Patent Application
20140075625
Osteospermum ecklonis Norl.
‘KLEOE12198’
The present invention comprises a new and distinct variety of osteospermum, botanically known as Osteospermum ecklonis Norl., and hereinafter referred to by the variety name ‘KLEOE12198’. The new variety originated from a controlled cross conducted in the summer of 2008 in Stuttgart, Germany between female osteospermum plant named ‘Mutant 1’ (unpatented), and male osteospermum plant named ‘KLEOE05116’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,576). A single plant selection was subsequently chosen for further evaluation and asexual propagation.
The new variety was first propagated via vegetative cuttings in May of 2009 in Stuttgart, Germany and has been asexually reproduced repeatedly by vegetative cuttings for three to four generations. The present invention has been found to retain its distinctive characteristics through successive asexual propagations via vegetative cuttings.
Plant Breeder's Rights for this variety have not been applied for. ‘KLEOE12198’ has not been made publicly available or sold more than one year prior to the filing date of this application.
The following are the most outstanding and distinguishing characteristics of the new variety when grown under normal horticultural practices in Stuttgart, Germany.
1. Uniformly enlarged disc floret corolla; and
2. Upright, freely branching growth habit.
This new osteospermum plant is illustrated by the accompanying photograph which shows overall plant habit including blooms, buds, and foliage of the plant in full color. The colors shown are as true as can be reasonably obtained by conventional photographic procedures. The photograph was taken in the spring of 2012 on a 3-month old plant grown in a field in Stuttgart, Germany, under conditions which approximate those generally used in normal horticultural practice.
The following detailed descriptions set forth the distinctive characteristics of ‘KLEOE12198’. The data which define these characteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out in Stuttgart, Germany. The plant history was taken in the spring of 2012 on 7-month old plants grown in 12 centimeter pots planted into the ground at week 20. The plants were grown in a field and pinched at week 6. Color readings were taken under natural light. Color references are primarily to the R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society of London (R.H.S.), Fifth Edition (2007).
‘KLEOE12198’ differs from the female parent osteospermum plant ‘Mutant 1’ (unpatented) in that ‘KLEOE12198’ has a uniformly enlarged disc floret corolla and purple flowers, whereas ‘Mutant 1’ has a partially enlarged disc floret corolla and pink-purple flowers.
‘KLEOE12198’ differs from the male parent osteospermum plant ‘KLEOE05116’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,576) in that ‘KLEOE12198’ has dentiform shaped leaves with an obtuse apex and serrate margin, whereas ‘KLEOE05116’ has obovate shaped leaves with an acute apex and crenate margin. Additionally, ‘KLEOE12198’ has a uniformly enlarged disc floret corolla, whereas ‘KLEOE05116’ has a normal sized disc floret corolla.
