Aglaonema 'Maria Cecilia'
Accepted:
No
Established:
No
Nomenclatural Notes:
Published in:
to be followed (submitted to Aroideana Newsletter for publication)
Released Year:
2024
Propagated:
Yes
Cultivar Type:
Sport
Originator:
Samuel C. Brillo
Namer:
Samuel C. Brillo
Seed Parent:
Pollen Parent:
Base Species or Cultivar:
Aglaonema commutatum
Cultivar Origin:
cultivar was identified from a wild population exhibiting speckled-spotted, mericlinal variegation of possible natural or genetic origin
Name Origin:
The name Aglaonema 'Maria Cecilia' is given in honor of Maria Cecilia Caralos Brillo, the mother of the cultivar's proponent. She is recognized for her love of gardening and her nurturing spirit, which inspired the naming and description of this variety. The 'Maria Cecilia' cultivar reflects her graceful and resilient nature, characterized by its lush, vibrant foliage, and elegant form.
Growth Habit:
Evergreen herb, slender to somewhat robust, ca. 65.7 cm tall (Figure 7). Stem erect and unbranched, 15 cm long, 4.6 cm diam., possibly becoming decumbent in older and larger specimens, internodes 0.9 to 4 cm long, yellow-green from the base, transitioning to green with white streak variegations, smooth, sometimes rooting at nodes; roots few, 0.8 cm diam.
Leaf Blade:
LEAVES several to rather many together (ca. 12 leaves), often clustered towards the shoot tips in larger plants; forming an apical crown. PETIOLE 7-16.5 cm long, petiolar sheath 8.5-9.5 cm long, membranous and possibly occasionally scarious, open, white, often entirely light green or variegated, cross-sectionally shallowly and broadly sulcate towards the base of the blade. BLADES usually narrowly oblong-elliptic to lanceolate but occasionally ovate, elliptic or oblong, 15-21 cm × 5.1-6.1 cm, base is often uneven, broadly acute, obtuse or subrounded, and occasionally subcordate; apex is often apiculate, acuminate to gradually acuminate, rarely shortly acuminate or broadly acute; primary lateral veins strongly differentiated, 5–9 per side (4-7 in A. commutatum), interprimary veins faint; newer blades distinctly speckled-spotted and mericlinally variegated, whites heavily concentrated from the midrib, whites, pale greens, and oftentimes yellows eventually diffusing towards the margin, as blades age, distinct variegation turn less prominent, oftentimes lost, becoming similar to true Aglaonema commutatum form (variegation rarely occurs in irregularly spaced spots, typically appearing as bars along the primary lateral veins rather than irregularly spaced spots); texture coriaceous; adaxial surface thinly leathery or waxy.
Bloom and Fruit:
INFLORESCENCE not seen. INFRUCTESCENCE not seen.
Distinguishing Characteristics:
Aglaonema 'Maria Cecilia' appears to have a variegation that is a result of a natural or genetic mutation. While additional confirmation is required, it is worth noting that the development of variegation is a common occurrence in successful vegetative propagations. Figure 8 shows the degree of variegations in the leaves. It appears to have chimeral and pattern-gene variegation and differs from true A. commutatum in that it has entirely white internodes, petiole, and petiolar sheath with minimal spotted green and often yellow variegation, as well as distinctive speckled-spotted, mericlinal variegation in new blades characterized by heavy whites, pale greens, and yellows. The adaxial leaf surface has a pattern of small, random spots, stripes, or speckles of variegation. These markings are usually concentrated along the midrib and gradually spread to the margin. Given the nature of the variegation, it is important to understand that its stability decreases when only a few cell layers are partially variegated, which can result in a reversion to green, particularly in older leaves where the variegation may become less prominent or even disappear altogether (Datta, 2023). Additional observations may demonstrate that the extent of variegation can change depending on environmental factors such as light intensity, watering, nutrition, and so on. Furthermore, this particular variety has yet to be widely cultivated in mainstream horticulture, primarily due to a lack of occurrences and interest among gardeners and enthusiasts. As of this writing, this particular variety is currently only found in the collection of the proponent.
