Patent Publication Number: US-PP25395-P2

Title: Verbena plant named ‘RIKAV14704’

Description:
Botanical designation:  Verbena hybrida.    
     Cultivar denomination: ‘RIKAV14704’. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of  Verbena  plant, botanically known as  Verbena hybrida , and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘RIKAV14704’. 
     The new  Verbena  plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and Bonsall, Calif. The objective of the breeding program is to create new vigorous and freely-branching  Verbena  plants with numerous flowers and tolerance to powdery mildew. 
     The new  Verbena  plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor on May 5, 2010 in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan of  Verbena hybrida  ‘Lan Depur’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,606, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary seedling selection of  Verbena hybrida  identified as code number 07V230-01, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new  Verbena  plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Bonsall, Calif. on Jun. 9, 2011. 
     Asexual reproduction of the new  Verbena  plant by terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in Bonsall, Calif. since Jun. 10, 2011 has shown that the unique features of this new  Verbena  plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Plants of the new  Verbena  have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype. 
     The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘RIKAV14704’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘RIKAV14704’ as a new and distinct  Verbena  plant:
         1. Compact, outwardly spreading and mounding plant habit.   2. Vigorous growth habit.   3. Freely branching habit.   4. Dark green-colored leaves.   5. Freely flowering habit.   6. Dark purple-colored flowers that are held above and beyond the foliar plane.   7. Relatively tolerant to powdery mildew.       

     Plants of the new  Verbena  can be compared to plants of the female parent, ‘Lan Depur’. Plants of the new  Verbena  differ primarily from plants of ‘Lan Depur’ in the following characteristics:
         1. Plants of the new  Verbena  are more freely branching than plants of ‘Lan Depur’.   2. Plants of the new  Verbena  and ‘Lan Depur’ differ in flower color.       

     Plants of the new  Verbena  can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new  Verbena  differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:
         1. Plants of the new  Verbena  are more freely branching than plants of the male parent selection.   2. Plants of the new  Verbena  have larger flowers than plants of the male parent selection.   3. Plants of the new  Verbena  and the male parent selection differ in flower color.       

     Plants of the new  Verbena  can be compared to plants of the  Verbena hybrida  ‘USBENAL25’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,683. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Bonsall, Calif., plants of the new  Verbena  differed primarily from plants of ‘USBENAL25’ in the following characteristics:
         1. Plants of the new  Verbena  were more compact than plants of ‘USBENAL25’.   2. Leaves of plants of the new  Verbena  were smaller than leaves of plants of ‘USBENAL25’.   3. Plants of the new  Verbena  and ‘USBENAL25’ differ in flower color as plants of ‘USBENAL25’ have dark violet-colored flowers.       

    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS 
       The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new  Verbena  plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the actual colors of the new  Verbena  plant. 
       The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘RIKAV14704’ grown in a container. 
       The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘RIKAV14704’. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION 
     The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the late autumn in 11.4-cm containers in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse in Bonsall, Calif. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 21° C. to 38° C., night temperatures averaged 21° C. and light levels ranged from 7,000 to 10,000 foot-candles. Plants were pinched one time at planting and were two months old when the photographs and description were taken. 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.
     Botanical classification:  Verbena hybrida  ‘RIKAV14704’.   Parentage:
             Female, or seed, parent.—Verbena hybrida  ‘Lan Depur’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,606.     Male, or pollen, parent .—Proprietary seedling selection of  Verbena hybrida  identified as code number 07V230-01, not patented.       
       Propagation:
             Type cutting .—Vegetative tip cuttings.     Time to initiate roots, summer .—About three days at temperatures ranging from about 16° C. to 29° C.     Time to initiate roots, winter .—About four days at temperatures ranging from about 16° C. to 21° C.     Time to produce a rooted plant, summer .—About 15 days at temperatures ranging from about 16° C. to 29° C.     Time to produce a rooted plant, winter .—About 20 days at temperatures ranging from about 16° C. to 21° C.     Root description .—Medium in thickness, fibrous; white in color.     Rooting habit .—Freely branching; medium density.       
       Plant description:
             Plant and growth habit .—Compact, outwardly spreading and mounding plant habit; freely branching habit with about eight primary lateral branches developing per plant each with numerous secondary branches; pinching enhances lateral branch development; dense and bushy plant habit; vigorous growth habit.     Plant height .—About 18.5 cm.     Plant diameter  ( spread ).—About 34 cm.       
       Lateral branch description:
             Length .—About 24 cm.     Diameter .—About 2 mm.     Internode length .—About 2.5 cm.     Orientation .—Initially upright then outwardly spreading and decumbent.     Strength .—Strong.     Texture .—Pubescent; minute.     Color .—Close to 146C.       
       Leaf description:
             Arrangement .—Opposite, simple.     Length .—About 4.8 cm.     Width .—About 2.8 cm.     Shape .—Oblong to ovate.     Apex .—Broadly acute.     Base .—Attenuate.     Margin .—Irregularly crenate.     Texture, upper and lower surfaces .—Pubescent; coarse, hirsute.     Venation pattern .—Pinnate; reticulate.     Color .—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A; venation, close to 147C. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B; venation, close to 148C.     Petiole .—Length: About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Densely pubescent. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 146C.       
       Flower description:
             Flower arrangement and habit .—Sessile salverform flowers arranged in compact hemispherical terminal racemes; flowers face upward or outwardly; freely flowering habit with about 32 flowers developing per inflorescence and typically more than 900 flowers per plant.     Natural flowering season .—Plants flower continuously from spring through the autumn in southern California; early flowering habit, plants begin flowering about five weeks after planting.     Flower longevity .—Flowers last about five to seven days on the plant; flowers not persistent.     Fragrance .—None detected.     Inflorescence height .—About 4.2 cm.     Inflorescence diameter .—About 5.4 cm.     Flower buds .—Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm. Shape: Elongated oblong. Color: Close to 187C.     Flower diameter .—About 1.5 cm.     Flower depth  ( height ).—About 2.5 cm.     Throat diameter .—About 1 mm.     Tube length .—About 1.8 cm.     Tube diameter, proximal .—About 1.5 mm.     Corolla .—Arrangement: Single whorl of five fused petals fused towards the base into a narrow tube. Petal lobe length: About 7 mm. Petal lobe width: About 5 mm. Petal lobe shape: Roughly cordate. Petal lobe apex: Emarginate to cordate. Petal margin: Entire. Petal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Throat texture: Smooth, glabrous. Tube texture: Sparsely pubescent. Color: Petal, when opening, upper surface: Close to N79A. Petal, when opening, lower surface: Close to N79B. Petal, fully opened, upper surface: Close to N79A; color does not change with development. Petal, fully opened, lower surface: Close to N79D; color does not change with development. Throat, inner surface: Close to 195D. Tube, outer surface: Close to 186C flushed with close to N79D.     Calyx .—Arrangement: Single whorl of five fused sepals fused towards the base into a slender tube. Sepal length: About 1.2 cm. Sepal width: About 1 mm. Sepal shape: Narrowly lanceolate. Sepal apex: Acute. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal texture, inner surface: Smooth, glabrous. Sepal texture, outer surface: Pubescent; minute. Sepal color, upper surface: Close to 148C. Sepal color, lower surface: Close to 147B.     Peduncles .—Length: About 7.1 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm. Strength: Strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 146A.     Reproductive organs .—Stamens: Quantity and arrangement: Four per flower, filaments are adnate to corolla tube. Filament length, free section: About 1.5 mm. Filament color: Close to 145B. Anther shape: Oval. Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther color: Close to 146D. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 151C. Pistils: Quantity: One per flower. Pistil length: About 1.8 cm. Stigma shape: Rounded, bi-parted. Stigma color: Close to 146C. Style length: About 1.4 cm. Style color: Close to 146D. Ovary color: Close to N144A. Fruits and seeds: Fruit and seed development have not been observed on plants of the new  Verbena.          
       Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new  Verbena  have been observed to tolerate temperatures from about 1° C. to about 40° C.   Pathogen &amp; pest resistance: Plants of the new  Verbena  have been observed to be relatively tolerant to powdery mildew. Plants of the new  Verbena  have not been observed to be resistant to pests and other pathogens common to  Verbena  plants.