Cactaceae plant

Abstract

A new plant variety which is sterile and produces a light or pastel salmon colored bloom, in comparison to the `Christmas Cheer` variety has a faster growth rate, larger specimens at comparable stages of maturity and a more upright posture and compact appearance as evidenced by more erect stems and heavier branching with or without inducement by pruning. The new variety has a greater resistance to stem breakage and longer and wider phylloclades when the `Christmas Cheer` variety. It also has a greater resistance to nutrient deficiencies and known problem diseases of the related varieties. It has a greater tendency for multiple bud formations and a greater resistance to bud abscission than the `Christmas Cheer` variety. It also has a habit or producing more blooms that have longer tepals than those of the `Christmas Cheer` variety and a longer bloom life. The bloom in color is distinguishable from the `Christmas Cheer` variety by having a generally lighter appearing color and a color that is dominated by yellowish pink and/or orange hues and are more uniformly distributed throughout the marginal and center field areas of the tepal blades of the tube laminating and tube forming series of tepals when compared to the `Christmas Cheer` variety.

I claim: 
     
       1. The new and distinct plant variety of the Cactacea family and described and illustrated and which is principally distinguished by a growth habit that combines the following characteristics: (1) A faster growth rate providing larger specimens at comparable stages of maturity than either of the `Christmas Cheer` or `Peach Parfait` varieties,   (2) A more upright posture and compact appearance than the `Christmas Cheer` variety as evidenced by more erect stems and heavier (more frequent) branching with or without inducement by pruning,   (3) A greater resistance to stem breakage from handling than either of the `Christmas Cheer` or `Peach Parfait` varieties,   (4) Phylloclades that are longer and wider in comparison to the `Christmas Cheer` variety,   (5) A greater resistance to nutrient deficiences and to known problem diseases of the related varieties than the `Christmas Cheer` variety,   (6) A greater tendency for multiple bud formations at the tips of the branches and a greater resistance to bud abscission than the `Christmas Cheer` variety,   (7) A habit of producing more blooms than the `Christmas Cheer` variety and which are larger and have longer tepals than those of the `Christmas Cheer' variety,   (8) A bloom life that is generally longer than the bloom life of the `Christmas Cheer' and `Peach Parfait` varieties,   (9) A bloom that in color is distinguishable from those of the `Christmas Cheer' and `Peach Parfait` varieties by (a) a generally lighter appearing color than either of the `Christmas Cheer` or `Peach Parfait` varieties, and   (b) a color that is dominated by yellowish pink and/or orange hues and more uniformly distributed throughout the marginal and center field areas of the tepal blades of the tube laminating and tube forming series of tepals in comparison to either of the `Christmas Cheer` or `Peach Parfait` varieties, and     (10) Sterile specimens.