African violet (Sara)

Abstract

A new variety of African violet plant for potted plant culture particularly distinguished by its year around blooming capability, its profuse production of pink flowers, and its compact girl-leaf foliage. An ideal plant for small potted plant production.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

To obtain this new variety of African violet plant, the inventor cross-pollenated the seed parent "Rhapsodie" Annette and the pollen parent "Ballet" Anna. The seed pods of the pollenated plants were used as the generic basis for initiating further experimental series. Approximately 25 seedlings were selected by very rigid standards for further propagation. Propagation of these plants and refinement out of limited selected plants continued and tests were conducted for the development of permanent characteristics of disease resistance and vigorous growth.

The descendants of the original plants were completely the same in appearance as the parent plant.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

Sheet one is a full color photographic view of the plant in bloom, the colors shown being as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to obtain by conventional photographic procedures.

The following is a detailed description of my new African violet plant with the color designation being accorded to The R.H.S. Colour Chart published by The Royal Horticultural Society of London, England, with collaboration by the British Colour Council.

THE PLANT

Origin: Seedling, #H107/9.

Parentage:

Seed parent.--"Rhapsodie" Annette.

Pollen parent.--"Ballet" Anna.

Classification:

Botanic.--Saintpaulie Ionanthe.

Commercial.--African Violet.

Form: Rosette Arrangement.

Height: 10 to 12.2 cm. tall.

Growth: New growth is vigorous and has a tendency to grow slightly upwards. As leaves get older they grow more horizontally and eventually grow somewhat downward.

Size: Small; overall plant diameter is from 15.5 to 21 cm.

Mutation prone: Very little for foliage or flowers.

Leaves: Brittle, girl type, slightly undulated.

Shape.--Ovate with slightly crenate margins.

Length.--Approximately 6.6 cm. for a mature leaf.

Width.--Approximately 6.3 cm. for a mature leaf.

Color.--Upperside: Dark green, light green at petiole. Underside: Light green with red pigment, especially in the veins.

Texture.--Upperside: Pubescent. Underside: Pubescent.

Ribs and veins.--Pinnate, slightly sunken on leaf surface, pronounced on underside of leaf.

Petiole.--Round with a shallow, U-shaped groove on top along its length. Red pigment, darker on top. Pubescent on top, puberulent on its underside. Length varies with age of leaf and plant.

THE FLOWER

Blooming habit: Continuous and abundant under optimum growing conditions.

Number: Six to eleven per peduncle.

Size of flower: Each flower is from 6.2 to 6.8 cm. in diameter.

Color: Red Group, 56-B; the top two petals are Red Group, 56-A, from The R.H.S. Colour Chart.

Type: Single.

Petals: Five per individual flower with ruffled margins.

Texture: Smooth and flexible, easily damaged.

Appearance: Sparkly upper surface. Underside is shiny with small bumps and is puberulent.

Peduncles: Short, strong, red pigmented, pubescent.

Inflorescence: Cyme, upright, above foliage.

Calyx: Quinquepartite, green with red pigment, puberulent.

Persistence: Flowers do not drop. Old flowers dry up on the stalk.

Fragrance: None.

REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

Stamens: Usually two per flower and joined at top of anthers.

Anthers.--Visible, bright yellow, fade slightly as they get older; one on each filament.

Filaments.--Approximately 0.4 cm. long.

Pollen.--Light yellow, ripens before stigma.

Pistils: Normally one per flower.

Stigma.--Usually visible and accessible. When receptive, it becomes swollen and usually exudes a small drop of clear fluid.

Style.--Usually visible and accessible. When receptive it becomes swollen and usually exudes a small drop of clear fluid.

Ovary.--Superior.

OTHER CHARACTERISTICS

This variety of African violet is very suited for small potted plant culture and its year around blooming capability gives the plant a commercially attractive value.

Claims

1. A novel African Violet plant substantially as shown and described.