Catharanthus plant named ‘Suncatfe 291’

Abstract

A new and distinct cultivar of Catharanthus plant named Suncatfe 291, characterized by its compact, semi-upright and uniformly mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely basal branching habit; freely flowering habit; long flowering period; relatively small star-shaped light red purple-colored flowers with dark red purple-colored centers; and good garden performance.

Claims

1. A new and distinct Catharanthus plant named Suncatfe 291 as illustrated and described.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

(1) The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Catharanthus 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 Catharanthus plant.

(2) The photograph at the top of the sheet is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of Suncatfe 291 grown in a container.

(3) The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of Suncatfe 291.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

(4) The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the late summer and early autumn in 20-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and under cultural practices typical of commercial production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 25 C. and night temperatures averaged 15 C. Plants were four months old when the photographs were taken and five months old when the description was taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Botanical classification: Catharanthus roseus Suncatfe 291. Parentage: Female, or seed, parent.Proprietary selection of Catharanthus roseus identified as code designation FS8239, not patented. Male, or pollen, parent.Proprietary selection of Catharanthus roseus identified as code designation VP8507, not patented. Propagation: Type.By vegetative tip cuttings. Time to initiate roots, summer.About two weeks at temperatures about 30 C. Time to initiate roots, winter.About three weeks at temperatures about 25 C. Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.About five weeks at temperatures about 30 C. Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.About six weeks at temperatures about 25 C. Root description.Fibrous; typically white in color, actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate composition, water quality, fertilizer type and formulation, substrate temperature and physiological age of roots. Rooting habit.Freely branching; medium density. Plant description: Plant and growth habit.Compact, semi-upright and uniformly mounding plant habit; freely basal branching habit with numerous basal and secondary branches developing per plant; vigorous growth habit. Plant height.About 18 cm. Plant diameter.About 32 cm. Lateral branch description: Length.About 23 cm. Diameter.About 4.8 mm. Internode length.About 8 mm. Strength.Strong. Aspect.Upright to outwardly. Texture.Smooth, glabrous. Color.Close to 145D tinged with close to 60D. Leaf description: Quantity and arrangement.About 18 per lateral branch; opposite, simple. Length.About 2.6 cm. Width.About 1.25 cm. Shape.Elliptical. Apex.Acute. Base.Rounded. Margin.Entire. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces.Smooth, glabrous; glossy. Venation pattern.Pinnate; reticulate. Color.Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 146A. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to NN137B; venation, close to 145C. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 138A; venation, close to 145D. Petioles.Length: About 5.2 mm. Diameter: About 1.1 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 145C tinged with close to 59D. Flower description: Flower arrangement and habit.Single star-shaped salverform flowers arising from upper leaf axils; freely flowering habit with more than 200 to 250 small flowers developing per plant; flowers face mostly upright. Fragrance.None detected. Flowering habit.Plants begin flowering about two to three weeks after planting; long flowering period, in the garden, plants flower continuously from the early summer to late autumn in Japan. Flower longevity.Individual flowers last about two to three days on the plant; flowers not persistent. Flower buds.Length: About 2.4 cm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm. Shape: Narrowly ovoid with cylindrical tube. Color: Towards the base, close to 145C tinged with close to 35D; mid-section, close to 145B; towards the apex, close to NN155B. Flower diameter.About 2.2 cm. Flower length (depth).About 2.2 cm. Tube length.About 1.9 cm. Tube diameter, proximally.About 1 mm. Tube diameter, distally.About 1.5 mm. Corolla.Arrangement: Five petals in a single whorl fused at the base into a tube. Petal length from throat: About 1.2 cm. Petal width: About 4.3 mm. Petal shape: Narrowly elliptic to oblanceolate. Petal apex: Acute. Petal margin: Entire. Petal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Throat texture: Smooth, glabrous. Tube texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Petal, when opening, upper surface: Close to 75B; eye, close to 59A. Petal, when opening, lower surface: Close to N155B. Petal, fully opened, upper surface: Close to N74D; towards the base, close to 66B; eye, close to 59B; color does not change with development. Petal, fully opened, lower surface: Close to N155B; towards the apex, close to N74D; color does not change with development. Throat: Proximally, close to 145D; distally, close to 145C. Tube: Proximally, close to 145C tinged with close to 35D; distally, close to 145B. Calyx.Arrangement: Star-shaped tubular calyx with five sepals fused towards the base. Length: About 1.4 mm. Diameter: About 1.6 mm. Sepal length: About 1.4 mm. Sepal width: About 0.4 mm. Sepal shape: Lanceolate. Sepal apex: Acuminate. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144C. Peduncles.Length: About 2 mm. Diameter: About 0.9 mm. Angle: Mostly upright. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 145C. Reproductive organs.Stamens: Quantity per flower: Five. Anther size: About 1.3 mm by 0.6 mm. Anther shape: Narrowly elliptic. Anther color: Close to 11D. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 11D. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 1.5 cm. Style color: Close to 157D. Stigma shape: Globose. Stigma color: Close to 144B. Ovary color: Close to 144B. Seeds and fruits: Seed and fruit development have not been observed on plants of the new Catharanthus to date. Garden performance: Plants of the new Catharanthus have been observed to have good garden performance and to tolerate wind, rain and temperatures ranging from about 5 C. to about 35 C. to 40 C. Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Catharanthus have not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Catharanthus plants to date.