plant named ‘Sunmalconpi’

Abstract

A new and distinct cultivar of Malcolmia plant named ‘Sunmalconpi’, characterized by its upright and mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching and flowering plant habit; uniform and long flowering period; dark pink-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Description

Botanical designation: Malcolmia maritima.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SUNMALCONPI’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

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

The new Malcolmia 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 develop new upright and mounding Malcolmia plants with long flowering time, winter hardiness, and attractive and uniform flower coloration.

The new Malcolmia plant originated from a cross-pollination conducted by the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in April, 2005 of a proprietary selection of Malcolmia maritima identified as code number 4Mal-2e, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Malcolmia maritima identified as code number 4Mal-2c, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Malcolmia 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 Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in November, 2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new Malcolmia plant by vegetative cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan since December, 2005, has shown that the unique features of this new Malcolmia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Malcolmia 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 ‘Sunmalconpi’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Sunmalconpi’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Malcolmia plant:

• • 1. Upright and mounding plant habit.
  • 2. Vigorous growth habit.
  • 3. Freely branching and flowering plant habit.
  • 4. Uniform and long flowering period.
  • 5. Dark pink-colored flowers.
  • 6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Malcolmia can be compared to plants of the parent selections. Plants of the new Malcolmia differ primarily from plants of the parent selections in plant size as plants of the new Malcolmia are smaller than plants of the parent selections.

Plants of the new Malcolmia can also be compared to plants of Malcolmia maritima ‘Sunmalpin’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,619. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, plants of the new Malcolmia and ‘Sunmalpin’ differed primarily in the following characteristics:

• • 1. Plants of the new Malcolmia were smaller than plants of ‘Sunmalpin’.
  • 2. Plants of the new Malcolmia were more freely flowering than plants of ‘Sunmalpin’.
  • 3. Plants of the new Malcolmia had darker pink-colored flowers than plants of ‘Sunmalpin’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Malcolmia 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 Malcolmia plant.

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

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

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in 15-cm containers in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, under commercial practice during the autumn and winter in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 10° C. and night temperatures averaged 5° C. Plants were four months old when the photographs were taken and were five months old when the 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: Malcolmia maritima ‘Sunmalconpi’.
• Parentage:
  • • Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Malcolmia maritima identified as code number 4Mal-2e, not patented.
    • Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Malcolmia maritima identified as code number 4Mal-2c, not patented.
• Propagation:
  • • Type.—By vegetative cuttings.
    • Time to initiate roots, summer.—About ten days at 25° C.
    • Time to initiate roots, winter.—About eight days at 18° C.
    • Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 30 days at 25° C.
    • Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 40 days at 18° C.
    • Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.
    • Rooting habit.—Freely branching.
• Plant description:
  • • Plant and growth habit.—Upright and mounding plant habit; freely branching habit with numerous lateral branches developing per plant; pinching enhances lateral branch development; vigorous growth habit.
    • Plant height.—About 23.4 cm.
    • Plant diameter.—About 37.8 cm.
• Lateral branch description:
  • • Length.—About 8.8 cm.
    • Diameter.—About 1.6 mm.
    • Internode length.—About 1.1 cm.
    • Strength.—Strong.
    • Aspect.—Upright to outwardly.
    • Texture.—Pubescent.
    • Color.—Close to 146B tinted with close to N199A to N199B.
• Foliage description:
  • • Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.
    • Length.—About 2.9 cm.
    • Width.—About 1.6 cm.
    • Shape.—Elliptic.
    • Apex.—Rounded.
    • Base.—Cuneate.
    • Margin.—Entire, shallow lobing.
    • Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.
    • Venation pattern.—Pinnate; reticulate.
    • Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137B; venation, close to 144A. Developing and fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 138A; venation, close to 144B.
    • Petiole.—Length: About 1.3 cm. Diameter: About 1.2 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144B.
• Flower description:
  • • Flower arrangement and habit.—Single cruciate flowers arranged in racemes arising from upper leaf axils; freely flowering habit with usually about 150 flowers per plant at one time; flowers face upright.
    • Fragrance.—Moderately fragrant.
    • Natural flowering season.—Early flowering habit, plants of the new Malcolmia initiate and develop flowers about four to five weeks after planting; long flowering period; flowering commences naturally during the late autumn and plants flower continuously throughout the winter until late spring in Japan.
    • Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about one week on the plant at temperatures of about 10° C.; flowers not persistent.
    • Inflorescence diameter.—About 4.7 cm.
    • Flower diameter.—About 2.4 cm.
    • Flower length (depth).—About 1.3 cm.
    • Flower bud.—Shape: Narrowly elliptical. Length: About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm. Color: Close to 137B.
    • Corolla.—Petal quantity: Four per flower. Petal length: About 1.1 cm. Petal width: About 1 cm. Petal shape: Obcordate. Petal apex: Emarginate. Petal margin: Entire. Petal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Petal color: When opening, upper surface: Close to N78B; venation, close to N78A; towards the center, close to N155C; center, close to 149A. When opening, lower surface: Close to N80C. Fully opened, upper surface: More red than N82B; venation, close to N81A; towards the center, close to N155D; center, close to 154A; color becoming closer to N87C with development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to N82D.
    • Claw.—Length: About 1 cm. Width: About 1.3 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper surface: Close to 151B. Color, lower surface: Close to 145B.
    • Calyx.—Arrangement: Calyx tube with four sepals fused at the base. Sepal length: About 1.1 cm. Sepal width: About 1.6 mm. Sepal shape: Lanceolate. Sepal apex: Acute. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Sepal color: Immature, upper surface: Close to 137B. Immature, lower surface: Close to 138A. Mature, upper surface: Close to 146B tinted with close to 187B. Mature, lower surface: Close to 146C.
    • Pedicels.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 0.9 mm. Angle: Upright. Strength: Strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Between N137A and N199A.
    • Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: Six per flower. Stamen length: About 1 cm. Anther shape: Lanceolate. Anther size: About 3 mm by 0.6 mm. Anther color: Close to 2B. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 9B. Pistils: Quantity: One per flower. Pistil length: About 9.8 mm. Style color: Close to 145C. Stigma shape: Lanceolate. Stigma color: Close to 3B. Ovary color: Close to 145C. Seed/fruit: Seed and fruit development have not been observed on plants of the new Malcolmia.
• Garden performance: Plants of the new Malcolmia have been observed to have good garden performance and to tolerate wind, rain and temperatures ranging from about −5° C. to about 25° C.
• Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Malcolmia have not been observed to be resistant to pests and pathogens common to Malcolmia.

Claims

1. A new and distinct Malcolmia plant named ‘Sunmalconpi’ as illustrated and described.