New Guinea Impatiens plant named ‘SAKIMP044’

Abstract

An impatiens plant particularly distinguished by having red-purple flowers, a compact plant habit, and green leaves, is disclosed.

Claims

1. A new and distinct variety of New Guinea impatiens plant named SAKIMP044 as described and illustrated herein.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

(1) This impatiens plant is illustrated by the accompanying photographs which show the plant's overall plant habit including form, foliage, and flowers. The photographs are of a plant grown in Salinas, Calif. under greenhouse conditions. The colors shown are as true as can be reasonably obtained by conventional photographic procedures.

(2) FIG. 1 shows the overall plant habit of the plant grown in a pot.

(3) FIG. 2 shows a close-up of the mature inflorescence of the plant.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

(4) The following detailed descriptions set forth the distinctive characteristics of SAKIMP044. Color references are to The Royal Horticultural Society of London color chart (R.H.S.), 4.sup.th edition (2001). Data was obtained from plants grown about 7-months from propagation by terminal cuttings in Salinas, Calif., under greenhouse conditions. Anatomic labels are from The Cambridge Illustrated Glossary of Botanical Terms, by M. Hickey and C. King, Cambridge University Press. Classification: Family.Balsaminaceae. Botanical.Impatiens hybrida hort. Common.Impatiens. Designation.SAKIMP044. Growth: Environmental conditions for plant growth: The terminal 1.0 to 1.5 inches of an actively growing stem was excised. The vegetative cuttings were propagated for five to six weeks. The base of the cuttings were dipped for 1 to 2 seconds in a 1:9 solution of DIP 'N GROW (1 solution:9 water) root inducing solution immediately prior to sticking into the cell trays. Cuttings were stuck into plastic cell trays having 98 cells, and containing a moistened peat moss-based growing medium. The cuttings were misted with water from overhead for 10 seconds every 30 minutes until sufficient roots were formed. Rooted cuttings were transplanted and grown in 20 cm diameter plastic pots in a glass greenhouse located in Salinas, Calif. Pots contained a peat moss-based growing medium. Soluble fertilizer containing 20% nitrogen, 10% phosphorus and 20% potassium was applied once a day or every other day by overhead irrigation. Plants were fertilized every 2-3 days, 2 times in consecutive applications and then given one clear water application. Pots were top-dressed with a dry, slow release fertilizer containing 20% nitrogen, 10% phosphorus and 18% potassium. The typical average air temperature was 24 C. Parentage: Female parent.Proprietary Impatiens breeding line NE-5331. Male parent.Proprietary Impatiens breeding line NI-549-37HB. Plant description: Life cycle.Annual. Habit.Compact. Height.27.0 cm from soil line to top of foliage. Spread.60.0 cm. Number of branches.34 total with 7 main branches. Length of branches.1.0 cm from soil line to first node, 8.0 cm to 10.0 cm total. Diameter of branches.2.0 cm for the main branch, 0.5 cm to 1.0 cm for other secondary branches. Color of branches.RHS 186C (Greyed-Purple). Time to produce a rooted cutting.About 4 weeks. Time to bloom from propagation.6 to 8 weeks. Flowering requirements (season).Will flower so long as temperature is above 5 C. Disease or pest resistance/susceptibility.No particular resistance or susceptibility observed. Temperature tolerances.Plants observed to continue flowering in a temperature range of 5 C. to 36 C. Stems: Stem color.RHS 187B (Greyed-Purple). Anthocyanin color.RHS 18B (Greyed-Purple). Stem pubescence.None. Stem description.Strong; circular cross-section, smooth and shiny. Stem length.10.0 cm from first to second node, 16.0 cm total. Stem diameter.6.0 mm. Internode length.10.0 cm, 5.0 cm to 9.0 cm from first to second node. Leaves: Leaf arrangement.Whorled with up to 5 leaves per node, opposite if only two leaves at one node. Leaf shape.Lanceolate, curled. Leaf tip.Acuminate. Leaf base.Shortly attenuate. Leaf margin.Serrate. Leaf surface.Dull; waxy. Leaf length.9.3 cm. Leaf width.3.3 cm. Leaf color.Upper: closest to but darker than RHS 147A (Yellow-Green). Lower: RHS 147B (Yellow-Green). Leaf variegation.Absent. Leaf fragrance.Absent. Leaf surface pubescence.Absent. Petiole length.1.0 cm. Petiole diameter.3.0 mm. Petiole color.RHS 59A (Red-Purple). Petiole texture.Smooth, glabrous. Venation.Pinnate. Upper vein color: Closest to RHS 145 D (Yellow-Green). Lower vein color: Closest to RHS 59A (Red-Purple). Flowers: Number of flowers per node.1 to 3 in bloom at one time; about 10 flower buds. Number of flowers per plant.Approximately 100 in bloom. Lastingness of individual blooms on the plant.14 days. Inflorescence type.Single flower with spur. Fragrance.Absent. Corolla.Corolla shape: Roughly circular with 5 radial petals. Corolla diameter: 6.0 cm. Corolla depth: 1.5 cm. Calyx.Sepal Shape: Lanceolate. Sepal Number: 2. Sepal color: Upper surface: RHS 58 (Red-Purple) with slight RHS 144 (Yellow-Green) at the tip. Lower surface: RHS 46D (Red) with RHS 143A (Green) at the tip. Sepal Length: 1.2 cm. Sepal diameter: 7.0 mm. Sepal Base: Subcordate. Sepal Apex: Caudate. Sepal Margin: Entire. Sepal texture: Glabrous. Petals: Corolla shape.Roughly circular with 5 radial petals. Petal pubescence.Glabrous. Petal length.2.8 cm. Petal width.3.0 cm. Petal shape.Obcordate. Petal apex.Emarginate (cleaved). Petal margin.Entire. Petal base.Attenuate. Petal color.Upper surface: Closest to but darker than RHS N74A (Red-Purple). Lower surface: RHS N74A (Red-Purple). Eye zone: RHS 71A (Red-Purple). Spur: Spur color.RHS 60A (Red-Purple) with RHS N77A (Purple) at the tip. Spur shape.Tubular; curved downward. Spur length.6.8 cm. Spur diameter.1.0 mm to 2.0 mm. Bud: Bud surface.Glabrous. Bud length.1.5 cm. Bud diameter.1.0 cm. Bud shape.Deltoid longitudinal cross-section. Bud color.RHS 71 (Red-Purple). Reproductive organs: Stamens.Stamen form: Fused; split into 4 lobes. Stamen number: Many. Filament length: 5.0 mm. Filament color: RHS 144C (Yellow-Green). Anther length: 7.0 mm. Anther color: Closest to RHS 59 A (Red-Purple). Pistil.Pistil number: 5. Stigma color: Upper part is RHS 187A (Greyed-Purple) and lower part is RHS 144C (Yellow-Green). Style color: RHS 144C (Yellow-Green). Ovary arrangement: Parietal. Ovary surface color: Closest to 149A (Yellow-Green). Pollen number: Abundant. Pollen color: RHS 155A (White). Pollen description: Powdery. Seed production: Not observed.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTAL AND COMMERCIAL VARIETIES

(5) SAKIMP044 is a new and unique variety of Impatiens owing to its compact growth habit, deep Red-purple flower color, and strong root system. SAKIMP044 is distinguished from its parents as shown in Table 1 below:

(6) TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Comparison with Parental Lines Female Parent Male Parent Characteristic SAKIMP044 NE-5331 NI-549-37HB Flower color Red-purple Salmon-orange Purple Leaf variegation Absent Absent Present

(7) SAKIMP044 is a new and unique variety of Impatiens owing to its compact growth habit, deep Red-purple flower color, and strong root system. When SAKIMP044 compared to the commercial Impatiens variety SAKIMP029 (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 26,692), the following differences as described in Table 2 below.

(8) TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Comparison with Similar Variety Characteristic SAKIMP044 SAKIMP029 Petal color, upper Closest to but darker than RHS RHS N74A surface N74A (Red-purple) (Red-purple) Spur color RHS 60A (Red-purple) with RHS 61A RHS N77A (Purple) at the tip (Red-purple) Venation color, Closest to RHS 145D RHS 59A upper vein color (Yellow-green) (Red-purple)