plant named ‘Marilyn’

Abstract

A new and distinct cultivar of Mandevilla plant named ‘Marilyn’, characterized by its compact, upright and mounding plant habit; strong stems; early and freely flowering habit; and large light red purple and light pink-colored flowers.

Description

Botanical designation: Mandevilla hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘MARILYN’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

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

The new Mandevilla plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Cobbitty, New South Wales, Australia. The objective of the breeding program is to create new shrub-type Mandevilla plants with strong stems and numerous attractive flowers.

The new Mandevilla plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in Cobbitty, New South Wales, Australia in December, 2006 of Mandevilla hybrida ‘Ginger’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,776, as the female, or seed parent with Mandevilla hybrida ‘Audrey’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,777, 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 cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Cobbitty, New South Wales, Australia in November, 2008.

Asexual reproduction of the new Mandevilla plant by cuttings in Macquarie Fields, New South Wales, Australia, since December, 2008 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 ‘Marilyn’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Marilyn’ as a new and distinct Mandevilla plant:

• • 1. Compact, upright and mounding plant habit.
  • 2. Strong stems.
  • 3. Early and freely flowering habit.
  • 4. Large light red purple and light pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Mandevilla can be compared to plants of the female parent, ‘Ginger’. Plants of the new Mandevilla differ from plants of ‘Ginger’ in the following characteristics:

• • 1. Plants of the new Mandevilla have larger flowers than plants of ‘Ginger’.
  • 2. Plants of the new Mandevilla and ‘Ginger’ differ in flower color as plants of ‘Ginger’ have intense pink-colored flowers.

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

• • 1. Plants of the new Mandevilla have larger flowers than plants of ‘Audrey’.
  • 2. Plants of the new Mandevilla and ‘Audrey’ differ in flower color as plants of ‘Audrey’ have deep red-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Mandevilla can also be compared to plants of Mandevilla hybrida ‘Sunparaprero’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,399. Plants of the new Mandevilla differ primarily from plants of ‘Sunparaprero’ in the following characteristics:

• • 1. Plants of the new Mandevilla are shorter than plants of ‘Sunparaprero’.
  • 2. Plants of the new Mandevilla flower earlier than plants of ‘Sunparaprero’.
  • 3. Plants of the new Mandevilla and ‘Sunparaprero’ differ in flower color as plants of ‘Sunparaprero’ have dark pink-colored flowers.

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 bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Marilyn’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Marilyn’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the spring and summer with three plants in 20-cm containers in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse in Bonsall, Calif. under commercial production cultural practices. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 32° C., night temperatures ranged from 7° C. to 18° C. and light levels ranged from 7,000 to 8,000 foot-candles. Plants were pinched one time and were eight weeks 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 hybrida ‘Marilyn’.
• Parentage:
  • • Female, or seed, parent.—Mandevilla hybrida ‘Ginger’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,776.
    • Male, or pollen, parent.—Mandevilla hybrida ‘Audrey’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,777.
• Propagation:
  • • Type.—By cuttings.
    • Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About one month.
    • Root description.—Fleshy, thick; white in color.
    • Rooting habit.—Moderate branching; medium density.
• Plant description:
  • • Plant and growth habit.—Compact, upright and mounding plant habit, slightly vining; vigorous growth habit.
    • Plant height.—About 26.5 cm.
    • Plant diameter.—About 27 cm.
    • Lateral branch description.—Branching habit: Freely branching habit with about four primary lateral branches per plant; primary laterals with about three to four secondary lateral branches each; pinching enhances lateral branch development. Length: About 28 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm. Internode length: About 1.6 cm to 2 cm. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous; woody with development. Color, young: Close to 146A. Color, woody: Close to N199A.
• Foliage description:
  • • Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.
    • Length.—About 5.1 cm.
    • Width.—About 3.3 cm.
    • Shape.—Elliptical.
    • Apex.—Acuminate.
    • Base.—Obtuse.
    • Margin.—Entire.
    • Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous; leathery.
    • Venation pattern.—Pinnate, arcuate.
    • Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 146A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 146A. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to N137A; venation, close to 146B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 146A; venation, close to 146D.
    • Petioles.—Length: About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Sparsely pubescent. Color, upper surface: Close to 146B. Color, lower surface: Close to 146C.
• Flower description:
  • • Flower type and habit.—Salverform flowers arranged in terminal and axillary clusters; flowers face mostly outwardly; freely flowering habit, about five flowers develop per cluster with about 40 flowers developing per plant.
    • Natural flowering season.—Plants flower continuously year-round in the greenhouse and outdoors in Southern Calif.
    • Flower longevity on the plant.—About five days; flowers not persistent.
    • Fragrance.—None detected.
    • Flowers.—Appearance: Funnelform with five-parted fused corolla; flowers roughly star-shaped. Diameter: About 7.1 cm. Depth (length): About 6.8 cm. Throat diameter: About 1.4 cm. Tube length: About 6 cm. Tube diameter, at the base: About 4 mm.
    • Flower buds.—Height: About 7.2 cm. Diameter: About 1.3 cm. Shape: Elongated oblong. Color: Close to 68A to 68B.
    • Corolla.—Arrangement and appearance: Single whorl of five petals, fused into flared trumpet; petals imbricate. Petal lobe length: About 3.4 cm. Petal lobe width: About 2.4 cm. Petal lobe shape: Roughly ovate, asymmetrical. Petal apex: Acute to acuminate; reflexing. Petal margin: Entire. Petal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Throat texture: Smooth, glabrous. Tube texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Petal lobe, when opening, upper surface: Close to 63A. Petal lobe, when opening, lower surface: Close to 63B to 63C. Petal lobe, fully opened, upper surface: Towards the apex and margins, close to 63A; center and towards the base, close to 68A to 68B; color does not fade with development; venation, close to 63A. Petal lobe, fully opened, lower surface: Close to 59B with occasional color breaks towards the apex, close to N155A; venation, close to 59D. Throat: Close to 15A to 15B; venation, close to 15B. Tube: Towards the apex, close to 63D; mid-section, close to 145C; towards the base, close to 145D; venation, close to 145C.
    • Sepals.—Arrangement and appearance: Five per flower fused in a single whorl. Length: About 6 mm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute to acuminate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, inner surface: Close to 145C. Color, outer surface: Close to 145A to 145B.
    • Peduncles.—Length: About 2.3 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Strength: Strong, flexible. Aspect: About 45° from stem axis. Color: Close to 145A.
    • Pedicels.—Length: About 1.8 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Strength: Strong, flexible. Aspect: About 30° from peduncle axis. Color: Close to 145A.
    • Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically five. Filament length: About 3 mm. Filament color: Close to 157B. Anther shape: Lanceolate. Anther size: About 1 cm by 2 mm. Anther color: Close to 161C. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: Close to NN155A. Pistils: Quantity per flower: Typically one. Pistil length: About 2.3 cm. Stigma shape: Rounded; five-lobed. Stigma color: Close to 145A. Style length: About 2.1 cm. Style color: Close to 145B. Ovary color: Close to 144C.
    • 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.
• Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Mandevilla have been observed to tolerate temperatures from about 2° C. to about 35° C.

Claims

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