New Guinea Impatiens plant named `Kicarl`

A new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens plant named `Kicarl`, characterized by its numerous reddish purple-colored flowers; upright and somewhat spreading growth habit; very freely branching, dense and bushy plant haibt; and dark green leaves with dark purple-red lower surfaces.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea 
Impatiens plant, botanically known as Impatiens hawkeri, and hereinafter 
referred to by the cultivar name `Kicarl`. 
The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by 
the Inventor in Gensingen, Germany. The objective of the breeding program 
was to develop early-flowering varieties with numerous flowers, uniform 
plant habit, attractive flower and foliage colors, and good flower form. 
The new cultivar originated from a cross made by the Inventor of the 
proprietary selection identified as MF 329 as the male, or pollen parent, 
with the cultivar `Aruba` (disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,456) as the 
female, or seed parent. 
The cultivar `Kicarl` was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a 
flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled 
environment in Gensingen, Germany, in April, 1996. 
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken at 
Gensingen, Germany, has shown that the unique features of this new 
Impatiens are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations 
of asexual reproduction. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be 
the unique characteristics of `Kicarl`. These characteristics in 
combination distinguish `Kicarl` as a new and distinct cultivar: 
1. Numerous red purple-colored flowers. 
2. Upright and somewhat spreading growth habit. 
3. Very freely branching, dense and bushy plant habit. 
4. Very dark green leaves with dark purple-red lower surfaces. 
Plants of the new New Guinea Impatiens are larger and have larger flowers 
than plants of the male parent, the proprietary selection identified as MF 
329. In addition, plants of the new New Guinea Impatiens differ from 
plants of the proprietary selection MF 329 in leaf color. 
Plants of the new New Guinea Impatiens are similar in flower color to 
plants of the female parent, the cultivar `Aruba`. However, in 
side-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif., plants of the new 
New Guinea Impatiens differ from plants of the cultivar `Aruba` in the 
following characteristics: 
1. Plants of the new New Guinea Impatiens are more upright and open with 
longer internodes than plants of the cultivar `Aruba`. 
2. Plants of the new New Guinea Impatiens have longer and narrower leaves 
than plants of the cultivar `Aruba`. 
3. Flowers of plants of the new New Guinea Impatiens are brighter red 
purple than plants of the cultivar `Aruba`. 
4. Plants of the new New Guinea Impatiens have more rounded and slightly 
larger flowers than plants of the cultivar `Aruba`. 
5. Plants of the new New Guinea Impatiens flowered about 7 to 10 days 
earlier than plants of the cultivar `Aruba`. 
A detailed comparison of plants of the cultivars `Kicarl` and `Aruba` 
appears in Chart A at the end of the specification.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION 
Plants of the cultivar `Kicarl` have not been observed under all possible 
environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations 
in environment such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, 
any variance in genotype. The following observations, measurements and 
comparisons describe three plants measured separately in 25-cm hanging 
baskets in Encinitas, Calif., under commercial practice in a 
polyethylene-covered greenhouse with day temperatures ranging from 21 to 
32.degree. C. and night temperatures ranging from 16 to 18.degree. C. and 
light levels of about 3,500 footcandles. 
In the following description, color references are made to The Royal 
Horticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms of ordinary 
dictionary significance are used. 
Classification: 
Botanical.--Impatiens hawkeri cultivar `Kicarl`. 
Commercial.--New Guinea Impatiens cultivar `Kicarl`. 
Parentage: 
Male parent.--Proprietary selection of Impatiens hawkeri identified as MF 
329. 
Female parent.--Impatiens hawkeri cultivar `Aruba`, disclosed in U.S. Plant 
Pat. No. 8,456. 
Propagation: 
Type cutting.--Terminal cuttings. 
Time to initiate roots.--Summer: About 14 days with 21.degree. C. soil 
temperature. Winter: About 18 days with 21.degree. C. soil temperature. 
Time to develop roots.--Summer: About 21 days with 21.degree. C. soil 
temperature. Winter: About 24 days with 21.degree. C. soil temperature. 
Plant description: 
Plant form.--Upright and somewhat spreading; "V"-shaped. 
Growth habit.--Vigorous. Very freely branching, dense and bushy growth. 
Appropriate for 10 to 25-cm containers. 
Crop time.--From planting of a rotted cutting, about six to eight weeks are 
required to produce a finished flowering plant in a 12.5-cm container. 
Plant size.--Height: About 30 cm. Width or spread: About 35 cm. 
Lateral branches.--Quantity: About 11. Length: About 24 cm. Diameter: About 
7 mm. Internode length: About 5.75 cm. Color: 60A. 
Foliage description.--Leaves simple, generally symmetrical, abundant, 
opposite or in whorls, horizontal to plant. Mostly flat. Length: About 10 
cm. Width: About 3.4 cm. Shape: Elliptic with acuminate apex, attenuate 
base and crenate to serrulate margin with ciliation. Texture: Smooth, 
somewhat glossy. Color: Young foliage, upper surface: 147A. Young foliage, 
lower surface: 59A. Fully expanded foliage, upper surface: Darker than 
147A. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 59B. Venation, upper surface: 
59A. Venation, lower surface: 59A. Petiole: Length: About 5 cm. Diameter: 
About 2.5 mm. Color: 59C. 
Flower description: 
Flower type and habit.--Reddish purple-colored flowers. Freely and 
continuously flowering. Flowers arise from leaf axils. Usually about 14 
flowers and flower buds per lateral branch. Flowers positioned above the 
foliage and face upward and outward. Flowers slightly cupped and nearly 
rounded. Flowers persistent. 
Flowering season.--Year-round under greenhouse conditions. In the garden, 
flowering is continuous from spring until fall. Flowers typically last 
less than one week depending on environmental and cultural conditions. 
Flower size.--Length: About 5.5 cm. Width: About 5.5 cm. Depth: About 1.25 
cm. 
Flower buds.--Length: About 1.7 cm. Diameter: About 9 mm. Shape: Ovoid. 
Color: 80A. 
Petals.--Quantity: Five. Length: Upper petal: About 2.6 cm. Middle petals: 
About 2.8 cm. Lower petals: About 3.4 cm. Width: Upper petal: About 4.2 
cm. Middle petals: About 3 cm. Lower petals: About 3.2 cm. Shape: Cordate 
with acute base and entire margin. Texture: Velvety, slightly iridescent, 
smooth. Color: When opening, upper surface: Slightly more lavender than 
74B; 44A at base. When opening, lower surface: 74B. Fully opened, upper 
surface: 74A/74B. Flower color does not fade; 44A at base. Fully opened, 
lower surface: 74B/74C. 
Spur.--Length: About 6 cm. Shape: Narrow and curved. Color: 59B. 
Peduncles.--Length: About 5.75 cm. Angle: Very acute. Strength: Strong. 
Color: 60B. 
Reproductive organs.--Androecium: Stamen number: Five, anthers fused, 
filaments free. Anther shape: Obovate. Anther size: 3 mm by 5 mm. Anther 
color: 4D. Amount of pollen: Moderate. Pollen color: 4B. Gynoecium: 
Five-loculate fused. Pistil length: About 4 mm. Stigma color: 4D. Ovary 
color: 146A. 
Disease resistance: Under commercial conditions, resistance to pathogens 
has not been observed. 
Seed development: Seed production has not been observed. 
CHART A 
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CHARACTERISTIC 
`KICARL` `ARUBA` 
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GROWTH HABIT, 
Upright, somewhat 
Spreading, mounded 
PLANT SHAPE spreading; "V"-shaped 
PLANT HEIGHT 
About 30 cm About 25 cm 
STEM COLOR 60A 59A 
INTERNODE About 5.75 cm About 5.25 cm 
LENGTH 
LEAF LENGTH About 10 cm About 8.75 cm 
LEAF WIDTH About 3.4 cm About 3.9 cm 
LEAF COLOR, 59B 59A 
MATURE, LOWER 
SURFACE 
PETIOLE LENGTH 
About 5 cm About 4 cm 
FLOWER SHAPE 
Nearly round Rounded triangle 
FLOWER About 5.5 by 5.5 cm 
About 4.5 by 5.5 cm 
DIAMETER 
PEDUNCLE ANGLE 
Very acute Upward and outward 
PEDUNCLE COLOR 
60B 61C 
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