<i>Oncidium 21st scentury </i>‘Hula Girl’

Abstract

A new variety of orchid plant of the genus Oncidium, named Oncidium 21.sup.st Scentury ‘Hula Girl’, distinguished particularly by flowers of a clean and striking color of compact size that are highly fragrant, that are arranged pleasingly on a raceme and growing quickly to sexual maturity.

Claims

1. A new and distinct variety of orchid plant named Oncidium 21.sup.st Scentury ‘Hula Girl’ substantially as illustrated and described herein.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The drawings show the colors of the new variety as nearly true as possible with an illustration of this type. In the drawings:

(2) The drawing on the first sheet, labeled FIG. 1, is a single inflorescence of Oncidium 21.sup.st Scentury ‘Hula Girl’ to illustrate overall inflorescence characteristics typical of this new cultivar.

(3) The drawing on the second sheet, labeled FIG. 2, is a single flower of Oncidium 21.sup.st Scentury ‘Hula Girl’ to illustrate shape and color.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

(4) All color references are measured against the Pantone® Color System. Colors and numerical measurements are approximate, as plant growth and development depend on environmental conditions and cultural practices such as: light levels, temperature, water quality, fertilization formula and rate, among others, without any variance in genotype.

(5) Plants used for this description are 24 months old in vivo and grown in 3.25 inch square, black plastic pots, grown in a poly-film covered greenhouse in Mountain View, Hi.

(6) Day temperatures range from 75-85° F. and night temperatures range from 55-65° F. Light levels are approximately 2500 foot candles. This information reflects the annual variations for the area. Botanical classification: Oncidium 21.sup.st Scentury ‘Hula Girl’. Parentage.—Seedling selected from the cross of the following. Seed parent.—An unnamed cultivar of Oncidium Aka Baby. Pollen parent.—An unnamed cultivar of Oncidium Pagans Scent. The designations above list the Genus and grex for both parents. Propagation: Type.—Asexual propagation by aseptic tissue culture through Axillary shoot. Time to initiate and elongate roots in-vivo.—Approximately 90 days. Time to produce fully rooted young plant.—Approximately 250 days. Root description: Velamen covered roots, approximately 0.2 cm in diameter, and white in color with yellow/green growing tip. The exact shades of white and yellow/green vary greatly with minimal changes to environmental conditions. Plant description: Under optimal growing conditions, plants of the new cultivar attain a mature size of about 35 cm (top of leaf plane) and 6 cm wide (width of largest psuedobulb). Foliage description: Arrangement.—Sympodial growth habit. Quantity of leaves per growth.—Each sympodial growth has shown six leaves, two on the apex of the psuedobulb and four from the axis at the base. Leaf length.—Leaves measure up to 35 cm in length. Leaf width.—The width of the largest leaf measures 5 cm. Leaf shape.—The shape is lanceolate acuminate from base to tip, texture and substance is slightly undulate and somewhat coriaceous throughout. Leaf apex (observed).—The apex measures approximately 35 cm. Psuedobulb shape.—The psuedobulb shape is a laterally compressed ovoid. Psuedobulb length.—The pseudobulb is approximately 6-10 cm long. Psuedobulb width.—The pseudobulb is approximately 6 cm wide and 3 cm thick. Foliage color.—Under the described growing conditions, the foliage color on both sides of the leaves is similar to Pantone® 7483C (green). There is no vein color distinction. The psuedobulb color is similar to Pantone® 378C (green). Flower/inflorescence description: Description.—Upright or arching raceme similar in color to Pantone® 378C (green) approximately 0.3-0.5 cm in diameter, coriaceous, branching, approx. 50.0 cm long on a first bloom plant with 80 flowers. Each internode is coriaceous in texture, carrying 4-6 flowers spaced 2.0-3.0 cm apart and varying between 6.0-9.0 cm in length. Buds are ovoid, 0.6-0.8 cm in diameter and 4.0-6.0 cm in length. Bud coloration is unique to each individual flower, displaying different hues as the bud matures. As such, selecting an individual color from a color chart would be both difficult and misleading. Pedicels are coriaceous in texture, approximately 0.1 cm in diameter and 0.4 cm in length. Flowers begin approximately ¼ of the way up the raceme and are spaced 2.0-3.0 cm apart. The size of the inflorescence is appropriate to the overall size of the plant and typical pot size of the cultivar. Dimensions.—Flower dimensions are: natural horizontal spread is 3.2 cm; natural vertical spread is 4.7 cm; dorsal sepal width 0.7 cm; dorsal sepal length 1.7 cm; petal width 0.6 cm; petal length 1.4 cm; lateral sepal width 0.6 cm; lateral sepal length 1.7 cm; labellum width 1.5 cm; labellum length 1.7 cm. Coloration.—The dominant flower color that appears on the sepals and petals is a burgundy, similar to Pantone® 188C. The sepals and petals are burgundy basally; similar to Pantone® 188C. The sepals and petals are tipped cream, similar to Pantone® 7499C. The upper two-thirds of the labellum is soft pink; similar to Pantone® 204C. The mid-lobes are soft pink; similar to Pantone® 204C. The lower third of the labellum is white; similar to Pantone® 000C. The callus is soft pink; similar to Pantone® 204C. The anther cap is cream; similar to Pantone® 7499C. The base color of the column is burgundy; similar to Pantone® 188C. The pollinia are completely concealed by the anther cap. If this is removed, the pollinia may be extracted. The pollinia are deep yellow; similar to Pantone® 143C, but range in shades of yellow as the flower ages. Quantity of flowers & time to flower: Flower longevity.—Flowers can last longer than 4 weeks on the plant with good environmental conditions. A first bloom plant will produce about 80 flowers depending on environmental conditions. Time to flower.—From fully rooted tissue culture plants is approximately 18 months. Natural flowering season.—This plant has appeared to be free flowering. Fragrance.—An intense, sweet, pleasant fragrance is noted. Reproductive organs.—The Stamens, style and stigmas are fused into a short structure called the column, possessing one terminal anther with pollen grains fused to form pollinia, which are covered by an anther cap. The stigma is located under the column behind the pollinia. The ovary is inferior, with three carpels being present. Column.—The column is erect with rectangular wings on either side of the stigma, 0.1 cm wide by 0.5 cm long. Pollinia.—Two oval masses of pollen are present, about 0.15 cm in diameter and 0.15 cm long. Stigma.—The stigma is concave, round, very glossy and sticky. Ovary.—The ovary is about 1.0 cm long by 0.2 cm wide. Seed.—Seed production has not been observed. Disease & pest resistance: Resistance or susceptibility to known pathogens and pests of Oncidium have not been observed on plants grown under commercial production conditions. Hardiness zone: The type plant of Oncidium 21.sup.st Scentury ‘Hula Girl’ was commercially grown in Mountain View, Hi.—USDA Hardiness Zone 11. Data from other plants of Oncidium 21.sup.st Scentury ‘Hula Girl’ in other USDA Hardiness zones is currently unavailable. General observations: Plants of Oncidium 21.sup.st Scentury ‘Hula Girl’ produce a pleasing arrangement of small sized, tri-colored, star shaped flowers with clean, striking colors on a branching raceme that is desirable in proportion for the size of the plant. The flowers are long lasting and pleasantly fragrant. The plant grows quickly to sexual maturity.