Cactaceae plant

Abstract

A new and distinct hybrid plant variety of the Cactaceae family is related to the Zygocactus truncatus `Kris Kringle` and Zygocactus truncatus `Lavender Doll` varieties and is principally distinguished by a growth habit which combines characteristics that include a natural tendency to branch without inducement by pruning during the growth period, a fast growth rate with resistances to nutrient deficiencies and fungus type diseases that are comparable to those of the `Kris Kringle` and `Lavender Doll` varieties, a resistance to flower bud abscission that is comparable to those of the `Kris Kringle` and `Lavender Doll` varieties and a flower that blooms earlier than that of the `Lavender Doll` variety and has a bloom life of from about 6 to about 9 days, a pistil with a style that is translucent white at its proximal end and in color at its distal end is dominated by purplish red and/or reddish purple hues and with a stigma which is translucent white, and tepals which have marginal blade areas that in color are dominated by purplish red and/or reddish purple hues and which include a sepaloid series of free tepals with inner whorl members having basal areas that in color are dominated by a purplish pink hue, a perianth tube forming series of basally united tepals that form a translucent white vestigal carina at the throat of the tube, and a series of tube laminating tepals which usually number from 5 to 7 in the bloom.

We claim: 
     
       1. The new and distinct hybrid plant variety of the Cactaceae family as described and illustrated and which is principally distinguished by a growth habit that combines the following characteristics: 1. A natural tendency to branch during the growth period without the need for inducement by pruning,   2. A fast growth rate which is comparable to the growth rates exhibited by specimens of the `Kris Kringle` and `Lavender Doll` varieties,   3. Resistances to nutrient deficiencies, to fungus type diseases, and to flower bud abscission that are comparable to those exhibited by specimens of the `Kris Kringle` and `Lavender Doll` varieties, and   4. A flower having a bloom life of from about 6 to about 9 days, a pistil with a style that is translucent white at its proximal end, and at its distal end is in color dominated by purplish red and/or reddish purple hues and with a stigma which is translucent white, and tepals which have marginal blade areas that in color are dominated by purplish red and/or reddish purple hues and which include a sepaloid series of free tepals with inner whorl members having basal areas that in color are dominated by a purplish pink hue, a perianth tube forming series of basally united tepals that form a translucent white vestigal carina at the throat of the tube, and a series of tube laminating tepals which usually number from 5 to 7 in the bloom.