African violet plant named Rachel

A new variety of African violet plant for greenhouse culture and potted plant production distinguished by its unique soft blue flowers which are characterized by petals having a fine white marginal edging, the flowers being held well above the foliage on strong upright peduncles, and by a strong growth habit that performs well under considerably less than optimum conditions.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT 
This new variety of African violet plant was discovered by me in 1973 as a 
seedling of unknown parentage growing among random pollinated plants being 
cultivated by me at Hanover, Germany, in connection with my efforts to 
develop a unique flower coloring coupled with a strong and durable growth. 
Because of the unusual coloration of the blossoms of this plant it was 
reproduced by me at Hanover, Germany, by means of leaf cuttings and 
subsequently propagated through successive generations in the same manner, 
which demonstrated to me that I had a unique plant in which its 
distinctive features were firmly fixed and would hold true. Propagation of 
this new plant is now being carried on at West Chicago, Ill., and at 
Woodburn, Ore., U.S.A., by means of leaf cuttings and division of shoots.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW PLANT 
The following is a detailed description of this new African violet plant 
based upon observation of greenhouse pot plants at West Chicago, Ill., 
during the spring and summer of 1976, the color descriptions being 
according to the R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society of 
London, England. 
THE PLANT 
Origin: Seedling. 
Parentage: Unknown. 
Classification: 
Botanic.--Saintpaulia ionantha. 
Commercial.--African violet. 
Form: Compact potted plant. 
Height: 1 to 2 inches from soil line to uppermost foliage, 3 to 33/4 inches 
from soil line to the top of the flowers. 
Growth: Condensed and vigorous with strong horizontally spreading petioles 
and sturdy upright peduncles. 
Foliage: Abundant in quantity with a variable number of leaves. 
Size of mature leaf.--2 to 3 inches wide, 2 to 31/2 inches long. 
Shape of mature leaf.--Orbicular with a sagittate base, an acute to obtuse 
apex, and crenate margins. 
Texture.--Velutinous. 
Venation.--Pinnately veined with veins pronounced on the under side. 
Color.--Upper side -- Yellow Green 147A. Under side -- Either Greyed Green 
194D or Greyed Red 181D with pink main veins and petioles, depending upon 
culture. 
Petioles.--2 to 4 inches, averaging 31/2 inches, for the mature leaf. 
THE BUD 
Form: Globular, becoming urn-shaped as it opens. 
Size: 1/4 to 3/8 inch in diameter just before opening. 
Opening rate: Slow -- 2 to 4 weeks from visible bud to opened flower. 
Color: 
When sepals first divide.--White 155A. 
when petals begin to unfurl.--Purple 79C-D. 
Sepals: Hooded over bud for a short period. 
Form.--Spear-shaped and upstanding. 
Size.--1/32 to 1/16 inch wide and 3/16 inch long. 
Curlback.--Slight but appressed to petals. 
Color.--Outside -- Greyed Purple 184B. 
Calyx: Funnel-shaped and synsepalous. 
Splitting.--Splits to star shape. 
Aspect.--Smooth on inside. Hairy on outside. 
Peduncle: Length -- 11/2 to 2 inches, average 13/4 inches. 
Strength.--Very strong and erect. 
Aspect.--Velutinous. 
Color.--Greyed Red 182B. 
THE FLOWER 
Blooming habit: Recurrent and continuous the year around, producing more 
flowers in spring and fall than in other periods. 
Size of flower: Medium to large. 
Diameter.--11/4 to 13/4 inch, 11/4 inch average. 
Depth.--3/8 to 1/2 inch. 
Shape of flower: Cupped when bloom first opens becoming flattened when full 
open. 
Borne: The inflorescence is a cyme. 
Petalage: Petals are basally connate. 
Number.--5 when single with petaloid anthers; 10 when fully double, also 
with petaloid anthers. 
Arrangement.--Gamopetalous. 
Form.--Rotate with petals having slightly wavy margins. Zygomorphic when 
single. 
Texture.--Soft. 
Appearance.--Glittery on upper side and satiny on lower side. 
Color.--Upper side -- Violet Blue 89D with a more or less distinct White 
155D margin, depending upon culture, up to 1/16 inch wide. Reverse side -- 
Mottled Violet 88C and D. 
Petaloids: 1 to 4 petaloid anthers. 
Size.--1/8 to 1/2 inch, average 1/4 inch. 
Color.--Violet Blue 89D and White 155D. 
Peduncle: Length -- 13/4 to 21/2 inches, average 2 inches. 
Strength.--Sturdy and upright. 
Color.--Greyed Red 182C. 
Discoloration after full bloom: White edging becomes less distinct. 
Effect of weather: Hot weather decreases flower life and causes some 
fading. Plants thrive in 80 to 90% relative humidity. 
Persistence: Flowers hang on and turn brown at senescence. 
Lasting quality: 10 to 14 days for the fully opened flower. 
REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS 
Stamens: 
Anthers.--Number -- 2 when single, each with 2 anther cells; 4 when double, 
each with 2 anther cells. Length: 1/16 to 1/8 inch. Arrangement: 
Basifixed, connate at apex. 
Filaments.--1/16 to 1/8 inch long. Color: White 155A with and without a 
purple blush. 
Pollen.--Color -- Yellow 7A. 
Pistils: Number -- one. 
Style.--1/4 to 3/8 inch long. Color: Green at base, white to purple apex. 
Stigma.--Color -- Violet 88B. 
Ovaries: Superior and velutinous. 
Fruit: Normally none seen except where special attempts have been made to 
pollinate the flower. 
This new variety of African violet plant is particularly distinguished by 
its unique soft blue flowers which have a fine white margin and which are 
borne on strong upright peduncles well above the foliage. The plant has a 
strong and durable growth habit and performs very well under considerably 
less than optimum conditions. Both the flowers and the foliage of this 
plant, as well as the general plant habit, endure and in many cases 
benefit from less light than do most other varieties of African violet 
plants.