plant named ‘Duetisushine’

Abstract

A new and distinct cultivar of Osteospermum plant named ‘Duetisushine’, characterized by its compact, upright and mounded plant habit; freely branching growth habit; freely flowering habit; and daisy-type inflorescences with elongated oblong-shaped ray florets that are clear yellow in color.

Description

Botanical designation: Osteospermum ecklonis.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DUETISUSHINE’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

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

The new Osteospermum plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany. The objective of the program is to create and develop new freely-branching Osteospermum cultivars with uniformly mounded plant habit and attractive inflorescence coloration.

The new Osteospermum plant originated from a self-pollination conducted by the Inventor in August, 2005 of a proprietary selection of Osteospermum ecklonis identified as code number Q04-7211-1, not patented. The new Osteospermum was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated self-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany in May, 2007.

Asexual reproduction of the new Osteospermum plant by terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in Rheinberg, Germany since May, 2007, has shown that the unique features of this new Osteospermum plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Osteospermum have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment 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 ‘Duetisushine’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Duetisushine’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Osteospermum:

• • 1. Compact, upright and mounded plant habit.
  • 2. Freely branching growth habit.
  • 3 Early and freely flowering habit.
  • 4. Daisy-type inflorescences with elongated oblong-shaped ray florets that are clear yellow in color.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Rheinberg, Germany, plants of the new Osteospermum differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in ray floret coloration. In addition, plants of the new Osteospermum are more freely branching than plants of the female parent selection.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Rheinberg, Germany, plants of the new Osteospermum differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in ray floret coloration. In addition, plants of the new Osteospermum are more freely branching than plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Osteospermum can be compared to plants of the Osteospermum ecklonis ‘Countryside’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Rheinberg, Germany, plants of the new Osteospermum differed primarily from plants of ‘Countryside’ in the following characteristics:

• • 1. Plants of the new Osteospermum were more vigorous than plants of ‘Countryside’.
  • 2. Plants of the new Osteospermum had smaller leaves than plants of ‘Countryside’.
  • 3. Plants of the new Osteospermum were more freely flowering than plants of ‘Countryside’.
  • 4. Plants of the new Osteospermum and ‘Countryside’ differed in ray floret color as plants of ‘Countryside’ had lighter yellow-colored ray florets.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Osteospermum. This photograph shows the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Osteospermum plant. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Duetisushine’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph, following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Rheinberg, Germany during the spring in a glass-covered greenhouse and under conditions and practices which approximate those generally used in commercial Osteospermum production. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures averaged 18° C. and light levels averaged 4,500 lux. Measurements and numerical values represent averages for typical flowering plants. Plants had been growing for 16 weeks when the photograph and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

• Botanical classification: Osteospermum ecklonis ‘Duetisushine’.
• Parentage:
  • • Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Osteospermum ecklonis identified as code number Q04-7211-1, not patented.
    • Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Osteospermum ecklonis, identified as code number Q04-7211-1, not patented.
• Propagation:
  • • Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.
    • Time to initiate roots.—About ten days at 20° C.
    • Time to produce a rooted cutting.—About three weeks at 20° C.
    • Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.
    • Rooting habit.—Freely branching.
• Plant description:
  • • Plant form/growth habit.—Compact, upright and mounded plant habit. Inflorescences positioned well above the foliar plane. Moderately vigorous growth habit.
    • Plant height.—About 16.5 cm.
    • Plant diameter.—About 15 cm.
    • Lateral branches.—Quantity per plant: Freely branching, about six lateral branches per plant. Length: About 14.5 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm. Internode length: About 5 mm. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 144B.
    • Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length: About 5.8 cm. Width: About 2.7 cm. Shape: Spatulate. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Dentate. Texture, upper surface: Pubescent; leathery. Texture, lower surface: Smooth, glabrous; leathery. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color: Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137B. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 144A. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A; venation, close to 144B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 137B to 137C; venation, close to 144B. Petiole length: About 6 mm. Petiole diameter: About 3 mm. Petiole texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Petiole color, upper surface: Close to 144A to 144B. Petiole color, lower surface: Close to 144B.
• Inflorescence description:
  • • Appearance/habit.—Daisy-type inflorescence form with elongated oblong-shaped ray florets. Inflorescences positioned above the foliage, arising from leaf axils. Disc and ray florets developing acropetally on a capitulum. Inflorescences face mostly upright to somewhat outwardly. Freely flowering habit; about 40 to 45 inflorescences develop over time per plant.
    • Fragrance.—None detected.
    • Flowering response.—In Rheinberg, Germany, plants of the new Osteospermum flower continuously during the spring and summer. Early flowering habit, plants begin flowering about six weeks after planting. Inflorescences last about three days on the plant; inflorescences not persistent.
    • Inflorescence bud.—Height: About 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 1 cm. Shape: Ovate. Color: Close to 137B and 144C.
    • Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 6.3 cm. Depth (height): About 2.8 cm. Disc diameter: About 1.3 cm. Receptacle diameter: About 4 mm. Receptacle height: About 3 mm.
    • Ray florets.—Shape: Elongated oblong. Length: About 3.2 cm. Width: About 1 cm. Apex: Emarginate. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Number of ray florets per inflorescence: About 23 arranged in about two whorls. Color: When opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to 12B to 12C; towards the base, close to 155A; at the base, close to 76C to 76D; color does not fade with development. When opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 12B; towards the base, close to 174A to 174B.
    • Disc florets.—Shape: Tubular; apex dentate, five-pointed. Length: About 5 mm. Diameter, apex: About 2 mm. Diameter, base: About 1 mm. Number of disc florets per inflorescence: About 50. Color: Immature: Close to 93C. Mature: Apex: Close to 93A to 93C. Mid-section: Close to 154D. Base: Close to 154B.
    • Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 22. Length: About 1.3 cm. Width: About 3 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Apiculate. Base: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; leathery. Color, upper surface: Close to 137B to 137C. Color, lower surface: Close to 137C.
    • Peduncles.—Length: About 5.3 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly upright. Texture: Smooth, glabrous; leathery. Color: Close to 144A.
    • Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets only. Anther shape: Ovate. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther color: Close to 79A to 79B. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen color: Close to 23A. Gynoecium: Present on both ray and disc florets. Pistil length: About 7 mm. Stigma shape: Crested. Stigma color: Close to 79A. Style length: About 3 mm. Style color: Close to 79A. Ovary color: Close to 144C.
    • Seeds.—Length: About 7 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Color: Close to 199A.
• Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Osteospermum have not been shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Osteospermums.
• Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Osteospermum have been observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 35° C.

Claims

1. A new and distinct Osteospermum plant named ‘Duetisushine’ as illustrated and described.