Patent Publication Number: US-PP20357-P2

Title: Anigozanthos hybrid plant named ‘Ramboblitz’

Description:
Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed:  Anigozanthos  hybrid. 
   Variety denomination: ‘Ramboblitz’. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to a new and distinct perennial variety of  Anigozanthos  hybrid, which has been given the variety denomination of ‘Ramboblitz’. Its market class is that of an ornamental plant. ‘Ramboblitz’ is intended for use in landscaping and as a decorative plant. 
   The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program in Tuggerah, New South Wales, Australia during October 2003. The new  Anigozanthos  hybrid cultivar is the result of cross-pollination. The female (seed) parent of the new cultivar is the proprietary  Anigozanthos  hybrid breeding selection designated A02-1697, not patented, characterized by its orange-colored flowers, green-colored foliage, and dwarf growth habit. The male (pollen) parent of the new cultivar is the proprietary  Anigozanthos  hybrid breeding selection designated A02-1686, not patented, characterized by its orange-colored flowers, green-colored foliage, and compact, spreading growth habit. The new cultivar was discovered and selected as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the above stated cross-pollination during Mar. 2006 in a controlled environment at Tuggerah, New South Wales, Australia. 
   Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by in vitro propagation of micro-plants since Jun. 2006 at Tuggerah, New South Wales, Australia has demonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true to type with all of the characteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of such asexual propagation. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedly observed and can be used to distinguish ‘Ramboblitz’ as a new and distinct cultivar of  Anigozanthos  hybrid plant:
         1. Dark orange-colored flowers with a medium sized perianth tube;   2. Medium plant height with an upright growth habit; and   3. A long natural flowering season.       

   Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the possible  Anigozanthos  hybrid both the female and male parents primarily in having a greater number of infloresecences and a shorter inflorescence length. 
   Of the many commercially available  Anigozanthos  hybrid cultivars, the most similar in comparison to the new cultivar is ‘Bush Spark’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,328. However, in side by side comparisons, plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of ‘Bush Spark’ in at least the following characteristics:
         1. Plants of the new cultivar are taller than plants of ‘Bush Spark’; and   2. Plants of the new cultivar have a longer inflorescence length than plants of ‘Bush Spark’; and   3. Plants of the new cultivar have a darker orange overall flower color than plants of ‘Bush Spark’; and   4. Plants of the new cultivar have a weaker degree of perianth lobe reflexing than plants of ‘Bush Spark’.       

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS 
     The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typical flower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in the photographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed description, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Ramboblitz’. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a ‘Ramboblitz’ plant in a 30 cm pot grown for approximately 26 weeks in an outdoor environment showing tertiary branching of inflorescence. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a ‘Ramboblitz’ plant in a 20 cm pot grown for approximately 16 weeks in an outdoor environment showing large number of flowers. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a ‘Ramboblitz’ inflorescence detail. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates ‘Ramboblitz’ flowers within the inflorescence showing flower and hair detail. 
   

   DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION 
   The following is a detailed botanical description of a new and distinct variety of an  Anigozanthos  hybrid ornamental plant known as ‘Ramboblitz’. Plant observations were made on plants grown in Tuggerah, New South Wales, Australia. Unless indicated otherwise, the descriptions disclosed herein are based upon observations made from January 2008 of mature ‘Ramboblitz’ plants grown in nursery pots in greenhouse and outdoor growing areas with day temperature ranging from 25° C. to 27° C., night temperatures ranging from 6° C. to 8° C., and light levels ranging from 6 to 8 klux. Plants were grown for about 24 weeks with one plant per 20 cm container. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that certain characteristics will vary with older or, conversely, younger plants. ‘Ramboblitz’ 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 vary with variations in the environment such as season, temperature, light quality, light intensity, day length, cultural conditions and the like. Color notations are based on The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, 2007 edition.
     Botanical classification:  Anigozanthos  hybrid cultivar Ramboblitz.   Parentage:
             Female parent. —Proprietary  Anigozanthos  hybrid breeding selection designated A02-1697.     Male parent. —Proprietary  Anigozanthos  hybrid breeding selection designated A02-1686.       
       Propagation:
             Type. —In vitro propagation of micro-plants.     Time to initiate roots, summer. —About 7 to 10 days at temperatures of 25° C.     Time to initiate roots, winter. —About two weeks at temperatures of 15° C.     Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer. —About 45 to 60 days at temperatures of 25° C.     Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter. —About 55 to 70 days at temperatures of 15° C.     Root description. —Fibrous, freely branching and white in color.     Rooting habit. —Freely branching.       
       Plant description:
             Plant and growth habit. —Inverted triangle; compact, upright and outwardly spreading plant habit with tertiary branched flowering stems with predominately dark orange-colored flowers. Moderately vigorous growth habit.     Plant height. —Average plant height including the inflorescence is about 70 cm (range 60 to 80 cm). Average height of foliage only is 45 cm (range 40 to 50 cm).     Plant diameter. —Average plant spread of a mature plant grown in 30 cm nursery pots or field plots in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia is 55 cm (observed summer 2007 through 2008).     Lateral branch. —Quantity per plant: About 20. Strength: Strong. Diameter: About 2 cm. Length of central internode: Approximately 4 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 145B.       
       Foliage description:
             General description. —The leaf attitude is semi-erect and the degree of leaf curvature is straight to occasionally slightly curved. Arrangement: alternate equitant, simple; sessile.     Leaves. —Length: About 26 to 32 cm in a 30 cm pot. Width: About 11 to 14 mm in a 30 cm pot. Shape: Linear to slightly falcate. Apex: Acute. Base: Cauline. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; very weak glaucosity and pubescence on leaf margin is very sparse. Venation pattern: Parallel. Color of the upper and lower surfaces: 146A with indistinguishable venation.       
       Flower description:
             General description. —Flowers arranged singly on terminal and axillary racemes. Flowers with tubular perianth; zygomorphic. Terminal flowers are held upright and attitude of flowers gradually changes to a horizontal position proximally. The proximal flowers are the first to open and usually are the only flowers to express perianth lobe reflexure. Flowers not fragrant. Flowers persistent. Length of the lowest inflorescence branch including raceme: About 20 cm. Number of flowers per inflorescence: About 9 racemes per inflorescence, each with 16 to 18 flowers greater in length than 3 mm in a 30 cm pot (observed summer 2007 through 2008). Inflorescence height: About 70 cm. Inflorescence diameter: About 25 to 30 cm. Flower diameter: About 8 to 9 mm measured at the base of the lobes and about 2.5 cm across the lobes on an opened flower. Flower height: About 8 to 9 mm measured at the base of the lobes and about 16 to 18 mm across the lobes on an opened flower.     Natural flowering season. —‘Ramboblitz’ has a long flowering season under outdoor growing conditions with a peak from spring to summer.     Bud just before opening. —Shape: Tubular. Length: About 4.5 cm. Width: About 6 mm. Texture: Tomentose. Color: 146AD with dense pubescence colored 187B to 187C.     Perianth. —Arrangement: Fused elongated tube with six weakly reflexed acute lobes; split on lower surface. Appearance: Flare distally. Perianth tube length: 40 to 45 mm. Perianth tube diameter: About 8 to 9 mm measured at the base of the lobes. Lobe length: 10 to 13 mm. Lobe width: About 4 mm at base. Texture, outer surface of perianth tube: Tomentose. Texture, inner surface of perianth tube: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening and fully opened, outer surface of perianth tube: 187B to C. When opening and fully opened, inner surface of perianth tube: 146D. When fully opened, inner surface of perianth lobe 191B.     Floral bracts. —Length: Up to 17 cm at stem base and decreasing length to about 4 cm at base of raceme and then 10 to 12 mm for new flowers. Width: Up to 22 mm at stem base and decreasing width to about 6 mm at base of raceme and then 3 to 4 mm for new flowers. Shape: Ensiform tapering to a narrow conduplicate form at the apex. Apex: Narrow acute. Base: Clasping. Margin: Entire with pubescence color 187B. Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous. Texture, lower surface: Tomentose. Color, upper surface: 146A. Color, lower surface: 146A, anthocyanin coloration may be present.     Peduncle  ( flowering stems ).—Strength: Strong. Aspect: Upright to outwardly spreading. Length: About 65 to 75 cm. Diameter at base: About 8.0 mm. Texture: Tomentose. Color of surface: 146B with pubescence color 187B. Color of hairs at junction with floral bracts 187A to B.     Pedicels  ( individual flower stems ).—Length: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Angle: Distally appressed to flowering stems, then about 30° to 45° from flowering stems proximally with the largest, most mature flowers. Strength: Strong. Texture: Tomentose. Color: 146B. Pubescence color: 187B.     Reproductive organs. —Stamens: Quantity:6 per flower. Anther shape: Oblong. Anther size: About 1 mm by 2.5 mm. Anther color: 12A. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: 12A. Pistils: Quantity: One per flower. Pistil length: About 36 mm. The position of the stigma in relation to the anthers is level to slightly below. Style length: About 3.4 cm. Style color: 145A. Stigma shape: Rounded. Stigma color: 144A. Ovary color: 144A with dense pubescence covering colored 187B.       
       Seed and fruit production: Seed and fruit development have not been observed on plants of the new  Anigozanthos.      Environmental tolerances: ‘Ramboblitz’ plants have exhibited good tolerance to rain and wind and to tolerate temperatures from 1 to about 40° C. ‘Ramboblitz’ has moderate to good drought tolerance. ‘Ramboblitz’ has moderate to good recovery with watering after severe wilting. ‘Ramboblitz’ does well in sandy and gravelly soils.   Disease resistance: ‘Ramboblitz’ has been observed to be tolerant to alternaria and rust diseases compared to other  Anigozanthos  varieties.