Portulaca plant named ‘Balriowite’

Abstract

A new and distinct cultivar of Portulaca plant named ‘Balriowite’ characterized by its white-colored flowers, medium green-colored foliage, and vigorous, low spreading growth habit.

Description

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Portulaca oleracea.

Variety denomination: ‘Balriowite’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Portulaca plant botanically known as Portulaca oleracea and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Balriowite’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program in Cartago, Costa Rica during January 2002. The objective of the breeding program was the development of free flowering Portulaca cultivars with well-branched, and vigorous, spreading growth habit.

The new cultivar was the result of a self-pollination of the proprietary Portulaca oleracea breeding selection designated ‘Wild Fire White’, not patented, characterized by its medium size, white-colored flowers, and compact, trailing growth habit. The new cultivar was discovered and selected by the inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the above stated self-pollination during June 2002 in a controlled environment at Cartago, Costa Rica.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings since June 2002 at Cartago, Costa Rica and West Chicago, Ill. has demonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true to type with all characteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedly observed and can be used to distinguish ‘Balriowite’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Portulaca plant:

• • 1. White-colored flowers;
  • 2. Medium green-colored foliage; and
  • 3. Vigorous, low spreading growth habit.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the parent primarily in flower size.

Of the many commercially available Portulaca cultivars known to the inventor, the most similar in comparison to the new cultivar is ‘Summer Joy White’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,326. However, in side by side comparisons, plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of ‘Summer Joy White’ in the following characteristics:

• • 1. Plants of the new cultivar have more fully opened flowers per plant at any one time than plants of ‘Summer Joy White’; and
  • 2. Plants of the new cultivar have smaller flowers than plants of ‘Summer Joy White’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompany photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typical flower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in the photographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed description, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Balriowite’. The plants were grown in 10 cm pots for 11 weeks in a greenhouse at West Chicago, Ill.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habit of ‘Balriowite’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of an individual flower of ‘Balriowite’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature, light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, 2001 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significance are used. The color values were determined on Aug. 8, 2005 between 3:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. under natural light conditions, in West Chicago, Ill.

The following descriptions and measurements describe plants produced from cuttings taken from stock plants and grown in a double polycarbonate-covered greenhouse under conditions comparable to those used in commercial practice. The plants were grown at West Chicago, Ill. in 10 cm pots for 11 weeks utilizing a soilless growth medium. Greenhouse temperatures were maintained at approximately 70° F. to 80° F. (21° C. to 26° C.) during the day and approximately 62° F. to 68° F. (17° C. to 20° C.) during the night. Greenhouse light levels of 5,000 to 10,000 footcandles were maintained during the day.

• Botanical classification: Portulaca oleracea cultivar Balriowite.
• Parentage:
  • • Parent.—‘Wild Fire White’, not patented.
• Propagation:
  • • Type cutting.—Terminal stem.
    • Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 4 to 7 days.
    • Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 14 to 21 days.
    • Root description.—Fibrous.
    • Rooting habit.—Freely branching.
• Plant description:
  • • Crop time.—Approximately 5 to 6 weeks from a rooted cutting.
    • Growth habit and general appearance.—Vigorous, low spreading.
    • Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane: Approximately 8.9 cm. Height to top of foliage: Approximately 5.0 cm. Width: Approximately 40.7 cm.
    • Branching habit.—Freely basal branching. Approximately 4 main branches per plant and approximately 18 secondary branches per plant.
    • Branch.—Strength: Strong. Shape: Square in cross section. Length: Approximately 25.7 cm. Diameter: Approximately 5.0 mm. Texture: Glabrous. Color of stem: 145B. Internode length at center of branch: Approximately 2.4 cm.
    • Foliage.—Number of leaves per main branch: Approximately 12. Fragrance: None. Form: Simple, fleshy succulent. Arrangement: Alternate. Aspect: Obtuse angle to stem. Shape: Obovate. Margin: Entire. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Attenuate. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Length of mature leaf: Approximately 2.0 cm. Width of mature leaf: Approximately 1.1 cm. Depth of mature leaf: Approximately 1.4 mm. Texture of upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous. Color of upper surface of young and mature foliage: 137A with venation of N144D. Color of lower surface of young and mature foliage: 147B with venation of N144D. Petiole length: Approximately 2.0 mm. Petiole diameter: Approximately 2.0 mm. Petiole texture: Glabrous. Petiole color: N144D.
• Flowering description:
  • • Flowering habit.—‘Balriowite’ is freely flowering under outdoor growing conditions with substantially continuous blooming from spring through autumn and year round in greenhouse environment.
    • Time to first flower.—Approximately 11.5 weeks after sticking of unrooted cutting.
    • Lastingness of individual bloom.—Approximately 1 day.
• Flower description:
  • • Type.—Solitary, rotate, sessile, not persistent. Quantity of fully open flowers per plant at eleven weeks: Approximately 15.
    • Bud rate of opening.—Generally takes 1 day for bud to progress from first color to fully open flower.
    • Bud just before opening.—Shape: Ovate. Length: Approximately 1.2 cm. Diameter: Approximately 6.8 mm. Texture: Glabrous. Color: 155D.
    • Corolla.—Form: Single. Diameter: Approximately 3.6 cm. Corolla depth: Approximately: 1.6 cm.
    • Petals.—Quantity: 5. Shape: Obovate. Apex: Emarginate. Margin: Entire. Appearance: Shiny. Texture of upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous. Petal length: Approximately 1.8 cm. Petal width: Approximately 1.5 cm. Color of upper and lower surfaces: Lighter than 155B with small area of 154D at attachment point.
    • Sepals.—Quantity per flower: 2. Shape: Deltoid. Apex: Mucronate. Sepal length: Approximately 7.6 mm. Sepal width: Approximately 6.4 mm. Texture of upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous. Color of upper and lower surfaces: 144C with venation of 144B.
    • Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity: Approximately 67. Stamen length: Approximately 5.0 mm. Filament color: 145D. Anther shape: Oval, bilobed. Anther length: Approximately 0.8 mm. Anther color: 2D. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen color: Closest to 25A. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity: One per flower. Pistil length: Approximately 1.6 cm. Stigma shape: Five-branched. Stigma length: Approximately 4.0 mm. Stigma color: 155B. Style length: Approximately 9.0 mm. Style color: 145C. Ovary diameter: Approximately 3.0 mm. Ovary color: 144B.
• Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has been observed.
• Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to Portulaca has not been observed.

Claims

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Portulaca plant named ‘Balriowite’, substantially as herein shown and described.