Abstract:
A new and distinct cultivar of  Loropetalum chinense  var.  rubrum  plant named ‘PIILC-III’, characterized by its compact, mounded, spreading growth habit; dark purple foliage color that persists through summer and winter; dark pink flowers in spring; and improved cold hardiness compared to other compact purple-leaf cultivars.

Description:
GENUS AND SPECIES OF PLANT CLAIMED 
       [0001]      Loropetalum chinense  var.  rubrum    
       VARIETY DENOMINATION 
       [0002]    ‘PIILC-III’ 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of  Loropetalum chinense  var.  rubrum , a member of the Hamamelidaceae family, hereinafter referred to by its cultivar name ‘PIILC-III’. This cultivar is grown primarily as an ornamental for landscape use and for use as a potted plant. 
         [0004]    The cultivar originated from an open-pollination of  Loropetalum chinense  var.  rubrum  ‘GriffCRL’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,615) in Watkinsville, Ga. in 2008, and was selected from the progeny seedlings of this cross by continued evaluation for growth habit and improved foliage characteristics. The cultivar ‘PIILC-III’ originated and was discovered in a cultivated environment in an outdoor nursery in Watkinsville, Ga. 
         [0005]    ‘PIILC-III’ has been asexually reproduced by softwood cuttings since 2009 in Watkinsville, Ga. The characteristics of the cultivar have been stable and reproduced true to type in successive vegetative generations. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    ‘PIILC-III’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with changes in light, temperature, soil and rainfall without, however, any variance in genotype. 
         [0007]    The following traits have been observed and represent the characteristics of the new cultivar. In combination these characteristics distinguish ‘PIILC-III’ from all other varieties in commerce known to the inventor. 1) Compact, mounded, spreading growth habit. 2) Dark purple foliage color that persists through summer and winter. 3) Dark pink flowers in spring. 4) Improved cold hardiness compared to other compact purple-leaf cultivars. 
         [0008]    ‘PIILC-III’ is distinguished from its female parent ‘GriffCRL’ by its growth habit foliage color, and flower color. ‘PIILC-III’ has a compact mounded, spreading growth habit reaching 107 cm high×213 cm wide after 4½ years, whereas ‘GriffCRL’ has an overall larger, rounded growth habit reaching approximately 274 to 335 cm high and wide in the same amount of time. ‘PIILC-III’ has dark purple foliage that persists through summer and winter, whereas ‘GriffCRL’ has duller red-purple foliage that will become greenish purple in summer and winter. ‘PIILC-III’ has dark pink flowers, whereas ‘GriffCRL’ has light pink flowers. There are no other cultivars of Loropetalum chinense var. rubrum with this combination of traits known to the inventor. 
         [0009]    ‘PIILC-III’ can be compared to the cultivar ‘PIILC-III’ (U.S. Plant Patent applied for), but differs in foliage and flower color. ‘PIILC-III’ has dark purple foliage, whereas ‘PIILC-III’ has rich reddish purple foliage. ‘PIILC-III’ has dark pink flowers, whereas ‘PIILC-III’ has bright pink flowers. 
         [0010]    ‘PIILC-III’ can be compared to the cultivar ‘Peack’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,441), but differs in growth habit, overall size, vigor, and hardiness. ‘PIILC-III’ has a compact mounded, spreading growth habit reaching 107 cm×213 cm after 4½ years, whereas ‘Peack’ has a mounding and weeping habit reaching 46 cm×92 cm after 3 years. ‘PIILC-III’ is more vigorous than ‘Peack’. ‘PIILC-III’ has exhibited increased cold hardiness compared to ‘Peack’ in Zone 7. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    The accompanying illustrations show characteristics of the new cultivar in photographs as true to color as is reasonably possible to make in illustrations of this nature. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new  Loropetalum.    
           [0012]      FIG. 1  illustrates the growth habit of a ‘PIILC-III’ plant growing in a container. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  illustrates a close-up of the foliage of ‘PIILC-III’. 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  illustrates a close-up of the flowers of ‘PIILC-III’ 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0015]    In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants used for the description were approximately 2 ½ years old and were grown in 11.8 L containers under outdoor conditions in Watkinsville, Ga. Colors are described using The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.).
   Botanical classification:  Loropetalum chinense  var.  rubrum  ‘PIILC-III’. Parentage: Female, or seed, parent:  Loropetalum chinense  var.  rubrum  ‘GriffCRL’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,615). Male, or pollen, parent: unknown (open-pollinated). Propagation: Type cutting: terminal cuttings. Time to initiate roots, summer: about 35 days at 32° C.   Plant description:
             Flowering shrub .—compact, mounded, spreading growth habit. Freely branching; pruning enhances lateral branch development.     Root description .—numerous, fine, fibrous and well-branched.     Plant size .—the original plant, now about 4½-years-old in the ground, is about 107 cm in height from the soil level to the top of the foliage, and about 213 cm in diameter. First year stems have a diameter of about 1.5 mm. Shape: round. Color: N186A. Pubescence: heavily stellate. Second year and older stems have a diameter of about 3 mm or more. Shape: round. Color: N200A. Pubescence: none.     Trunk diameter .—about 2.8 cm at the soil line. Color: 199A.     Internode length .—about 1.5 cm.     Strength .—flexible when young, more easily broken once mature.     Bark .—exfoliates in flakes beginning on second or third year stems.       
       Vegetative buds: Alternate in arrangement, imbricate, with stellate pubescence. Color: 187B. Size: about 1 mm in length and 1 mm in width.   Foliage description:
             Arrangement .—alternate, simple. Length: about 3.1 cm. Width: about 2 cm.     Shape .—ovate-rounded. Apex: pointed. Base: oblique. Margin: finely toothed.     Texture  ( upper and lower surfaces ).—stellate or sandpaper like pubescence.     Venation pattern .—pinnate. Venation color in developing foliage (upper surface): N186C. Venation color in developing foliage (lower surface): N77B. Venation color in fully expanded foliage (upper surface): N186A. Venation color in fully expanded foliage (lower surface): N77C.     Color in developing foliage  ( upper surface ).—N186C. Color in developing foliage (lower surface): N77B. Color in fully expanded foliage (upper surface): N186A. Color in fully expanded foliage (lower surface): N77C.     Petiole length .—about 3.5 mm. Petiole diameter: about 1 mm. Petiole color: N186C. Pubescence: stellate.       
       Flower description: Flowers are produced in April in Watkinsville, Ga. and sporadically until frost. An inflorescence is showy for about two weeks, and individual flowers last about two to three days and are self-cleaning.
             Inflorescence type .—umbel consisting of 3 to 10 flowers produced from leaf axils and terminally. Inflorescence length: about 2.3 cm. Inflorescence width: about 3.1 cm.     Peduncle .—about 8 mm in length, about 1 mm in diameter, color is N186C, with stellate pubescence.     Flower buds .—Length: about 4 mm. Diameter: about 2 mm. Color: 185B.     Calyx .—about 3.5 mm in length, about 2 mm in diameter, color 185B, with stellate pubescence.       
       Petals:
             Arrangement/appearance.— 4 per flower.     Petal length .—about 1.7 cm.     Petal width .—about 1 mm.     Petal shape .—strap-shaped. Petal apex: acuminate. Petal margin: entire. Texture: smooth.     Petal color .—upper and lower surfaces are 59C.       
       Stamens:
             Quantity/arrangement.— 4 or 5 stamens, 1.5 mm long, 0.3 mm in width, and N77A in color. Pollen: produced in very small quantities and is 158A in color.       
       Pistils:
             Quantity .—One or two inferior pistils per flower. Pubescence: none. Pistil length: about 2 mm in length. Pistil color: 71A. Stigma: rounded, 71A in color. Style: 1 mm in length and 71A in color. Ovary: 1 mm in length, 1 mm in diameter, and N80A in color.       
       Fruit: None observed to date.