49. Volume 14- Number 1 - IP Australia

PLANT VARIETIES JOURNAL 2001 VOL 14 NO. 1
Ficus elastica
India Rubber Tree
‘Sylvie’
Application No: 1997/306 Accepted: 19 Nov 1997.
Applicant: Rene GMA Denis, Beervelde, Belgium.
Agent: Yates Botanicals Pty Limited, Tuggerah, NSW.
Characteristics (Figure 25) Plant: young plants erect with
woody upright main stem, typical Ficus elastica shape,
branching relatively rare. Leaf: elliptic to acuminate with
distinct mucronate tip 10 to 15mm long, size approx. 180 to
240cm long, 90 to 150cm wide, smooth margin, leaf surface
slightly undulating. Petiole: about 20 to 35mm long, colour
RHS 59A-B ageing to RHS 62B with a green tinge (RHS
62B to 73B), midrib very prominent, finer parallel veins
arising from midrib extending almost to the margin at about
15 degree. Leaf colour: variegated with green irregular
markings arising from the midrib covering approximately
50% of the leaf, margins of variegations very distinct; older
or mature leaves upper surface background colour RHS
158A (156B), variegations colour RHS 139A changing
with clear surroundings from greyed-green RHS 191A
(189A) to RHS 190A-B; younger leaves have same
markings which changes from RHS 191A (189A) to RHS
190A-B with background colour RHS 162D (160C); lower
surface has same colour RHS 162D (160C) as on the upper
surface, dark marking absent on the lower surface; upper
surface midrib initially colour ca. RHS 53B ageing to RHS
62B with a green tinge (62B to 73B); lower surface midrib
colour same as the upper surface midrib colour; opening
leaf has background colour RHS 180C. Terminal bud:
colour RHS 53B. (Note: the data in parenthesis is the RHS
colour as described in the original US Plant Patent. All RHS
colour chart number refers to 1995 edition.)
Origin and Breeding Spontaneous mutation: from Ficus
elastica ‘Belga’ in applicant’s property in Belgium in 1989.
The leaf colour of ‘Sylvie’ is white to light yellow, with
dark green variegation of varying dimension from the
midrib to both sides. The leaf colour can be compared with
the parent ‘Belga’, which is also white, but the amount of
white colour in ‘Sylvie’ is much larger compared to the
green, which results in a totally different looking plant.
Selection criteria: unique leaf colour. Propagation:
asexually by cuttings and tissue culture. Breeder: Rene
GMA Denis, Beervelde, Belgium.
Choice of Comparators The parental variety ‘Belga’ (US
Plant Patent 2220) is considered as the most similar variety
of common knowledge. ‘Sylvie’ is identical in leaf colour to
‘Belga’ except for area of variegation. However, where this
marking comprises 90 to 95% of the leaf surface of the
parent ‘Belga’, the marking of ‘Sylvie’ is restricted to
approximately 50% of the leaf surface. Thus, where the
white colour of ‘Belga’ is restricted to marginal variegation
of the leaf, the white colour of ‘Sylvie’ comprises a
dominating colour of the leaf.
Comparative Trial Description is based on US patent Plant
8,895, dated Sep 13, 1993. The detailed description
published herein was verified based on plants grown at
Yates Botanicals, Pacific Highway, Tuggerah, NSW
(33º 17′S, 151º 24′E, elevation 25m), spring-summer
1998-99, Conditions: fifteen plants grown in a fibreglass
covered greenhouse, plants propagated by tissue culture,
deflasked into cell trays and established plants transplanted
into 200mm pots filled with soilless potting mix (peat/pine
bark base), nutrition maintained with slow release and
liquid fertilisers, pest and disease treatments applied as
required.
Prior Applications and Sales
Country Year Current Status Name Applied
USA 1993 Granted ‘Sylvie’
Belgium 1994 Terminated ‘Sylvie’
EU 1995 Applied ‘Sylvie’
The Netherlands 1991 Terminated ‘Sylvie’
First sold in Australia in Mar 1997.
Description: Ross Worrall, NSW Agriculture, Gosford, NSW.
Hebe hybrid
Hebe
‘Southern Sunrise’
Application No. 1999/221 Accepted: 19 Oct 1999.
Applicant: Bryan E. Jackson, Dromana, VIC.
Characteristics (Table 25, Figure 20) Plant: evergreen
spreading shrub. Stem: glaucous, colour yellow green (RHS
144C) when young, density of foliage dense. Leaf: sessile,
glabrous, glossy, medium elliptic, apex obtuse, base
attenuate, margin entire, colour yellow green (RHS 147A)
on upper side and (RHS 147B) on lower side. Inflorescence:
raceme, flowers in clusters developing from basal end first.
Flower: number of sepals four, colour green, number of
petals four colour red purple, white at base of raceme. Petal:
colour at dehiscence red purple (RHS 65A-B). Stamen:
number two, filament colour pale red purple, anther colour
dark red purple. Ovary: inferior, style colour dark red
purple, stigma dark red purple. (Note: all RHS numbers
referred to were based on the 1986 edition.)
Origin and Breeding Open pollination followed by
seedling selection: ‘Southern Sunrise’ was originated from
an open-pollination between Hebe ‘Oratia Beauty’ and
‘Wiri Joy’ at applicant’s nursery. Selection criteria: from
this open-pollination a seedling was chosen on the basis of
flower colour, prolific flowering, and glossy foliage.
Propagation: a number of mature stock plants were
generated from the original seedling by cuttings through
several generations to confirm uniformity and stability.
‘Southern Sunrise’ will be commercially propagated by
cuttings. Breeder: Stephen Membery, Frankston, VIC.
Choice of Comparators Both parents, ‘Oratia Beauty’ and
‘Wiri Joy’ are considered as similar varieties of common
knowledge and were included in the trial.
Comparative Trial Location: Dromana, VIC between Jan
2000 and Jan 2001. Conditions: outdoors under ambient
southern Victorian (Latitude 38ºS) conditions; plants begun
as cuttings Jan 2000, transplanted to 200 mm pots Mar
2000; media soilless, fertiliser, controlled release. Trial
design: randomised block. Measurements: ten to twenty
specimens selected from ten plants.
46