Plant of the Bromeliaceae family

#This invention relates to a new and distinct plant variety of the Bromeliaceae family and which has been developed from a vegetative mutation that appeared on a plant specimen of the Cryptanthus fosterianus variety. The 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 by the propagation of stem cuttings taken from the specimen.

#The Cryptanthus fosterianus variety (commonly called the "Stiff Pheasant Leaf plant") is related to the Cryptanthus zonatus (commonly called the "Zebra plant") and Cryptanthus zonatus `Zebrinus`, (commonly called the "Pheasant Leaf Plant") varieties but is distinguished from the latter two varieties by generally larger specimens that have much thicker and stiffer leaves. All of these varieties are characterized by irregular cross bands, and the new variety is similarly endowed but in contrast to the basic chlorophyllous field that underlies the cross bands in the leaf specimens of the related varieties, the new plant variety is distinguishable therefrom by, among other things, achlorophyllous marginal areas which upon prolonged exposure to sunlight are in color dominated by red, pink, purplish red, purplish pink and/or yellowish pink hues. One objective of the invention has been to develop a new variety of the Bromeliaceae family for the foliage plant market and which is distinguishable from the known varieties related thereto. This objective has been fully realized by the inventor as will be apparent from the plant description which follows herein.

#The accompanying drawings serve by color photographic means to illustrate the new variety, one sheet showing a single plant specimen of the new variety while the other sheet provides a photographic closeup of the leaf blades of the new variety.

#The following is a detailed description of the new plant variety and is based on observations of well fertilized specimens which were grown in the Central Florida area under approximately 85% shaded nursery conditions and where temperatures are generally maintained in the range from about 15.degree.-30.degree. C. during the winter months and from about 24.degree.-36.degree. C. during the summer months. The description is further based on observations of specimens that were generally 3-6 months in age as determined from the initial propagation of offshoots that were from 2-3 months old.

#Except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are obviously used, color terminology and color designations reported herein are in accord with the ISCC-NBS Method of Designating Colors are described in the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Bureau of Standards, Circular 553, entitled "ISCC-NBS Method of Designating Colors and Dictionary of Color Terms" with the color designations having been derived from interpretations of Munsell Color Notations obtained by comparing plant specimens with the color specimens in the current "Neighboring Hues Edition" of the Munsell Book of Color, published by Munsell Color Company, Inc., of Baltimore, Md., and to which the reported notations (Munsell Hue, Munsell Value/Munsell Chromas) are referenced.

#Name: Cryptanthus fosterianus `Elaine`.