Multi-bracted lavender plants

Abstract

Lavandula plants in section Stoechas having at least two branched cymeous spikes are disclosed. The present invention further relates to methods for producing Lavandula section Stoechas plants having branched cymeous spikes, and methods of breeding Lavandula plants having branched cymeous spikes, wherein at least one parent plant is a Lavandula section Stoechas plant having branched cymeous spikes. Lavandula section Stoechas plants produced by the described methods and characterized by their unique branched cymeous spikes are also described.

1 . A  Lavandula  section  Stoechas  plant having at least two branched cymeous spikes, wherein a representative sample of seed of said  Lavandula  section  Stoechas  plant has been deposited under NCIMB Accession No. 42347. 
     
     
         2 . The seed of the  Lavandula  section  Stoechas  plant of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         3 . A  Lavandula  section  Stoechas  plant produced from seed deposited under NCIMB Accession No. 42347. 
     
     
         4 . A  Lavandula  section  Stoechas  plant produced from the seed of  claim 2 , wherein between 15% and 100% of the inflorescences of the entire plant are branched cymeous spikes. 
     
     
         5 . The  Lavandula  section  Stoechas  plant of  claim 2 , wherein said plant has branched cymeous spikes that comprise between 15% and 25% of the inflorescences of the entire plant. 
     
     
         6 . The  Lavandula  section  Stoechas  plant of  claim 2 , wherein said plant has branched cymeous spikes that comprise between 26% and 35% of the inflorescences of the entire plant. 
     
     
         7 . The  Lavandula  section  Stoechas  plant of  claim 2 , wherein said plant has branched cymeous spikes that comprise between 36% and 45% of the inflorescences of the entire plant. 
     
     
         8 . The  Lavandula  section  Stoechas  plant of  claim 2 , wherein said plant has branched cymeous spikes that comprise between 46% and 55% of the inflorescences of the entire plant. 
     
     
         9 . The  Lavandula  section  Stoechas  plant of  claim 2 , wherein said plant has branched cymeous spikes that comprise between 56% and 100% of the inflorescences of the entire plant. 
     
     
         10 . The plant of  claim 3 , wherein the seed deposit is comprised of a mixture of seeds of  Lavandula  section  Stoechas.    
     
     
         11 . A plant part produced from the plant of  claim 1 , wherein said plant part comprises a cell, seed, protoplast, tissue culture, or vegetative cutting. 
     
     
         12 . A  Lavandula  section  Stoechas  plant regenerated from the cell, seed, protoplast, tissue culture, or vegetative cutting of  claim 11 , wherein said plant has at least two branched cymeous spikes. 
     
     
         13 . The  Lavandula  section  Stoechas  plant of  claim 1 , wherein said branched cymeous spike has between 1 and 60 lateral spikes. 
     
     
         14 . The  Lavandula  section  Stoechas  plant of  claim 1 , wherein the average weight of said branched cymeous spike has a weight of between 2.5 grams and 6.5 grams. 
     
     
         15 . The  Lavandula  section  Stoechas  plant of  claim 1 , wherein said branched cymeous spike has between 2 and 300 terminal bracts. 
     
     
         16 . The  Lavandula  section  Stoechas  plant of  claim 1 , wherein said plant is selected from the group comprising  Lavandula stoechas, Lavandula pedunculata , and  Lavandula viridis.    
     
     
         17 . A method for producing a  Lavandula  plant having branched cymeous spikes, wherein the method comprises crossing two  Lavandula  parent plants and harvesting the resultant seed, wherein at least one parent plant is a  Lavandula  section  Stoechas  plant having branched cymeous spikes comprising between 15% and 100% of the inflorescences of the entire plant. 
     
     
         18 . A  Lavandula  seed produced from the method of  claim 17 . 
     
     
         19 . A  Lavandula  plant, or part thereof, produced by growing the seed of  claim 18 , wherein said plant has branched cymeous spikes that comprise between 15% and 100% of the inflorescences of the entire plant. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the second parent plant is selected from the group consisting of  Lavandula stoechas, Lavandula pedunculata , or  Lavandula viridis.    
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said second parent plant is a subspecies of  Lavandula stoechas , or  Lavandula pedunculata , and is selected from the group consisting of subspecies  stoechas , subspecies  luisieri , subspecies  pedunculata , subspecies  cariensis , subspecies  atlantica , subspecies  lusitanica , or subspecies  sampaiana.    
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said parent plants are  Lavandula stoechas  and further comprising:
 backcrossing the F 1  progeny to said parent having branched cymeous spikes and producing an F 2  progeny;   outcrossing the F 2  progeny to a  Lavandula  section  Stoechas  plant and producing an F 3  progeny;   self-pollinating the F 3  progeny; and   producing a  Lavandula  section  Stoechas  plant exhibiting two or more branched cymeous spikes.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said F 1  progeny is self-pollinated. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said F 1  progeny are intercrossed. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said F 2  progeny are outcrossed to  Lavandula pedunculata.    
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said F 2  progeny are outcrossed to  Lavandula viridis.    
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein an interspecific hybrid having branched cymeous spikes is produced, wherein said branched cymeous spikes comprise between 15% and 100% of the total inflorescences on said hybrid plant. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising:
 altering the chromosome number of said  Lavandula  section  Stoechas  plant having branched cymeous spikes, wherein said method of altering the chromosome number comprises the application of an anti-miotic agent or irradiation; 
 selecting for a  Lavandula  section  Stoechas  plant having a desirable chromosome number; and 
 crossing said plant with a second parent plant selected from the group consisting of section  Lavandula  or section Dentatea to produce an intersectional hybrid. 
 
     
     
         29 . An intersectional hybrid plant or part thereof produced by the method of  claim 28 . 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising:
 altering the chromosome number of said  Lavandula  section  Stoechas  plant having branched cymeous spikes, wherein said method of altering the chromosome number comprises the application of an anti-miotic agent or irradiation; 
 selecting for a  Lavandula  section  Stoechas  plant having a desirable chromosome number; and 
 crossing said plant with a second parent plant selected from the group consisting of subgenera  Fabricia  or subgenera  Sabaudia  to produce an intersubgeneric hybrid. 
 
     
     
         31 . An intersubgeneric hybrid plant or part thereof produced by the method of  claim 30 .