Patent Publication Number: US-PP28948-P2

Title: Aloe plant named ‘AMIAL1614’

Description:
Latin name of the genus and species: The Latin name of the genus and species of the novel variety disclosed herein is  Aloe aristata.    
     Variety denomination: The inventive variety of  Aloe  disclosed herein has been given the variety denomination ‘AMIAL1614’. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Parentage: ‘AMIAL1614’ is a seedling selection resulting from the self-pollination of the species,  Echeveria agavoides  (unnamed unpatented plant). The crossing was made by the inventor in the autumn of 2011 at a commercial greenhouse in Heerhugowaard, the Netherlands. Seed from said cross was harvested, then germinated, and the resulting seedlings were then grown to a mature size. In summer of 2013, ‘AMIAL1614’ was selected for commercialization due to its unique foliage characteristics and growth habit. 
     Asexual Reproduction: Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar ‘AMIAL1614’, by way of rooting leaf cuttings, was first initiated in the summer of 2015 at the inventor&#39;s commercial greenhouse in Heerhugowaard, the Netherlands. The claimed plant has since been asexually propagated by way of meristematic tissue culture propagation. Through three subsequent generations, the unique features of this cultivar have proven to be stable and true to type. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The cultivar ‘AMIAL1614’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, day length, and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype. The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘AMIAL1614’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘AMIAL1614’ as a new and distinct  Aloe aristata  cultivar:
         1. ‘AMIAL1614’ exhibits erect foliage arranged in a basal rosette; and   2. ‘AMIAL1614’ exhibits dark green foliage which is densely covered with large, prominent papillae on both the adaxial and abaxial surfaces, and large prominent spines along the margins; and   3. ‘AMIAL1614’ exhibits large papillae which are colored white, and occasionally bearing spines; and   4. ‘AMIAL1614’ exhibits papillae on the abaxial leaf surface which are arranged in distinct transverse rows.       

    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         FIG. 1  illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color photographs of this type, an exemplary plant of ‘AMIAL1614’ grown in a commercial greenhouse in Heerhugowaard, the Netherlands. This plant is approximately 9 months old, shown planted in a 12 cm container. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color photographs of this type, the typical foliage arrangement of ‘AMIAL1614’. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color photographs of this type, the adaxial surface of the mature foliage ‘AMIAL1614’. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color photographs of this type, the abaxial surface of the mature foliage ‘AMIAL1614’. 
     
    
    
     BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT 
     The following observations and measurements made in October of 2016 describe averages from a sample set of six specimens of 9 months old ‘AMIAL1614’ plants grown in 11 cm nursery containers at commercial greenhouse in Heerhugowaard, The Netherlands. Plants were produced using conventional greenhouse production protocols for  Aloe  which consisted of minimal irrigation and fertilizer applications, and chemical pest and disease control measures against mealy bug and  Botrytis  as required. Plants were grown under approximately 50 percent shade and no photoperiodic treatments or artificial light was given to the plants. 
     Those skilled in the art will appreciate that certain characteristics will vary with older or, conversely, with younger plants. ‘AMIAL1614’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. Where dimensions, sizes, colors and other characteristics are given, it is to be understood that such characteristics are approximations or averages set forth as accurately as practicable. The phenotype of the variety may differ from the descriptions set forth herein with variations in environmental, climatic and cultural conditions. Color notations are based on  The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart , The Royal Horticultural Society, London, 2015 (sixth edition). 
     A botanical description of ‘AMIAL1614’ and a comparison with the parent and closest known comparator is provided below.
     Plant description:
             Growth habit .—Succulent perennial with foliage growing in a non-branched basal rosette.     Plant shape .—Globular to flattened globular.     Height from soil level to top of foliar plane.— 11.5 cm.     Plant spread .—Average of 15.3 cm.     Growth rate .—Low to moderate.     Plant vigor .—Low to moderate.     Propagation .—Type — Leaf cuttings and meristematic tissue culture. Time to initiate rooting — Approximately 28 to 35 days at 18 degrees Celsius. Crop time — Approximately 18 to 22 weeks to produce a marketable plant in a 7 cm container.     Disease and pest resistance or susceptibility .—Neither resistance nor susceptibility to typical  Aloe aristata  pests and diseases has been observed.     Environmental tolerances .—Adapt to, at least, USDA Zones 10 to 12 and temperatures as high as 40 degrees Celsius; low tolerance to rain; high tolerance to wind.       
       Root system:
             General .—Fine, well-branched fibrous roots.       
       Stems:
             Branching habit .—Leaves in a non-branching basal rosettes; no main branches or lateral branches present.       
       Foliage:
             Arrangement .—Rosette.     Division .—Simple.     Attachment .—Sessile.     Quantity .—Approximately 120 leaves per rosette.     Shape .—Thick, succulent leaves which are narrow triangular to narrow ovate.     Dimensions.— 6.8 cm long, 2.6 cm wide, and 0.9 cm thick, on average.     Aspect .—Flat to very slightly concaved.     Attitude .—Erect.     Apex .—Narrow acute with a caudate tip.     Base .—Broad cuneate.     Margin .—Dentate; not undulated or lobed.     Texture, adaxial surface .—Glabrous and moderately covered with large orbicular papillae, each approximately 1.5 mm high and 1.5 mm in diameter; papilla occasionally bearing spines.     Texture, abaxial surface .—Glabrous and covered with large oblong papillae, more or less arranged in transverse rows; each papilla approximately 2.0 mm high and 1.5 mm in diameter; papilla occasionally bearing spines.     Luster, adaxial surface .—Slightly glossy.     Luster, abaxial surface .—Slightly glossy.     Color .—Juvenile foliage, adaxial surface — Green, nearest to RHS NN137A, and fading to yellow-green towards the base, nearest to RHS 144C; papillae are colored in between white, RHS N155A, and green-white, in between RHS 157C and 157D. Juvenile foliage, abaxial surface — Green, nearest to RHS 141A, and fading to yellow-green towards the base, nearest to RHS 144C; papillae are colored white, nearest to RHS N155A. Mature foliage, adaxial surface — Green, nearest to RHS NN137A, and lightly suffused with greyed-green, nearest to RHS 189A; suffused with a darker shade of greyed-green towards the base, in between RHS 194A and 194B; papillae are colored in between white, RHS N155A, and green-white, in between RHS 157C and 157D. Mature foliage, abaxial surface — In between green, RHS NN137A, and yellow-green, RHS 147A; fading lighter towards the base, nearest to RHS 143B, and greyed-green at the base, in between RHS 193C and 193D; outermost tip of the apex is greyed-red, in between RHS 180C and 180D; papillae are colored white, nearest to RHS N155A.     Venation .—No venation is visible.     Petiole .—No petiole; leaves are sessile.       
       Inflorescence: No flowering has been observed to date.   

     COMPARISONS WITH THE PARENT PLANT 
     Plants of the new cultivar ‘AMIAL1614’ differ from the parent, unnamed plant of  Aloe aristata , in the following characteristics described in Table 1 below. 
     
       
         
           
               
               
               
             
               
                 TABLE 1 
               
               
                   
               
               
                   
                   
                 unnamed plant of 
               
               
                 Characteristic 
                 ‘AMIAL1614’ 
                 
                   Aloe aristata 
                 
               
               
                   
               
             
            
               
                 Leaf thickness. 
                 Thicker and more robust 
                 Thinner and less 
               
               
                   
                 than the parent. 
                 robust than 
               
               
                   
                   
                 ‘AMIAL1614’. 
               
               
                 Leaf papillae. 
                 Large, prominent papilla that 
                 Papillae are less 
               
               
                   
                 are white in color; 
                 prominent. 
               
               
                   
                 occasionally bearing spines; 
                   
               
               
                   
                 arranged in transverse rows 
                   
               
               
                   
                 on the abaxial leaf surface. 
                   
               
               
                 Leaf width. 
                 Approximately 2 times wider 
                 Narrow, giving the  
               
               
                   
                 than the parent, giving the 
                 leaves a long and 
               
               
                   
                 leaves a short appearance. 
                 slender appearance. 
               
               
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
     COMPARISONS WITH THE CLOSEST KNOWN COMPARATOR 
     Plants of the new cultivar ‘AMIAL1614’ differ from the commercial variety,  Aloe  ‘Green Pearl’ (not patented in the United States; European Union CPVO grant EU37467), in the following characteristics described in Table 2 below. 
     
       
         
           
               
               
               
             
               
                 TABLE 2 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 Characteristic 
                 ‘AMIAL1614’ 
                 ‘Green Pearl’ 
               
               
                   
               
             
            
               
                 Leaf width. 
                 Approximately 1.5 times 
                 Narrower than 
               
               
                   
                 wider than ‘Green Pearl’. 
                 ‘AMIAL1614’. 
               
               
                 Leaf thickness. 
                 Thicker and more robust 
                 Thinner and less robust 
               
               
                   
                 than ‘Green Pearl’. 
                 than ‘AMIAL1614’. 
               
               
                 General 
                 Dark green. 
                 Green to yellow green and 
               
               
                 coloration of 
                   
                 suffused with greyed-green. 
               
               
                 mature foliage. 
                   
                   
               
               
                 Leaf papillae. 
                 Large, prominent papilla 
                 Papillae are smaller, less 
               
               
                   
                 that are white in color 
                 prominent, green-white in 
               
               
                   
                 and bearing spines in 
                 color, and occur randomly 
               
               
                   
                 a distinct longitudinal 
                 on the abaxial surface; none 
               
               
                   
                 row along the midrib 
                 of the papilla bearing 
               
               
                   
                 of the abaxial surface; 
                 spines. 
               
               
                   
                 papilla are arranged 
                   
               
               
                   
                 in transverse rows on 
                   
               
               
                   
                 the abaxial leaf surface.