Plant variety of the Acanthus family

#This invention relates to a new and distinct plant variety of the Acanthus family and which has been developed from a vegetative mutation that appeared on a plant specimen of the Fittonia verschafeltii argyroneura variety that is commonly called the "Nerve plant". The "Nerve plant" specimen was under cultivation in a nursery at Winter Garden, Fla. at the time of the discovery and since then, the new variety has been asexually reproduced at the same nursery and by the propagation of stem cuttings taken from the specimen.

#Plant specimens of the "Nerve plant" are related to the Fittonia verschafeltii variety that is commonly called the "Mosaic plant" and also the Fittonia verschafeltii pearcei variety that is commonly referred to as the "Snake Skin plant". All of these varieties are characterized by a mosaic venation pattern in a leaf blade that has a basic chlorophyllous field which is solid except for the discontinuities along the veins of the blade. The "Nerve plant" differs from the "Mosaic plant" and "Snake Skin plant" by veins that are generally considered to be white whereas the veins of the last two mentioned varieties are generally reddish or pinkish in coloration.

#Yet other related varieties are the Fittonia verschafeltii argyroneura `Minima` variety and the recently introduced Fittonia verschafeltii argyroneura `Angel Snow` variety. Both of these varieties are distinguishable from the "Nerve plant" by their substantially smaller comparative sizes and the `Angel Snow` variety is mainly distinguishable from the `Minima` variety by a variegated leaf blade with a mosaic leaf venation pattern that is characteristic of the "Nerve plant" and the `Minima` variety but which has a basic chlorophyllous field that in color is visibly lighter than that of the "Nerve plant" and `Minima` variety, the variegated leaf blade being in particular distinguished by marginally located achlorophyllous blotches or specks.

#Name: Fittonia verschaffeltii argyroneura `Variegata`.

#Origin: A vegetative mutation that appeared on a plant of the Fittonia verschaffeltii argyroneura variety.

#Classification: