USOOPP27974P2

(12) United States Patent (10) Patent No.: US PP27,974 P2 Miyazaki (45) Date of Patent: May 2, 2017

(54) PLANT NAMED “SUNLOBE (52) U.S. Cl. TORECAMA USPC ...... Pt.f451 (50) Latin Name: Lobelia erinus (58) Field of Classification Search Varietal Denomination: Sunlobe Torecama USPC ...... Pt.f451 CPC ...... AO1H 5/02 (71) Applicant: SUNTORY LIMITED, See application file for complete search history. Tokyo (JP) O O W 8 Primary Examiner — Kent L Bell (72) Inventor: Kiyoshi Miyazaki, Shiga (JP) (74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm — C. A. Whealy (73) Assignee: Suntory Flowers Limited, Tokyo (JP) (57) ABSTRACT (*) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this A new and distinct of Lobelia plant named Sunlobe patent is extended or adjusted under 35 Torecama, characterized by its upright to trailing and U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days. mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branch 21) Appl. No.: 14/998.340 ing habit; dense and bushy plant form; freely flowering (21) Appl. No 9 habit; long flowering period; large purple violet-colored (22) Filed: Jan. 4, 2016 flowers with white-colored centers; relative tolerance to high temperatures and good garden performance. (51) Int. Cl. AOIH 5/02 (2006.01) 1 Drawing Sheet

1. 2 Botanical designation: Lobelia erinus. The following traits have been repeatedly observed and Cultivar denomination: “SUNLOBE TORECAMA. are determined to be the unique characteristics of Sunlobe Torecama. These characteristics in combination distinguish BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Sunlobe Torecama as a new and distinct Lobelia plant: 1. Upright to trailing and mounding plant habit. The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar 2. Vigorous growth habit. of Lobelia plant, botanically known as Lobelia erinus and 3. Freely branching habit; dense and bushy plant form. hereinafter referred to by the name Sunlobe Torecama. The new Lobelia plant is a product of a planned breeding 4. Freely flowering habit. program conducted by the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, 10 5. Long flowering period. Japan. The objective of the breeding program is to create 6. Large purple violet-colored flowers with white-colored new outwardly spreading to trailing Lobelia with CenterS. large attractive flowers, good garden performance and high 7. Relatively tolerant to high temperatures. temperature tolerance. 8. Good garden performance. The new Lobelia plant originated from a cross-pollination 15 Plants of the new Lobelia differ primarily from plants of made by the Inventor in May, 2012 of a proprietary selection the female parent selection in branching habit as plants of of Lobelia erinus identified as code number 11 Lob-16a, not the new Lobelia are more freely branching than plants of the patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary female parent selection. selection of Lobelia erinus identified as code number 11 Lob Plants of the new Lobelia differ primarily from plants of 16b, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new the male parent selection in size as plants of the new Lobelia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as Lobelia have larger flowers than plants of the male parent a single within the progeny of the stated selection. cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Plants of the new Lobelia can be compared to plants of Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in May, 2013. 25 Lobelia erinus Lobmounlila, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. Asexual reproduction of the Lobelia plant by vegetative No. 18.410. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in cuttings in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan since May, 2013 has Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, plants of the new Lobelia differed shown that the unique features of this new Lobelia plant are from plants of Lobmounlila in the following characteris stable and reproduced true to type in Successive generations. tics: 30 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 1. Plants of the new Lobelia were more trailing than and not as upright as plants of Lobmounlila. Plants of the new Lobelia have not been observed under 2. Plants of the new Lobelia were taller and broader than all possible combinations of environmental conditions and plants of Lobmounlila. cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with 35 3. of plants of the new Lobelia were longer and variations in environmental conditions such as temperature narrower than leaves of plants of Lobmounlila. and light intensity without, however, any variance in geno 4. Flowers of plants of the new Lobelia had larger centers type. than flowers of plants of Lobmounlila. US PP27,974 P2 3 5. Plants of the new Lobelia were more high temperature description: tolerant than plants of Lobmounlila. Arrangement.—Alternate, simple; sessile. Length. About 3.3 cm. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS Width. About 5.4 mm. Shape.—Lanceolate to oblong. The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the Apex. Acute. overall appearance of the new Lobelia plant showing the Base. Cuneate. colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored Margin. Shallowly serrate. reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may Texture and luster; upper and lower surfaces.— differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed 10 botanical description which accurately describe the actual Smooth, glabrous; matte. colors of the new Lobelia plant. Venation pattern.-Pinnate. The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side Color.—Developing leaves, upper Surface: Close to perspective view of a typical flowering plant of Sunlobe N137D. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to Torecama grown in a container. 15 137C. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up N137C; venation, close to 138B. Fully expanded view of a typical flowering plant of Sunlobe Torecama. leaves, lower surface: Close to 137C; Venation, close to 138B. DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION Flower description: Flower arrangement, habit and shape.—Flowers typi Plants used for the aforementioned photographs and fol cally arranged in terminal and lateral ; flow lowing description were grown in 15-cm containers during erS face mostly outwardly to slanting downward; the spring and early Summer in an outdoor nursery in freely flowering habit with about five flowers per Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and under cultural practices typi and more than 500 flowers developing cal of commercial Lobelia production. During the produc 25 per plant; flowers bilabiate with two upper petals and tion of the plants, day temperatures averaged 23° C. and three larger lower petals. night temperatures averaged 13°C. Plants were four months Fragrance. None detected. old when the photographs and description were taken. In the Natural flowering season. In Japan, plants of the new following description, color references are made to The Lobelia flower continuously from May until Octo Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, 30 ber, early flowering habit, plants begin flowering except where general terms of ordinary dictionary signifi about three to four weeks after planting. cance are used. Flower longevity On the plant.—Longevity of indi Botanical classification: Lobelia erinus Sunlobe Torecama. vidual flowers is highly dependent on temperature, Parentage: flowers typically last about 10 to 14 days on the Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of 35 plant; flowers persistent. Lobelia erinus identified as code number 11 Lob-16a, Inflorescence length. About 16.4 cm. not patented. Inflorescence diameter.—About 10.6 cm. Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Flower length. About 1.5 cm. Lobelia erinus identified as code number 11 Lob-16b, Flower diameter.—About 1.6 cm. not patented. 40 Flower depth. About 1.5 cm. Propagation: Flower tube length. About 7 mm. Tipe cutting. Vegetative cuttings. Flower tube diameter, mid-section.—About 2.6 mm. Time to initiate roots, summer and winter.—About one Flower tube diameter, base.—About 1.6 mm. week at temperatures about 15° C. to 20° C. Flower throat diameter.—About 3.5 mm. Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer and 45 Flower buds. Length: About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About winter. About three weeks at temperatures about 3.3 mm. Shape: Club-shaped. Color: Towards the 15o C. to 200 C. apex, close to 77A: mid-section, close to 145C: Root description. Fibrous; typically white in color, towards the base, close to N80B. actual color of the roots is dependent on Substrate Petals. Arrangement: Single whorl of five petals composition, water quality, fertilizer type and for 50 fused towards the base; two upper petals and three mulation, Substrate temperature and physiological larger lower petals. Upper petals: Length, beyond age of roots. throat: About 5.3 mm. Width: About 1.7 mm. Shape: Rooting habit. Freely branching; relatively dense. Elliptic. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture and Plant description: luster, upper and lower Surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; Plant and growth habit.—Upright to trailing and 55 matte. Lower petals: Length, central petal, beyond mounding plant habit; freely branching habit with throat: About 9.7 mm. Length, lateral petals, beyond lateral branches developing at potentially every throat: About 9.1 mm. Width, central petal, beyond node; dense and bushy plant habit; vigorous growth throat: About 5 mm. Width, lateral petals, beyond habit. throat: About 6 mm. Shape, central and lateral petals: Plant height.—About 25 cm. 60 Obovate. Apex, central and lateral petals: Cuspidate. Plant width. About 65 cm. Margin, central and lateral petals: Entire; slightly Lateral branch description.—Length: About 24 cm to undulate. Texture and luster, central and lateral pet 29 cm. Diameter: About 1.3 mm to 1.6 mm. Inter als, upper and lower Surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; node length: About 2.3 cm. Strength: Strong, flex matte. Color, upper petals: When opening and fully ible. Aspect: Outwardly spreading. Texture: Smooth, 65 opened, upper surface: Close to N81 A. When open glabrous. Color: Close to 137B. ing and fully opened, lower surface: Close to N81 B. US PP27,974 P2 5 6 Color, lower petals: When opening and fully opened, N82D. Anther size: About 1 mm by 1.5 mm. Anther upper surface: Close to N81A; towards the throat, shape: Elliptic. Anther color: Close to 72A. Pollen close to NN155D. When opening and fully opened, amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 4C. Pistils: lower surface: Close to N81 B; towards the throat, Quantity per flower: One. Pistill length: About 8.2 close to NN155D. Color, throat: Close to 84B; spots, mm. Stigma shape: Globose. Stigma color: Close to close to N81B: nectar guides, close to 144D. Color, 92A. Style color: Close to N82B. Ovary color: Close tube: Close to N81 B. to 145B. . Arrangement: Single whorl of five sepals, and seeds. and seed development have fused at the base; star-shaped calyx. Length: About not been observed on plants of the new Lobelia. 4.4 mm. Width: About 0.9 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. 10 Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Lobelia have Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, not been noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte. common to Lobelia plants. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 137B Garden performance: Plants of the new Lobelia have been tinged with close to 79B. observed to have good garden performance and to tolerate Pedicels. Length: About 1.8 cm. Diameter: About 0.4 15 wind, rain and temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to mm. Strength: Strong, flexible. Texture: Smooth, about 35° C. glabrous. Color: Close to 143A. It is claimed: Reproductive Organs.—: Quantity per flower: 1. A new and distinct Lobelia plant named 'Sunlobe Five. Filament length: About 5.7 mm. Filament Torecama as illustrated and described. color: Distally, close to N82A; proximally, close to U.S. Patent May 2, 2017 US PP27,974 P2