A new and distinct cultivar of Camptotheca lowreyana tree named ‘Katie’, characterized by its freely and vigorously branching; dense and full plant habit; small leaf size; lanceolate to elliptic leaf shape; leaves from both juvenile and mature trees with entire leaf margins; lower temperature and drought tolerance; and high yield of anti-cancer camptothecin in leaves

Li, Shiyou

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Stephen F. Austin State UniversitySFA ScholarWorksNCPC Publications and Patents National Center for Pharmaceutical Crops6-2001Camptotheca lowreyana tree named ‘Katie’ (USPatent PP11959)Shiyou LiStephen F Austin State University, Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture, lis@sfasu.eduFollow this and additional works at: http://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/ncpc_articlesTell us how this article helped you.This Professional Document is brought to you for free and open access by the National Center for Pharmaceutical Crops at SFA ScholarWorks. It hasbeen accepted for inclusion in NCPC Publications and Patents by an authorized administrator of SFA ScholarWorks. For more information, pleasecontact cdsscholarworks@sfasu.edu.Recommended CitationLi, Shiyou, "Camptotheca lowreyana tree named ‘Katie’ (US Patent PP11959)" (2001). NCPC Publications and Patents. Paper 14.http://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/ncpc_articles/14USOOPP11959P2 (12) United States Plant Patent Li (10) Patent N0.: US PP11,959 P2 (45) Date of Patent: Jun. 26, 2001 (54) CAMPTOTHECA LOWREYANA TREE NAMED (58) Field of Search ............................ .. Plt./216; 800/298 ‘KATIE’ (75) Inventor: Shiy0u Li, Nacogdoches, TX (US) Primary Examiner—BruC_e R' Came“ Assistant Examzner—Mel1ssa L. Kimball (73) Assignee: Stephen R. Austin State University, (74) Attorney) Agent) 0" F i" m—c~ A- Whealy Nacogdoches, TX (US) (57) ABSTRACT ( * ) Notice: sublect_to any disclaimer>_ the term of this A new and distinct cultivar of Carnptotheca lowreyana tree Patent 15 extended or adlusted under 35 named ‘Katie’, characterized by its freely and vigorously U-S-C- 154(k)) by 0 days- branching; dense and full plant habit; small leaf siZe; lan ceolate to elliptic leaf shape; leaves from both juvenile and (21) Appl. No.: 09/291,106 mature trees with entire leaf margins; lower temperature and (22) Filed Apr 14 1999 drought tolerance; and high yield of anti-cancer camptoth ' ' ’ ecin in leaves. (51) Int. Cl.7 ..................................................... .. A01H 5/00 (52) US. Cl. ............................................................ .. Plt./216 6 Drawing Sheets 1 2 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Camptotheca, botanically known as Carnptotheca low reyana, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Katie’. The new Camptotheca is named in honor of Mrs. Katie Northrup of Houston, TeX. Camptotheca, also known as Xi Shu or Happytrees, are deciduous trees, native to China, and a member of the Nyssaceae family. Three species of Camptotheca are sig ni?cant sources of naturally-occurring camptothecins, a very promising anti-cancer chemical substance (Li et al., in press). The anti-tumor activity of Camptotheca was ?rst discovered in 1957 (Wall et al., 1966). Clinical trials of camptothecins in the United States, China, Japan and Europe have shown success in treating may types of cancer (Li and Adair, 1994). Some camptothecin drugs have received approval for cancer treatment in more the 20 countries. Recently, three semi-synthetic drugs from camptothecins (Hycamtin, Campto, and 9-Nitrocamptothecin) were approved by the United State Food & Drug Administration for the treatment of ovarian, colorectal and pancreatic can cers. Camptothecins have also recently shown promise as inhibitors of HIV development in animal and human cell cultures (Priel, 1993). Presently, production of camptothecins relies on Camp totheca trees. However, the production of Camptotheca trees is limited by low temperatures and drought. If new cultivars of Camptotheca that were more hardy and drought-tolerant were developed, the production of Camptotheca trees could be expanded. The new Camptotheca is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Nacogdoches, TeX. The objective of the breeding program is to create new Camptotheca cultivars that are more freely branching, have a higher camptothecin content and are tolerant to drought and low temperatues. The new Camptotheca originated from a self-pollination made by the Inventor of the Carnptotheca lowreyana Li (not patented). The cultivar Katie was discovered and selected by the Inventor within the progeny of the stated cross in a controllled environment in Nacogdoches, TeX., in April, 10 15 25 35 40 1995. The selection of this plant was based on its more freely branching habit, smaller leaf siZe, leaf shape, increased hardiness and tolerance to drought, and higher camptothecin content. Asexual reproduction of the new Camptotheca by termi nal cuttings harvested in a controlled environment in Nacog doches, TeX., has shown that the unique features of this new Camptotheca are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The new Camptotheca has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength, light intensity, nutrition and water status without, however, any variance in genotype. The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Katie’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Katie’ as a new and distinct cultivar: 1. Freely and vigorously branching; dense and full plant habit. 2. Small leaf siZe. 3. Lanceolate to elliptic leaf shape. 4. Leaves from both juvenile and mature trees have entire margins. 5. Low temperature and drought tolerance. 6. High yield of anti-cancer camptothecin in leaves. Plants of the new Camptotheca can be compared to plants of the parent cultivar Carnptotheca lowreyana Li and Camp totheca acuminata Decaisne. However, in side-by-side com parisons conducted in Nacogdoches, TeX., plants of the new Camptotheca differ from plants of Carnptotheca lowreyana Li and Carnptotheca acuminata Decaisne in the following charcteristics: 1. Plants of the new Camptotheca are more freely branch ing and denser and fuller than plants of Carnptotheca lowreyana Li and Carnptotheca acuminata Decaisne. US PP11,959 P2 3 2. Leaves of plants of the neW Camptotheca are much smaller than leaves of plants of Camptotheca lowreyana Li and Camptotheca acuminata Decaisne. 3. Leaves of plants of the neW Camptotheca are different in shape compared to plants of Camptotheca lowreyana Li and Camptotheca acuminata Decaisne. 4. Leaves from juvenile plants of the neW Camptotheca have entire margins Whereas leaves from juvenile plants of Camptotheca lowreyana Li and Camptotheca acuminata Decaisne have serrated margins. 5. Plants of the neW Camptotheca are more tolerant to loW temperatures and drought than plants of Camptotheca low reyana Li and Camptotheca acuminata Decaisne. 6. Plants of the neW Camptotheca have a higher yield of camptothecin than plants of Camptotheca lowreyana Li and Camptotheca acuminata Decaisne. A comparison of one-year old plants of the neW Camptotheca, Camptotheca lowreyana Li, and Camptotheca acuminata Decaisne appears in Chart A at the end of the speci?cation. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the neW Camptotheca, shoWing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description Which more accurately describe the actual colors of the neW Camptotheca. FIG. 1 comprises a side perspective vieW of a typical plant of ‘Katie’ shoWing the freely and vigorously branching habit. FIG. 2 comprises a close-up vieW of leaves and lateral branches of a typical plant of ‘Katie’. FIG. 3 comprises a top perspective vieW of typical plants of Camptotheca acuminata Decaisne (left) and ‘Katie’ (right) shoWing the differences in groWth habit and leaf siZe. FIG. 4 comprises a close-up vieW of typical leaves (upper and loWer surfaces) from tWo-year old plants of Camptoth eca lowreyana Li (A); the cultivar ‘Katie’ (B); Camptotheca yunnanensis Dode (C); and Camptotheca acuminata Decaisne FIG. 5 of illustrations comprises camptothecin concen trations of young leaves of the neW Camptotheca as deter mined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). FIG. 6 of illustrations comprises camptothecin concen trations of mature leaves of the neW Camptotheca as deter mined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION The aforementioned and folloWing observations, measurements, values, and comparisons described plants groWn in Nacogdoches, TeX., in one-gallon containers under outdoor conditions Which closely approximate commercial production conditions. Plants used for the description Were approximately one-year old. In the folloWing description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart eXcept Where general terms of ordinary dictionary signi?cance are used. 4 Botanical classi?cation: Camptotheca lowreyana ‘Katie’. Parentage: Male parent.—Camptotheca lowreyana Li, not pat ented. Female parent.—Camptotheca lowreyana Li, not pat ented. Propagation: Type.—By terminal cuttings. Time to initiate roots.—Summer: About 7 days at temperatures of 32° C. Winter: About 15 days at temperatures of 21° C. Time to develop roots.—Summer: About 21 days at temperatures of 32° C. Winter: About 40 days at temperatures of 21° C. Rooting habit.—Fibrous. Plant description: Plant type.—Polygamous, deciduous tree With medici nal and ornamental value. Growth habit.—Conical; compact; dense and full. Branching habit.—Very freely and vigorously branch ing With about 10 to 35 lateral branches developing in the ?rst year of groWth. Plant height, soil level to top of leaves.—About 1.5 to 2 meters; plants attain a plant height of about 15 meters at maturity. Plant diameter; area of spread.—About 0.5 meters; plants may attain a plant diameter of about 10 meters at maturity. Growth rate.—Rapid, vigorous. Lateral branch length.—About 5 to 20 cm. Stem color.—Immature stems, 2 Weeks old, 59B; from 2 Weeks to 6 months old, 146A; from 6 months to 2 years, 152A; older than 2 years, 148A. Stem texture.—Young bark, less than 5 years old, smooth With scattered lenticels, 159A in color. Stem pubescence.—Dense. Foliage descripton: Arrangement.—Alternate, single, numerous. Length.—About 4 to 10 cm. Width.—About 1.5 to 4 cm. Shape.—Lanceolate to elliptic. Apex.—Acute or acuminate. Base.—Cuneate or oblique. Margin, juvenile and mature plants.—Entire; slightly undulating With glands. Texture.—Upper surface: Smooth, slightly glabrous, slightly lustrous. LoWer surface: Glabrous and lus terless; moderately pubescent. Venation pattern.—Pinnate, 10 to 15 lateral viens per leaf. Stomates.—Frequency: About 211 per pimz. Length: About 29 pm. Gland length.—About 42 pm. Color—Young foliage, upper surface: Initially 59A under full sun conditions, then becoming close to 143A or 143B. Young foliage, loWer surface: Ini tially 60B under full sun conditions, then becoming close to 144A. Mature foliage, upper surface: Close to 137A. Mature foliage, loWer surface: Close to 146B or 137C. Venation, upper surface: Close to 145A or 145B. Venation, loWer surface: Close to 145B or 145C. Petiole.—Length: About 5 to 10 mm. Diameter: About 1 to 1.5 mm. Color: Initially 45B to 59A under full sun conditions, then becoming close to 146C. US PP11,959 P2 5 Flower description: Natural ?owering season.—May through August in the Northern Hemisphere, ?owering continuous. FloW ers persistent. Flower arrangement.—Very small cyanthiform single ?oWers. TWo sessile ?oWers are arranged as a cyme With 15 to 30 cymes forming a dense spherical in?orescence. TWo to ten in?orescences are arranged as a terminal or axillary raceme or panicle-like compound in?orescence. FloWers on the upper part of the compound in?orescence are bisexual and ?oWer ?rst; the loWer ?oWers are male or sometimes bisexual. Time to ?ower—Trees are usually about 4 to 6-years old before ?oWering commences; thereafter, proli?c ?oWering is typical. Quantity of ?owers.—FloWering trees may develop up to 1500 ?oWers per lateral stem. Time of flower opening.—About 5 to 20 days. Fragrance.—Strong, but pleasant. In?orescence length.—About 1.5 to 2 cm. In?orescence width.—About 1.5 to 2 cm. Flower diameter—About 3 to 8 mm. Flower height.—About 7 to 15 mm. Flower longevity on plant.—About 20 to 45 days depending on temperature and precipitation. Flower bud.—Length: About 4 to 10 mm. Diameter: About 2 to 5 mm. Shape: Ovoid. Petals.—Appearance: Glossy. Quantity: Five per ?oWer. Texture: Pubescent. Arrangement: Imbricate. Shape: Oblong to ovate With acute apex. Margin: Entire. Length: About 1.2 to 1.5 cm. Width: About 0.4 to 0.8 mm. Color: When opening, upper and loWer surfaces: Light green, close to 138C. Fully opened, upper and loWer surfaces: YelloWish green, close to 145C. Sepals.—Appearance: Glossy. Quantity: Five per ?oWer. Texture: Ciliate. Arrangement: Fused as cyanthiform calyx. Shape: Deltoid With acute apex. Margin: Entire. Calyx length: About 4 to 10 mm Calyx diameter: About 2 to 4 mm. Color, upper and loWer surfaces: Light green, close to 138B. Peduncles.—Length: About 2 to 8 mm. Angle: Erect. Strength: Strong. Color: Light gray, close to 191B. Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen number: Usually ten. Anther shape: Four-locular. Anther siZe: About 0.5 mm by 1 mm. Anther color: Bright yelloW. Amount of pollen: Moderate. Pollen color: YelloW. Gynoecium: Pistil length: About 5 to 10 mm. Stigma shape: 2 to 3-lobed. Stigma color: YelloWish green. Style length: About 2 to 7 mm. Seed.—Fruit type: Samara-like. Length: About 2.7 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm. Color: 164B or 164C. Disease resistance: Resistance to diseases common to Camptotheca is similar to other Camptothecas groWn under typical commercial conditions. Hardiness: The neW Camptotheca is hardy to USDA Zone 8 With —10° C. the apparent critical loW temperature. In ?eld trials in Nacogdoches, Tex., the neW Camptotheca 6 did not exhibit frost damage When exposed to —14° C. in February, 1997, Whereas other varieties of Camptotheca exhibited damage. Drought tolerance: According to the ?eld trials in summer of 1996, the neW Camptotheca Was the most drought tolerant of all Camptotheca varieties tested. CHART A Camptotheca Camptotheca lowreyana Camptotheca acuminata CHARACTER ‘Katie’ lowreyana Li Decaisne NUMBER OF About 10 to 35 FeWer than 5 FeWer than 5 LATERAL BRANCHES LEAF LENGTH About 4 to About 12 to About 14 to 10 cm 25 cm 20 cm LEAF WIDTH About 1.5 to About 7 to About 7 to 4 cm 10 cm 10 cm LEAF SHAPE Lanceolate/ Cordate/ovate Oval/oblong elliptic LEAF BASE Cuneate/ Cordate/rounded Equilateral/ oblique cuneate LEAF MARGIN, Entire Serrate Serrate JUVENILE PLANTS LEAF MARGIN, Entire Entire Entire MATURE PLANTS LEAF LUSTER, Lusterless Lustrous Lusterless LOWER SURFACE PETIOLE About 5 to About 1.5 to About 1.5 to LENGTH 10 mm 3 cm 3 cm PETIOLE About 1 to About 2.5 to About 2.5 to DIAMETER 1.5 mm 4.5 mm 5 mm HARDINESS To Zone 8 To Zone 9 To Zone 9 CAMPTOTHECIN 0.077% 0.055% 0.042% YIELD, YOUNG LEAVES CAMPTOTHECIN 0.024% 0.013% 0.019% YIELD, MATURE LEAVES LIST OF REFERENCES Li, S.Y., Camptotheca lowreyana, a neW species of anti cancer happytrees (Camptotheca Decaisne). Bull. Bot. Res. 17(3): 348—352 (1997). Li, S.Y. and KT. Adair, Camptotheca acuminata Decaisne, Xi Shu, A Promising Anti-Tumor and Anti-Wral Tree for the 21st Century. Nacogdoches, Tex.: College of Forestry, Stephen F. Austin State University (1994). Li, S.Y. et al., Anti-Cancer Happytrees. Nacogdoches, Tex.: Arthur Temple College of Forestry, Stephen F. Austin State University (in press). Priel, E. et al., Inhibition of retrovirus-induced disease in mice by camptothecin. Jour. of Virology 67(6):3624—3629 (1993). Wall, M.E. et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 88:3888—3890 (1966). It is claimed: 1. AneW and distinct Camptotheca lowreyana tree named ‘Katie’, as illustrated and described. * * * * * U.S. Patent Jun. 26, 2001 Sheet 1 0f 6 US PP11,959 P2 I 500 Area Percent 17.681 % Camptothecin = Peak area at weight of extracts x Column factor x Sample weight factor Peak area: 0.08658 Weight of extracts: 0.8866 g Column factor: 0.8000 Sample weight factor: 1.0000/0.8000 24.7% % CPT = 0.08658 x 0.8866 x 0.8000 x 1.0000/0.8000 = 0.0768 CPT peak identi?ed by blank CPT 1000 l 1000 7.440 858 F igure 5 U.S. Patent Jun. 26, 2001 Sheet 2 0f 6 US PP11,959 P2 Ml PM 3 . . g % Camptothecm = Peak area 2: wclght of extracts 2: Column factor Peak area: 0.03035 Weight ofcxtmcts: 1.0015 g Column factor: 0.8000 2000 § 2000 § % CPT = 0.03035 x 1.0015 x 0.8000 = 0.0243 1 9.5“Mime“ Figure 6 

Camptotheca lowreyana tree named ‘Katie’  (US Patent PP11959)

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Camptotheca lowreyana tree named ‘Katie’ (US Patent PP11959)

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