USPP20578P2 - Nemesia plant named ‘GG Pearl’ - Google Patents

Abstract

A new and distinct cultivar of Nemesia plant named ‘GG Pearl’, characterized by its compact, upright and mounded growth habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; long flowering period; light pink-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Description

Botanical designation: Nemesia hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘GG Pearl’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Nemesia, botanically known as Nemesia hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘GG Pearl’.

The new Nemesia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Hiratuka, Kanagawa, Japan. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact, mounding and freely-branching Nemesia cultivars with attractive flower coloration.

The new Nemesia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in November, 2005 in Hiratuka, Kanagawa, Japan of a proprietary selection of Nemesia hybrida identified as code number TNW-5, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with Nemesia hybrida ‘Pensug’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,811), not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Nemesia was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Hiratuka, Kanagawa, Japan in April, 2006.

Asexual reproduction of the new Nemesia plant by vegetative cuttings in a controlled environment in Hiratuka, Kanagawa, Japan since April, 2006, has shown that the unique features of this new Nemesia are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Nemesia have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘GG Pearl’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘GG Pearl’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Nemesia:

• • 1. Compact, upright and mounded growth habit.
  • 2. Freely branching habit.
  • 3. Freely flowering habit.
  • 4. Long flowering period.
  • 5. Light pink-colored flowers.
  • 6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Nemesia can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Nemesia differ from plants of the female parent selection primarily in flower color as plants of the female parent selection have purplish white-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Nemesia can be compared to plants of the male parent, ‘Pensug’. Plants of the new Nemesia differ from plants of ‘Pensug’ in the following characteristics:

• • 1. Plants of the new Nemesia are more compact than plants of ‘Pensug’.
  • 2. Plants of the new Nemesia are more freely branching than plants of ‘Pensug’.
  • 3. Plants of the new Nemesia and ‘Pensug’ differ in flower color as plants of ‘Pensug’ have white-colored flowers.

Plants ofthe new Nemesia can also be compared to plants of ‘Puffy White Eye’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Hiratuka, Kanagawa, Japan, plants of the new Nemesia differed from plants of ‘Puffy White Eye’ in the following characteristics:

• • 1. Plants of the new Nemesia were more compact and mounding than plants of ‘Puffy White Eye’.
  • 2. Plants of the new Nemesia were more freely branching than plants of ‘Puffy White Eye’.
  • 3. Plants of the new Nemesia had larger inflorescences and flowers than plants of ‘Puffy White Eye’.
  • 4. Plants of the new Nemesia and ‘Puffy White Eye’ differed in flower color as plants of ‘Puffy White Eye’ had light violet-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Nemesia plant, 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 accurately describe the colors of the new Nemesia.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘GG Pearl’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of typical flowers of ‘GG Pearl’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in Hiratuka, Kanagawa, Japan, under commercial practice during the winter and early spring in a glass-covered greenhouse with day temperatures ranging from 12° C. to 20° C. and night temperatures ranging from 5° C. to 8° C. Plants had been growing for four months when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

• Botanical classification: Nemesia hybrida ‘GG Pearl’.
• Parentage:
  • • Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Nemesia hybrida identified as code number TNW-5, not patented.
    • Male, or pollen, parent.—Nemesia hybrida ‘Pensug’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,811).
• Propagation:
  • • Type.—By vegetative cuttings.
    • Time to initiate roots.—About one week at temperatures of 20° C. to 25° C.
    • Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About 20 days at temperatures of 15° C. to 20° C.
    • Root description.—Fibrous; white in color.
    • Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense.
• Plant description:
  • • Plant and growth habit.—Compact, upright and mounded growth habit. Freely branching with two lateral branches potentially forming at every node. Vigorous growth habit.
    • Plant height.—About 13 cm.
    • Plant diameter.—About 27.9 cm.
• Lateral branch description:
  • • Length.—About 8 cm.
    • Diameter.—About 1.2 mm.
    • Internode length.—About 2 cm.
    • Strength.—Strong; flexible.
    • Aspect.—Upright to somewhat outwardly spreading.
    • Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.
    • Color.—Close to 144A.
• Foliage description:
  • • Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.
    • Length.—About 2 cm.
    • Width.—About 9 mm.
    • Shape.—Lanceolate.
    • Apex.—Acute.
    • Base.—Obtuse.
    • Margin.—Serrate.
    • Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.
    • Venation pattern.—Pinnate, reticulate.
    • Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137B; venation, close to 144D. Developing and fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 138B; venation, close to 144D.
    • Petioles.—Length: About 1.7 mm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144D.
• Flower description:
  • • Flower arrangement and habit.—Bilabiate solitary flowers arranged on terminal racemes; flowering acropetally towards the apex; flowers facing upright to outwardly. Freely flowering habit with about six flowers per raceme and about 39 racemes per plant.
    • Fragrance.—None detected.
    • Natural flowering season.—In Japan, plants flower from late summer to early autumn; flowering continuous during this period. Flowers begin flowering about three months after planting.
    • Flower longevity.—Flowers last about five to seven days on the plant; flowers not persistent.
    • Inflorescence height.—About 8.1 cm.
    • Inflorescence diameter.—About 3.9 cm.
    • Flower diameter.—About 2.1 cm by 2.1 cm.
    • Flower depth.—About 9 mm.
    • Tube length.—About 1.9 mm.
    • Tube diameter.—About 2.3 mm.
    • Flower buds.—Shape: Obovate. Length: About 9.5 mm. Diameter: About 5.7 mm. Color: Close to 4D.
    • Petals.—Arrangement: Five modified petals; four upper petals fused forming an upright lobed and arched banner lip; lower petal modified into a larger lip with convex oval protuberance serving as a nectar guide and insect landing platform. Shape, upper lip: Elliptic. Shape, lower lip: Cordate. Apex, upper lip: Rounded. Apex, lower lip: Cordate. Margin, upper lip: Entire. Margin, lower lip: Entire; slightly undulate. Length, upper lip: About 9.1 mm. Length, lower lip: About 9.1 mm. Width, upper lip: About 3 mm to 6 mm. Width, lower lip: About 1.7 cm. Texture, upper and lower lips, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper lip: When opening, upper surface: Close to 69C; towards the throat, close to N155D. When opening, lower surface: Close to 69C. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 69D; towards the throat, close to N155D. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 69D. Color, lower lip: When opening, upper surface: Close to 69C; nectar guide, close to 3A. When opening, lower surface: Close to 69C. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 69D; nectar guide, close to 3A. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 69D. Color, throat and tube: Close to 145D.
    • Spur.—Length: About 6 mm. Diameter: About 2.3 mm. Color: Close to 4D.
    • Sepals.—Arrangement: Calyx star-shaped with five sepals fused at the base. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Length: About 2.6 mm. Width: About 1.5 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144A.
    • Peduncles.—Length: About 3.1 cm. Diameter: About 1.3 mm. Strength: Moderately strong; flexible. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 144A.
    • Pedicels.—Length: About 1.25 cm. Diameter: About 0.4 mm. Strength: Moderately strong; flexible. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 144A.
    • Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity/arrangement: Four per flower. Stamen length: About 1.6 mm to 3.4 mm. Anther shape: Narrowly elliptic. Anther size: About 1.5 mm by 0.7 mm. Anther color: Close to 8A. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 8B. Pistils: Quantity: One per flower. Pistil length: About 2.7 mm. Style color: Close to 145D. Stigma shape: Ovate. Stigma color: Close to 145D. Ovary color: Close to 143C. Seed/fruit: Seed and fruit development have not been observed on plants of the new Nemesia.
• Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Nemesia have not been observed to be resistant to pests and pathogens common to Nemesia.
• Garden performance: Plants of the new Nemesia have been observed have good garden performance and to tolerate wind, rain and temperatures ranging from 5° C. to 35° C.

Claims (1)

1. A new and distinct Nemesia plant named ‘GG Pearl’ as illustrated and described.

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