Calibrachoa plant named ‘KLECA17038’

Abstract

A new Calibrachoa plant particularly distinguished by dark red flowers with yellow throats and a semi-upright plant habit, is disclosed.

Description

Genus and species: Calibrachoa sp.

Variety denomination: ‘KLECA17038’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new and distinct variety of Calibrachoa, botanically known as Calibrachoa sp., and hereinafter referred to by the variety name ‘KLECA17038’. ‘KLECA17038’ originated from a controlled cross conducted in Stuttgart, Germany in August 2014, between the female Calibrachoa variety ALOHA KONA ‘Dark Red’, also known as ‘Duealkodare’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 24,969) and the male Calibrachoa variety ALOHA KONA ‘Cherry’, also known as ‘Duealkocher’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 25,489).

The seeds were sown and plants were grown for evaluation. A plant was selected in May 2015 which had dark red flowers and was subsequently named ‘KLECA17038’. In May 2015, ‘KLECA17038’ was first vegetatively propagated by tip cuttings in Stuttgart, Germany. ‘KLECA17038’ was found to reproduce true to type in successive generations of asexual propagation via tip cuttings.

SUMMARY

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishing characteristics of this new variety when grown under normal horticultural practices in Stuttgart, Germany.

• • 1. Dark red flowers with yellow throats; and
  • 2. A semi-upright plant habit.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

This new Calibrachoa plant is illustrated by the accompanying photograph which shows the flowers and foliage of the plant. The photograph is of a seven-week-old plant grown in a greenhouse in Stuttgart, Germany in May 2017. The colors shown are as true as can be reasonably obtained by conventional photographic procedures.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following detailed descriptions set forth the distinctive characteristics of ‘KLECA17038’. The data which define these characteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out in Stuttgart, Germany. Data was collected from unpinched plants grown 8 weeks since potting in a greenhouse in Stuttgart, Germany in May, 2018. Color references are to The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society of London (R.H.S.), 5^th edition (2007).

• Classification:
  • • Family.—Solanaceae.
    • Species.—Calibrachoa sp.
    • Common name.—Calibrachoa.
• Parentage:
  • • Female.—Calibrachoa ALOHA KONA ‘Dark Red’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 24,969).
    • Male.—Calibrachoa ALOHA KONA ‘Cherry’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 25,489).
• Plant description:
  • • Life cycle.—Annual.
    • Form.—Short-lived subshrubs.
    • Habit.—Semi-upright.
    • Height (from soil line to top of foliage).—12.5 cm.
    • Spread.—31.0 cm.
• Propagation: Vegetatively propagated.
  • • Type cuttings.—Tip cuttings.
    • Time to produce a rooted cutting.—3 weeks.
• Stems:
  • • Stem color.—RHS 144A.
    • Pubescence.—Present.
    • Pubescence color.—RHS 155A.
    • Stem diameter.—0.15 cm.
    • Stem length.—18.0 cm. From soil line to first node: 0.1 cm.
    • Internode length.—2.0 cm.
• Leaves:
  • • Arrangement.—Opposite to alternate.
    • Shape.—Lanceolate.
    • Apex.—Broadly acute.
    • Base.—Attenuate.
    • Margin.—Entire, Ciliate.
    • Surface.—Smooth.
    • Surface pubescence.—Present.
    • Pubescence color.—RHS 155A.
    • Venation.—Arcuate.
    • Venation color.—Upper surface: RHS 144A. Lower surface: RHS 145B.
    • Length.—1.0 cm to 3.5 cm.
    • Width.—0.2 cm to 0.8 cm.
    • Color.—Upper surface: RHS N137C. Lower surface: RHS 147B.
    • Fragrance.—Absent.
    • Petiole.—Length: 0.5 cm. Diameter: 0.1 cm. Color: RHS 130A.
• Flowers:
  • • Natural flowering season.—Continuous flowering from spring through autumn and year round in a greenhouse environment.
    • Flowering habit.—Single flowers.
    • Flower type.—Determinate inflorescence (flower solitary in upper leaf axis and slanting upright or outwards).
    • Flowering requirements.—A minimum of light sun is required.
    • Number of flowers per plant.—25.
    • Number of flower buds per plant.—15.
    • Duration of flowers.—6 days.
    • Corolla.—Smooth texture.
    • Shape.—Funnel form.
    • Fragrance.—Absent.
    • Pedicel length.—0.7 cm.
    • Pedicel diameter.—0.1 cm.
• Flower buds:
  • • Surface.—Smooth.
    • Length.—2.5 cm.
    • Diameter.—0.7 cm.
    • Shape.—Irregular to oblong.
    • Color.—RHS 150C (throat) and RHS 59A (limbs).
• Peduncle:
  • • Length.—1.5 cm to 2.0 cm.
    • Diameter.—0.1 cm.
    • Color.—RHS 144B.
    • Texture.—Puberulent.
    • Anthocyanin color.—RHS N187A.
• Flower description:
  • • Flower depth.—2.5 cm.
    • Flower tube length.—2.0 cm.
    • Flower tube diameter.—1.0 cm.
    • Flower throat diameter.—0.6 cm.
    • Flower diameter.—3.5 cm.
    • Pedicel color.—RHS 144B.
    • Calyx.—Funnel-shaped, salver form.
• Sepals:
  • • Quantity per flower.—5.
    • Texture.—Densely glandular pubescent.
    • Shape.—Lanceolate.
    • Apex.—Narrowly acute.
    • Margin.—Entire, Ciliate.
    • Length.—1.0 cm.
    • Diameter.—0.3 cm.
    • Sepal color.—Upper surface: RHS 137B. Lower surface: RHS N137D.
• Petals:
  • • Shape.—Obcordate
    • Length.—2.0 cm.
    • Apex.—Truncate.
    • Margin.—Entire.
    • Base.—Fused in the tube.
    • Pubescence.—Absent.
    • Texture.—Upper surface: Glabrous. Lower surface: Glandular pubescent, dense along venation.
    • Lobe length.—1.8 cm.
    • Lobe width.—1.8 cm.
    • Color.—Lobe color: Upper surface: RHS 45B; older lobes are RHS 53B. Color transition to tube is RHS N178A. Veins colored RHS 187A. Lower surface: RHS 59D with veins colored RHS N77A. Corolla tube color: Inner: RHS 7B with veins colored RHS 59D. Outer: RHS 6D with veins colored RHS 59D.
    • Fragrance.—Absent.
• Reproductive organs:
  • • Stamen number.—5.
    • Anther color.—RHS 11A.
    • Anther shape.—Bilobed, ovoid.
    • Anther length.—0.1 cm.
    • Filament color.—RHS 154A.
    • Filament length.—0.7 cm.
    • Pollen color.—RHS 10D.
    • Pollen amount.—Abundant.
    • Ovary.—Placenta arrangement: Ovate. Pistil number: 1. Pistil length: 0.5 cm. Stigma color: RHS 149A. Stigma shape: Funnel. Stigma length: 0.5 cm. Style length: 0.6 cm. Style color: RHS 149C.
• Fruit/seed set: None observed.
• Disease/insect resistance: None observed.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTAL LINES AND KNOWN VARIETY

‘KLECA17038’ is distinguished from its parents as described in Table 1:

TABLE 1
Comparison with Parental Lines
		Female parent	Male parent
	Variety	ALOHA KONA	ALOHA KONA
Trait	‘KLECA17038’	‘Dark Red’	‘Cherry’
Lobe color,	RHS 45B	RHS 46A-46C	RHS 53A-53B
upper surface
Leaf shape	Lanceolate	Oblanceolate

‘KLECA17038’ is most similar to the Calibrachoa plant named CALIPETITE ‘Red’, also known as ‘SAKCAL105’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 24,381). Differences between the two varieties are described in Table 2:

TABLE 2
Comparison with Similar Variety
	Variety	Commercial line
Trait	‘KLECA17038’	CALIPETITE ‘Red’
Earliness	Flower 5 days earlier than
	CALIPETITE ‘Red’
Leaf veins	Acurate	Pinnate
Growth habit	Semi-upright	Compact and branching

Claims

1. A new and distinct variety of Calibrachoa plant named ‘KLECA17038’ as illustrated and described herein.