plant named ‘Sunparacore’

Abstract

A new and distinct cultivar of Mandevilla plant named ‘Sunparacore’, characterized by its compact plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit and short internodes, dense and bushy plant form; freely flowering habit; medium-sized dark red-colored flowers; and long flowering period.

Description

Botanical designation: Mandevilla×amabilis.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SUNPARACORE’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Mandevilla plant, botanically known as Mandevilla×amabilis and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Sunparacore’.

The new Mandevilla plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan. The objective of the breeding program is to create new freely-branching Mandevilla plants with numerous dark red-colored flowers.

The new Mandevilla plant originated from an open-pollination in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in April, 2006 of a proprietary selection of Mandevilla×amabilis identified as code number M37-mt1, not patented, as the female, or seed parent with an unknown selection of Mandevilla×amabilis as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Mandevilla plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in October, 2007.

Asexual reproduction of the new Mandevilla plant by cuttings in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, since November, 2007 has shown that the unique features of this new Mandevilla plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Mandevilla have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions 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 ‘Sunparacore’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Sunparacore’ as a new and distinct Mandevilla plant:

• • 1. Compact plant habit.
  • 2. Vigorous growth habit.
  • 3. Freely branching habit and short internodes, dense and bushy plant form.
  • 4. Freely flowering habit.
  • 5. Medium-sized dark red-colored flowers.
  • 6. Long flowering period.

Plants of the new Mandevilla can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Mandevilla differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

• • 1. Plants of the new Mandevilla have slightly longer internodes than plants of the female parent selection.

2. Petals of plants of the new Mandevilla are ovate in shape whereas petals of plants of the female parent selection are spatulate in shape.

• • 3. Plants of the new Mandevilla and the female parent selection differ in flower color as plants of the female parent selection have red purple-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Mandevilla can be compared to plants of the Mandevilla ‘Sunmanderemi’, disclosed in a U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,449. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, plants of the new Mandevilla differed from plants of ‘Sunmanderemi’ in the following characteristics:

• • 1. Plants of the new Mandevilla had longer internodes than plants of ‘Sunmanderemi’.
  • 2. Petals of plants of the new Mandevilla were ovate in shape whereas petals of plants of ‘Sunmanderemi’ were spatulate in shape.
  • 3. Plants of the new Mandevilla had smaller leaves than plants of ‘Sunmanderemi’.
  • 4. Flowers of plants of the new Mandevilla were darker in color than flowers of plants of ‘Sunmanderemi’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Mandevilla 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 actual colors of the new Mandevilla plant.

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

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical flower of ‘Sunparacore’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the summer in 15-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and under commercial practice. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 25° C. and night temperatures averaged 15° C. Plants were six months old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

• Botanical classification: Mandevilla×amabilis ‘Sunparacore’.
• Parentage:
  • • Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Mandevilla×amabilis identified as code number M37-mt1, not patented.
    • Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Mandevilla×amabilis, not patented.
• Propagation:
  • • Type.—By vegetative cuttings.
    • Time to initiate roots.—About two weeks at 23° C. to 25° C.
    • Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About five to six weeks at 23° C. to 25° C.
    • Root description.—Fibrous; light brown in color.
    • Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density.
• Plant description:
  • • Plant and growth habit.—Vining plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit.
    • Lateral branch description.—Length: About 121 cm. Diameter: About 1.9 mm. Internode length: About 3.2 cm. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color, developing: Close to 143A. Color, mature: Close to 177A.
• Foliage description:
  • • Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.
    • Length.—About 6.5 cm.
    • Width.—About 3.6 cm.
    • Shape.—Obovate.
    • Apex.—Cuspidate.
    • Base.—Obtuse.
    • Margin.—Entire.
    • Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous; leathery.
    • Venation pattern.—Pinnate, reticulate.
    • Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 138A. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to N137A; venation, close to 144B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 137C; venation, close to 159A.
    • Petiole length.—About 1.6 cm.
    • Petiole diameter.—About 1.3 mm.
    • Petiole texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.
    • Petiole color, upper and lower surfaces.—Close to 144B.
• Flower description:
  • • Flower type and habit.—Single salverform flowers; flowers arranged in axillary racemes; flowers face upright and outwardly; freely flowering habit with about four to five flowers per inflorescence.
    • Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about six weeks after planting; long flowering period, plants flower continuously from early summer to late autumn in Japan.
    • Flower longevity on the plant.—About seven to ten days; flowers not persistent.
    • Fragrance.—None detected.
    • Flowers.—Appearance: Flared trumpet, corolla fused and five-parted; flowers roughly star-shaped. Diameter: About 7.6 cm. Depth (length): About 6.4 cm. Throat diameter: About 1.6 cm. Tube length: About 5.2 cm. Tube diameter, mid-section: About 1.3 cm. Tube diameter, base: About 3.8 mm.
    • Flower buds.—Height: About 7 cm. Diameter: About 1.3 cm. Shape: Lenticular. Color: Towards the apex, close to 59A; mid-section, close to 185B; towards the base, close to 145C.
    • Corolla.—Quantity and arrangement: Five petals arranged in a single whorl and fused at the base. Petal length: About 3.5 cm. Petal width: About 3.1 cm. Petal shape: Ovate. Petal apex: Cuspidate. Petal margin: Entire. Petal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; satiny. Throat texture: Smooth, glabrous. Tube texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Petal, when opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 185A. Petal, fully opened, upper surface: Close to 185A. Petal, fully opened, lower surface: Close to 187B. Throat: Close to N163B; towards the petal lobes, close to 185A. Tube: Towards the apex, close to 185A; mid-section, close to 155A; towards the base, close to 185C.
    • Corona.—Quantity and arrangement: Five sepals arranged in a single whorl. Sepal length: About 1.1 cm. Sepal width: About 2.5 mm. Sepal shape: Lanceolate. Sepal apex: Acuminate. Sepal base: Obtuse. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Sepal color: Immature, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144D. Mature, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144D.
    • Peduncles.—Length: About 1.7 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Strength: Flexible, but strong. Color: Close to 144A.
    • Pedicels.—Length: About 1.8 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Strength: Flexible, but strong. Color: Close to 179B.
    • Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity and arrangement: Typically five; filaments fused to corolla; anthers, connivent. Anther shape: Ellipsoidal. Anther size: About 1 mm by 1 cm. Anther color: Close to 12C. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 12C. Pistils: Quantity: Typically one. Pistil length: About 2.2 cm. Style color: Close to 144D. Stigma shape: Conical. Stigma color: Close to 2C. Ovary color: Close to 144B.
    • Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit production have not been observed on plants of the new Mandevilla.
• Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Mandevilla have not been noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Mandevilla plants.
• Garden performance: Plants of the new Mandevilla have been observed to tolerate wind, rain and temperatures ranging from about 4° C. to about 30° C.

Claims

1. A new and distinct Mandevilla plant named ‘Sunparacore’ as illustrated and described.