Full Name: Hoya carnosa ‘Mathilde’
Status: Accepted and Established as the correct name for a unique cultivar.
Synonyms: None known, though it was first sold as Hoya carnosa x Hoya serpens in hybrid formula without parentheses or cultivar name.
Trade Designations, Legal Status & Trademarks: N/A
Background: A Hybrid, (Hoya carnosa x Hoya serpens), with Hoya carnosa as the pod parent and Hoya serpens as the pollen donor. It occurred in the summer of 1994 as an uncontrolled pollination in the outdoor garden of Originator: Emilio Begine in Belgium. The parentage of the cross has been confirmed through its progeny, and not only through the obvious perfect combination of the two species, making a self-pollination an impossibility.
There is one other seedling from this pod*, Hoya ‘Chouke’.
Established: The names and their stories were established in print as both Hoya x Mathilde in Fraterna 16(1)12-14(2003), and as “Mathilde” with two quotes (instead of single). An ‘x’ is not used in this fashion when an interspecific hybrid is named from cultivation under the ICNCP, but this does not impact the status of the first effective publication which is clear in its purpose. There is no clear author citation, but context indicates this article was likely by T.Green or otherwise Kloppenb. who compiled the rest of the text in the volume, as reported by Emilio Begine).
Notable Later Publications: Hoyatelegrafen 3(12)3-13(2005). This publication appeared two years later. It was during the short period of time when Hoyatelegrafen was translated into English. Someone scanned the volume into a pdf hosting service and made it available for download, and this article from the member’s only bulletin has been saved, shared, and read countless times.
The Hoyatelegrafen publication is by Emilio Begine himself and details measurements and color, along with further details of the story of origination and selection and are most representative of the cultivar.
More on the Name: According to Begine, Hoya ‘Mathilde’ was first called by the hybrid formula Hoya carnosa x serpens for many years. While that hybrid formula has been used many times, it has not been published in accordance with the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants and so is not an established nothospecies at this time (February 27, 2024).
Some highlights from the description, which is included in full in the original publication, are as follows:
- silver flecked, with silver larger than the pollen parent’s (Hoya serpens) silvering
- larger and darker leaves than Hoya ‘Chouke’
- darker corona center than Hoya ‘Chouke’
- “clear sap like the pod parent” (Hoya carnosa)
- “…foliage more similar to the pollen parent, but larger and more succulent like the pod parent.”
This is a very famous Hoya which has appeared in general houseplant books, magazines, websites and sales lists the world over. These two publications are solely the one which established the name, made famous the story, and show the living plant material, but it has been printed many times.
Over the years, other cultigens, including cultivars, have been selected from Hoya ‘Mathilde’. It is important to note here from Article 2.5 of the International Code of Nomenclature of Cultivated Plants: “…Whatever the means of propagation, only those plants which maintain the characters that define a particular cultivar may be included in that cultivar.” (Brickell et.al.)
Sources:
Brickell, C.D. & Alexander, C. & Cubey, Janet & David, John & Hoffmann, M.H.A. & Leslie, A.C. & Malécot, Valéry & Jin, Xiaobai. (2016). International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants.
Begine, E & Hellström, B & Wiberg, E-K. (2005) Historien om Mathilde och Chouke. Hoyatelegrafen 3(12),9-12. [Swedish Society / Svenska Hoyasällkapet]
International Hoya Society. (2003)A New Hoya Hybrid. Fraterna. 16(1)12-14; Fraterna is shared for educational purposes with permission granted.
*The word cross was amended to pod 6/7/2024.