Cultivar Registration FAQs

�

Heliconia Society of Puerto Rico, Inc.

Home������� Heliconias� ����� Newsletter������� Members������� Resources������� Links

�� The following are some frequently asked questions about heliconia cultivar registration.� If you can't find an answer to your question, please email the registrar.

�

Q:� Is there a fee to register a new heliconia cultivar?

A:� No, heliconia cultivar registration is completely free of charge.

�

Q:� Can I publish my own heliconia cultivar name?

A:� Yes, but it must be in a dated, hardcopy publication.� Electronic media (like webpages) are not acceptable.� All accepted cultivar submissions will eventually be published by the Heliconia ICRA, but since names are not considered "established" until published, a submitter may choose to expedite establishment of their cultivar name by prior publication.

�

Q:� What is the difference between "flower" and "inflorescence"?

A:� What is commonly referred to as a heliconia "flower" is actually an inflorescence composed of bracts (modified leaves) arranged on a central rachis.� The true flowers are inside the bracts.

Close up of Heliconia vellerigera 'King Kong' inflorescence,
showing part of the rachis, a bract and a true flower.

�

Q:� What is "distichous"?

A:� A distichous bract arrangement refers to an inflorescence in which the bracts are in one plane, while a spiral orientation means that the bracts come out at different angles from the central rachis.� Just look at the inflorescence from above to easily determine whether it is distichous or spiral.� The following are photos of distichous and spiral inflorescences:

��������������������������������������������
Distichous������������������������������������������������������ Spiral
(bracts in the same plane)������������������ (bracts at different angles)

�

Q:� How do I measure the bract length and width, and why should the bract be "detached"?

A:� In some cases the bract doesn't actually have to be detached, it may just help to measure if they are overlapping.� Here are examples of erect and pendent inflorescences and how to measure bract length and width:

Bract length and width in erect Heliconia caribaea 'Verde Luz'.�
In this example, the first bract was detached in order to expose the
second bract for measurement.

Bract length and width in pendent Heliconia rostrata 'Dwarf'.�
In this example, the bract really doesn't have to be detached
for measurement.

�

�

�

Home������� Heliconias������� Zingiberales������� Newsletter������� Members������� Resources������� Links

Heliconia Society of Puerto Rico, P.O. Box 3295, Carolina, Puerto Rico 00984-3295

� HSPR 2003-2005.� All rights reserved.
http://www.heliconiasocietypr.org

�