Plants – Herbaceous ornamnental flowering plant
Plant Patent
1999-06-17
2003-07-01
Campell, Bruce R. (Department: 1661)
Plants
Herbaceous ornamnental flowering plant
Plant Patent
active
PP013934
ABSTRACT:
BOTANICAL/COMMERCIAL CLASSIFICATION
Nierembergia hybrida/Nierembergia
Plant.
VARIETAL DENOMINATION
‘Sunnicobu’.
BACKGROUND OF THE NEW VARIETY
The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of Nierembergia plant named ‘Sunnicobu’. ‘Sunnicobu’ is the first vegetative propagated variety which was developed by specific hybridization, between
Niembergia gracilis
and
Nierembergia caerulea
. This variety is a breakthrough in breeding, as it combines flowers of light purple with darker center. This variety is compact and tufted habit. It has good winter hardiness, and high resistance to heat, rain, and diseases especially powdery mildew.
Plants in the Nierembergia genus are Solanaceae and herbaceous perennials or semi-woody shrubs and are hardy or half-hardy and flower in long days of the summer. There are 30 species in Mexico to South America, around Chile and Argentina. These plants have stems hanging down or lying flat or erect and have simple leaves. The phyllotaxy is alternate or dispersed. These plants have axillary flowers and have inflorescence type with flower solitary or cyme. The flower color is white, light purple or unusually purple and the shape is funnel-form, campanulate or salver-form. Occasionally the center color is purple. The bottom color of the corolla throat is yellow. Calyx is tubular or funnel-shaped. The tube is thin and the throat spreads widely. The rim separates into 5. There are 5 stamens attached to the tube's inside with 4 of the stamens forming pairs and the remaining one is a small staminode. The capsule has 2 carpels and are split open. The chromosomal number is X=9.
The female parent (non-patented in the United States) used in the crossing of ‘Sunnicobu’ was
Nierembergia gracilis
, which is a wild species of Nierembergia plant native to Argentina and introduced to Japan in 1992. It is a compact and tufted bush. The flowers are single, medium to small size and white petals. The leaf is lanceolate.
Nierembergia gracilis
is sensitive to rain, heat, and powdery mildew.
The pollen parent (non-patented in the United States) used in the crossing of ‘Sunnicobu’ was
Nierembergia caerulea
, which is a wild species of Nierembergia genus and cultivated in England and introduced to Japan in 1992. It is erect habit with less branching. The flowers are single, medium size and have vivid purple petals. The leaf is lanceolate and waving.
Nierembergia caerulea
has good winter hardiness and a resistance to rain, diseases and pests.
First of all, two wild types of Nierembergia genus,
Nierembergia gracilis
and
Nierembergia caerulea
, were introduced to Japan in 1992. The seedlings of both wild types Nierembergia genus were grown in Japan since the spring of 1994, and a few seedlings were selected from both lines. Under green-house condition, controlled crossing with seedlings of
Nierembergia gracilis
(♀) and that of
Nierembergia caerulea
(♂) was conducted in June 1995. From seedlings which were obtained through this crossing, 10 seedlings were selected in view of compact and tufted plant habit and flower color in the spring of 1996 in greenhouse condition. The botanical characteristics of the finally selected 10 varieties were then examined. They were tested at Youkaichi-shi, Shiga-ken, Japan from spring to autumn in 1996. As a result, one variety was selected which met our criteria and was uniform and stable in its characteristics. This new variety of Nierembergia genus plant was named ‘Sunnicobu’ (
Nierembergia hybrida
).
These wild type of Nierembergia genes plants,
Nierembergia gracilis
and
Nierembergia caerulea
, and ‘Sunnicobu’ are presently maintained at Youkaichi-shi, Shiga-ken, Japan.
In the following description, the color-coding is in accordance with The Horticultural Color Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England (R.H.S. Color Chart), and the Inter-Society color Council-Nation Bureau of Standard Color Name (I.S.C.C.-N.B.S. Color Name). A color chart based on The Japan Color Standard for Horticultural Plant (J.H.S. Color Chart) is also added for reference.
The botanical characteristics of the female parent plant
Nierembergia gracilis
used in the crossing of ‘Sunnicobu’ are as follows.
Plant:
Growth habit.—
Tufted.
Height.—
12 cm.
Spread.—
26 cm.
Stem:
Thickness.—
0.9 mm.
Color.—
Moderate olive green (R.H.S. 147A, J.H.S. 3508).
Branching.—
Abundant.
Pubescence.—
Present.
Length of internode.—
8 mm.
Leaf:
Whole shape.—
Lanceolate.
Apex shape.—
Acuminate.
Base shape.—
Cuneate.
Length.—
25 mm.
Width.—
1.9 mm.
Thickness.—
0.3 mm.
Color of upper side.—
Moderate yellow green (R.H.S. 137B, J.H.S. 3712).
Color of reverse side.—
Moderate yellow green (R.H.S. 138A, J.H.S. 3513).
Pubescence.—
Sparse.
Attachment angle to stem.—
Horizontal.
Flower:
Facing direction.—
Upward.
Type.—
Single.
Shape.—
Rotate, five-fissured limb.
Shape of petal tip.—
Obtuse.
Waving of petal.—
Weak.
Lobation of petal.—
Shallow.
Diameter of petal.—
30 mm.
Diameter of tube.—
0.8 mm.
Length of tube.—
14 mm.
Color of petal.—
White (R.H.S. 155D, J.H.S. −01) with light purple center portion (R.H.S. 85C, J.H.S. 8303).
Bottom color of corolla throat.—
Vivid yellow (R.H.S. 12A, J.H.S. 2506).
Outside color of corolla throat.—
Pale yellow(R.H.S. 4D, J.H.S. 3303).
Flowering habit.—
The earliness of flowering is average for Nierembergia genus.
Pistil:
Number.—
1.
Color of stigma.—
Strong yellow green (R.H.S. 144A, J.H.S. 3507).
Stamen:
Number.—
5.
Type.—
Syngenesious.
Color of anther.—
Vivid yellow (R.H.S. 12A, J.H.S. 2506).
Hardiness:
Winter.—
Good.
Rain.—
Poor.
Heat.—
Poor.
Resistance:
Disease.—
Poor.
Insect.—
Excellent.
The botanical characteristics of the male parent plant
Nierembergia caerulea
used in the crossing of ‘Sunnicobu’ are as follows.
Plant:
Growth habit.—
Upright.
Height.—
15 cm.
Spread.—
18 cm.
Stem:
Thickness.—
0.7 mm.
Color.—
Moderate olive green (R.H.S. 147A, J.H.S. 3508).
Branching.—
Medium.
Pubescence.—
Present.
Length of internode.—
9 mm.
Leaf:
Whole shape.—
Lanceolate.
Apex shape.—
Acuminate.
Base shape.—
Cuneate.
Length.—
15 mm.
Width.—
1.6 mm.
Thickness.—
0.3 mm.
Color of upper side.—
Moderate yellow green (R.H.S. 137A, J.H.S. 3712).
Color of reverse side.—
Moderate yellow green (R.H.S. 137B, J.H.S. 3712).
Pubescence.—
Sparse.
Attachment angle to stem.—
Upright.
Flower:
Facing direction.—
Upward.
Type.—
Single.
Shape.—
Rotate, five-fissured limb.
Shape of petal tip.—
Obtuse.
Waving of petal.—
Weak.
Lobation of petal.—
Shallow.
Diameter of petal.—
33 mm.
Diameter of tube.—
0.8 mm.
Length of tube.—
16 mm.
Color of petal.—
Vivid purple (R.H.S. 88A, J.H.S. 8306).
Bottom color of corolla throat.—
Brilliant greenish yellow (R.H.S. 9B, J.H.S. 2704).
Outside color of corolla throat.—
Light gray (R.H.S. 202C, J.H.S. −2).
Flowering habit.—
Late.
Pistil:
Number.—
1.
Color of stigma.—
Strong yellow green (R.H.S. 144A, J.H.S. 3507).
Stamen:
Number.—
5.
Type.—
Syngenesious.
Color of anther.—
Vivid yellow (R.H.S. 12A, J.H.S. 2506).
Hardiness:
Winter.—
Excellent.
Rain.—
Excellent.
Heat.—
Good.
Resistance:
Disease.—
Excellent.
Insect.—
Excellent.
The botanical characteristics of the similar variety ‘Montebranco’ used for examination as a comparison are as follows.
Plant:
Growth habit.—
Tufted.
Height.—
9 cm.
Spread.—
18 cm.
Stem:
Thickness.—
0.8 mm.
Color.—
Moderate olive green (R.H.S. 146A, J.H.S. 3508).
Branching.—
Abundant.
Pubescence.—
Present.
Length of internode.—
8 mm.
Leaf:
Whole shape.—
Linear.
Apex shape.—
Acuminate.
Base shape.—
Cuneate.
Length.—
15 mm.
Width.—
1.1 mm.
Thickness.—
0.3 mm.
Color of upper side.—
Moderate yellow green (R.H.S. 138A, J.H.S. 3513).
Color of reverse side.—
Moderate yellow green (R.H.S. 137C, J.H.S. 3712).
Pubescence.—
Sparse.
Attachment angle to stem.—
Horizontal.
Flower:
Facing direction.—
Upward.
Type.—
Single.
Shape.—
Rotate, five-fissured limb.
Shape of petal tip.—
Obtuse.
Waving of petal.—
Weak.
Lobation of petal.—
Shallow.
Diameter of petal.—
27 mm.
Diameter of tube.—
0.8 mm.
Length of tube.—
15 mm.
Color of petal.—
White (R.H.S. 155D, J.H.S. −01).
Bottom color
Burns Doane Swecker & Mathis L.L.P.
Campell Bruce R.
Kizilkaya Michelle
Suntory Limited
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