Eryngium planum plant named Calypso

A distinct cultivar of Eryngium planum named Calypso, discovered growing in a bed of plants of the parent cultivar Fluela. Calypso distinguishes from its parent by its longer peduncles, it variegated leaves comprised of cream colored margins and internal stripes or specks, and by its asexual reproducability only by tissue culture. The flower color of Calypso is medium violet, similar to its parent.

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Eryngium 
planum, commonly called sea holly, known by the cultivar name Calypso. 
Calypso was discovered by the inventor Floris Vletter in Rijnsburg, the 
Netherlands on July 10, 1982 in a controlled environment. The new cultivar 
was discovered growing among plants of the parent cultivar Fluela, 
disclosed in the inventor's pending plant patent application. Calypso was 
particularly differentiated from its parent by its distinctly different 
rosette and stem leaves. As contrasted to the relatively dark green and 
glossy leaves of the parent, the leaves of Calypso are greyish green in 
base color and have formed on its leaf edges a relatively broad band or 
margin which is cream colored. The main greyish green portions of the 
leaves also have irregularly formed cream colored stripes or specks. 
The first act of asexual reproduction of Calypso was accomplished by means 
of tissue culture on Oct. 5, 1983 in a controlled environment in Twyford, 
Great Britain by a technician supervised by applicant. To date, tissue 
culture has been the only successful method of asexual reproduction. 
Horticultural examination of selected units, initiated on Aug. 10, 1987 
has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein 
disclosed for Calypso are firmly fixed and are retained through successive 
generations of asexual reproduction. 
Calypso has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. 
The phenotype may vary considerably with variations in environment such as 
temperature, light intensity and day length. The following observations, 
measurements and comparisons describe plants grown in Wageningen, the 
Netherlands under outside conditions which approximate those generally 
used in commercial practice. Color references are made to The Royal 
Horticultural Society Colour Chart.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be 
basic characteristics of Calypso, which in combination distinguish this 
Eryngium planum as a new and distinct cultivar: 
1. Variegated leaves, with both the rosette and stem leaves being greyish 
green in base color and having a cream colored margin, the non-marginal 
portions of the leaves additionally possessing irregularly formed cream 
colored specks or stripes. 
2. Medium violet flower color. 
3. Strong, relatively long peduncles that are somewhat spread to form a 
more rounded plant, with the peduncles having secondary and tertiary 
branches. 
4. Calypso differs from its parent Fluela by its long peduncles and 
variegated leaves. The flower color is virtually the same as Fluela. 
5. Calypso to date is asexually reproducible only by tissue culture. 
Plant: 
Form.--Relatively large. 
Size.--About 90 cm tall when mature. 
Growth habit.--Rosette is dense, and plant has large peduncles. 
Blooming habit.--Branching flower heads. 
Leaves: 
Size.--Rosette leaves about 11 cm long, slightly glossy, with petioles of 
about 14 cm. 
Color.--No precise color value exists. New leaves are lighter than 136B, 
maturing into a variegated leaf, the main body of which is 136B-C with a 
blue tinge on the margins, which are closest to 158B. 
Quantity.--Approximately 25. 
Shape.--Leaf almost elliptical, crenate, with leaf margin short pricked. 
Peduncle: 
Size.--From 45 cm upwards, branching out laterally, and formed with 
secondary and tertiary branches. 
Color.--The main stem silvery green grey with a light purple-blue tinge 
increasing in intensity towards the top; lateral branches light 
purple-blue, about R.H.S. 86 B-C. 
Stem leaves.--Stem leaves sessile, leaf blades at the base of the peduncle 
similar to those of the rosette leaves, upwards along the peduncle with 
deeper incisions and then palmately parted and pricked; color being 
greyish green in base similar to those of the rosette leaves. 
Flowers: 
Size.--Medium. Each flower is approximately 1.9 centimeters tall, with a 
width of 1.6 centimeters. 
Form.--Almost ellipsoid; involucral leaves long and narrow, about R.H.S. 90 
B-C. 
Number.--The number of flowers depends on the root, varying from 40 to 80 
flowers for each plant. 
Color.--Upper surface: Petals and filaments violet, approximately 86 B-C. 
Propagation: The new cultivar is reproduced through successive breeding 
generations by tissue cultivar.