils. The size of the petals is quite variable, according to the position in the corolla, decreasing from the exterior toward the center. Lobe Length: Average range 5 to 6 cm. Lobe Width: Average range 3 to 5 cm. Quantity: Double flower, petals are very numerous (>100). Texture: Silky, thin. Lobe Apex: Rounded. Lobe shape: Obovate. Margin: Entire, finely crenate. Aspect: Triangular, obovate, concave. Color when opening: Upper surface: RHS Pink 49D, Pink 49C at the margin. Lower surface: RHS Pink 49D, Pink 49C at the margin. Color Fully opened: Upper surface: RHS Pink 49C. Lower surface: RHS Pink 49C. Calyx/sepals.Quantity per flower: 5 or 6. Shape: Concave. Length: Average range 3 to 4 cm. Width: Average range 1.0 to 2.0 cm. Apex: Rounded. Base: Flat. Margin: Entire. Texture: Lower surface: Glabrous. Upper surface: Tomentose. Color: Upper Surface: RHS Yellow-Green 146D. Lower Surface: RHS Green 137B, Red-Purple N79A at the margin. Peduncle.None. Pedicel.Length: Average range 45 to 55 cm. Diameter: Average range 0.9 to 1.1 cm. Color: RHS Yellow-Green 144A. Orientation: Upright. Pubescence: Slightly tomentose. Fragrance.None. Reproductive organs: Androecium.Stamens: Present, with a short white filament. Anther shape: Longer than wide. Anther length: Average 0.3 to 0.5 cm. Anther color: RHS Yellow 7A; Red-Purple N79A at the margin. Gynoecium.The pistils are numerous, short, locked together at the center of the corolla, dome-shaped apocarpous gynoecium. Pistil color: RHS Red-Purple N79D. Nectar glands: Absent. Other characteristics: Disease resistance.Neither resistance nor susceptibility to normal diseases and pests of Ranunculus observed. Drought tolerance and cold tolerance.No differences have been noted in comparison to the common tolerance characteristics to other Ranunculus cultivars. Fruit/seed production.Not observed.