Bromeliad Cultivar Register (10710) 2011-11-16

*VRIESEA ‘Aussie Royal Hawaiian’*	Butcher D*	?
In the 1993 catalogue of the Olive Branch Nursery, Brisbane, Queensland, a Vriesea ‘Royal Hawaiian’ with parents (fosteriana x bleheri) was listed but over the years no attempt has been made to query this name with that of David Shiigi’s ‘Royal Hawaiian’ registered 5 years later in 1998 that had different parentage. In October 2011 Vic Przetocki sent me photos of both Vriesea ‘Nissa’ and ‘Royal Hawaiian’ in flower and there was great similarity in plant and flower. Alarm bells rang! The only difference between the two was that ‘Nissa’ has parents of (bleheri x ‘Red Chestnut’) or, in other words the reverse parentage. In both cases you can expect pointed (attenuate) discolored leaves with faint glyph markings with an inflorescence reminiscent of the feather-like V. bleheri. In other words nothing like ‘Royal Hawaiian or Basic’s Royal Hawaiian’ that have broad strap-like glyph leaves as in V. fosteriana. We will have both ‘Aussie Royal Hawaiian’ as well as ‘Nissa’ even though they look very similar. Glyph Group. Reg. Doc. by D Butcher 11/2011 Country of origin: Australia
Seed Parent: fosteriana	Pollen Parent: bleheri