Colocasia 'White Lava'
Accepted:
Yes
Established:
Yes
Nomenclatural Notes:
Established.
Published in:
United States Plant Patent US PP24481 P2 (May 20, 2014)
Released Year:
2014
Propagated:
Yes
Cultivar Type:
Hybrid
Originator:
John J. Cho
Namer:
John J. Cho
Seed Parent:
'2007A-4' (unpatented)
Pollen Parent:
'2007A-51' (unpatented)
Base Species or Cultivar:
Cultivar Origin:
The new Colocasia variety named 'WHITE LAVA is the
product of a formal breeding program carried out in a cultivated area in Kula, Hi. The purpose of the breeding program is to develop new commercial varieties by combining attributes not found in currently commercially available varieties.
WHITE LAVA is a seedling selection from the controlled
pollination between the female parent breeding line 2007A
4 (unpatented) and male parent breeding line 2007A-51
(unpatented). Initially designated as 2008-66, 'WHITE
LAVA was derived as a single plant selected in 2008.
Name Origin:
It refers to the white bold veins that start from the midvein and extends almost to the margin
Growth Habit:
Plant vigor: Vigorous.
Plant growth habit: Upright, non-spreading.
Plant growth rate: A one gallon container plant may be produced in 12-16 weeks from a 4 cm cell transplant.
Plant description: The plant has 4-6 suckers closely attached to the mother plant. A “mother plant' is the plant material which is first introduced into the soil to begin production. Typically, this plant material contains part of the huli and 2-3 leaf blades. This produces a “mother corm’ which produces lateral shoots called cormels which give rise to daughter plants. Daughter plants begin to appear above soil level about 2-3 months after planting of the mother plant.
Plant dimensions: 90 cm to 100 cm in height and 90 cm to 100 cm in width.
Plant hardiness: USDA Zone 7b.
Propagation: Propagation is accomplished by huli propagation and by tissue culture.
Leaf Blade:
Foliage:
Number.—On average, a 5 to 6 month old mother plant maintains 5 functional leaves at a time; each new leaf is produced approximately every 10 days until the corm matures.
Petioles.—Length: 60-70 cm in length. Width: 8 mm (just below attachment to lamina), 18 mm (at the upper sinus), 25 mm (at the middle of the sinus). Color: N79B. Sap color: Colorless.
Leaf.—Dimensions at maturity: 40-45 cm in length and 30-35 cm in width. Average leaf sinus depth: 10 cm. Aspect: Erect with apex down. Shape: Sagittate lamina. Attitude: Oblique.
Margins.—Entire, slightly undulating.
Margin color.—1-2 mm marginal band N79B (both surfaces).
Apex.—Acuminate.
Base.—Peltate.
Attachment.—Petiolate with characteristic tissue formed at junction of leaf blade with the upper termination of the petiole. This area of the leaf tissue is also known as the “piko” and is evident by virtue of its upper surface color being similar to the color of the petiole and contrasting with the leaf color. The principal veins radiate from the piko.
Piko color.—60B becoming N77D as coloration extends up to 4 cm along upper pair of principal veins and 0.5 cm along midrib and along second, third and fourth pairs of secondary veins.
Leaf sheath.—Open.
Texture.—Matte (both surfaces).
Leaf appearance.—Semi-glossy mid-green with prominent variegation arising from cream-yellow principal and secondary veins whose color “bleeds” into adjacent leaf tissue.
Leaf color (adaxial surface).—141B becoming 144A towards margin, except veins and adjacent tissue 5D.
Leaf color (abaxial surface).—147C, except veins and adjacent tissue ranging between 2D and 5D.
Veins.—Palmate. Three principal veins radiating from the piko: one midrib extending 27 cm from the piko to the leaf apex, and one pair of veins extending towards each of the basal lobe margins. Up to eight pairs of secondary veins radiating from the region of the piko and from the midrib.
Vein color (adaxial surface).—Midrib entirely 5D, secondary veins 5D extending to 3 cm to 5 cm from margin, in which zone vein color is 146D.
Vein color (abaxial surface).—Midrib entirely 2D, secondary veins 5D extending to 3 cm to 5 cm from margin, in which zone vein color ranges between N77B and N77D.
Bloom and Fruit:
The inflorescence arises from the leaf axils. The inflorescence is made up of a short peduncle, a spadix, and spathe. The spadix is botanically a spike, with a fleshy central axis to which the small sessile flowers are attached. The spadix is 105 mm to 120 mm long, with female flowers at the base, male flowers towards the tip, and sterile flowers in between, in the region compressed by the neck of the spathe. The extreme tip or appendage of the spadix has no flowers at all. The spathe is a large yellowish bract, 240 mm to 330 mm long, which sheathes the spadix. The lower part of the spathe is green (144C) in color and wraps tightly around the spadix and completely occludes the female flowers from view. The top portion of the spathe is yellow (13B) in color and is rolled inward at the apex, but is open on one side to reveal the male flowers on the spadix. The top and bottom portions of the spadix are separated by a narrow neck region, corresponding to the region of the sterile flowers on the spadix.
Seed: Seed is not produced naturally since male and female flowers within each inflorescence do not mature at the same time. Pollination can be achieved manually or in nature, only with the presence of small insect pollinators which are found in regions of genetic origin of the species, and not Hawaii.
Distinguishing Characteristics:
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent the distinguishing characteristics of the new Colocasia variety named ‘WHITE LAVA’. In combination these traits set ‘WHITE LAVA’ apart from all other varieties of Colocasia known to the inventor. ‘WHITE LAVA’ has not been tested under all possible conditions and phenotypic differences may be observed with variations in environmental, climatic and cultural conditions, however, without any variance in genotype:
1. ‘WHITE LAVA’ exhibits large sagittate leaves with slightly undulating margins.
2. The leaves of ‘WHITE LAVA’ are semi-glossy medium green in color with bold cream veins and adjacent tissue.
3. The leaves of ‘WHITE LAVA’ are borne on glossy burgundy-red colored petioles.
4. ‘WHITE LAVA’ grows with a compact and clumping habit'.
The closest comparison variety in commerce known to the inventor is ‘Nancy's Revenge’ (unpatented). WHITE LAVA may be compared with ‘Nancy's Revenge’ as follows: Whereas ‘WHITE LAVA’ produces semi-glossy medium glossy green leaves with bold white markings and veins, the leaves of ‘Nancy's Revenge’ exhibit mainly central markings that do not extend to the veins. Whereas ‘WHITE LAVA’ produces glossy red petioles ‘Nancy's Revenge’ has green petioles.
