Patent Publication Number: US-PP32143-P2

Title: Verbena plant named ‘Doverbempsuwhit 19’

Description:
Botanical designation:  Verbena  X  hybrida.    
     Cultivar denomination: ‘DOVERBEMPSUWHIT 19’. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of  Verbena  plant, botanically known as  Verbena  X  hybrida  and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Doverbempsuwhit 19’. 
     The new  Verbena  plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to create new vigorous and early-flowering  Verbena  plants with numerous large and attractive flowers. 
     The new  Verbena  plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in July, 2016 in Rheinberg, Germany of a proprietary selection of  Verbena  X  hybrida  identified as code number VV14-006036-001, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of  Verbena  X  hybrida  identified as code number VV14-008473-002, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new  Verbena  plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany in May, 2018. 
     Asexual reproduction of the new  Verbena  plant by terminal vegetative cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany since June, 2018 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 combinations of 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 ‘Doverbempsuwhit 19’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Doverbempsuwhit 19’ as a new and distinct  Verbena  plant:
         1. Mounding to semi-trailing plant habit.   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.   3. Freely branching habit.   4. Early and freely flowering habit.   5. Large white-colored flowers.   6. Good garden performance.       

     Plants of the new  Verbena  differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in flower color as plants of the new  Verbena  have white-colored flowers whereas plants of the female parent selection have light purple-colored flowers. 
     Plants of the new  Verbena  differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in flower color as plants of the new  Verbena  have white-colored flowers whereas plants of the male parent selection have purple-colored flowers. 
     Plants of the new  Verbena  can be compared to plants of the  Verbena hybrida  ‘Sunmaririho’, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 09/859,545, now abandoned. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new  Verbena  differ primarily from plants of ‘Sunmaririho’ in the following characteristics:
         1. Plants of the new  Verbena  are more compact than plants of ‘Sunmaririho’.   2. Plants of the new  Verbena  have darker green-colored leaves than plants of ‘Sunmaririho’.   3. Plants of the new  Verbena  have larger flowers than plants of ‘Sunmaririho’.   4. Plants of the new  Verbena  have shorter and thicker peduncles than plants of ‘Sunmaririho’.       

    
    
     
       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 colors of the new  Verbena  plant. 
       The photograph on the first sheet ( FIG. 1  of 2) is a side perspective view of a typical flower plant of ‘Doverbempsuwhit 19’. 
       The photograph on the second sheet ( FIG. 2  of 2) is a close-up view of a typical inflorescence of ‘Doverbempsuwhit 19’. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION 
     The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in 13-cm containers during the spring and summer in a glass-covered greenhouse in Rheinberg, Germany and under cultural practices typical of commercial  Verbena  production. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures averaged 18° C. and light levels averaged 1,500 lux. Plants were pinched one time three weeks after planting and were twelve weeks old when the photographs and the description were taken. In the description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, Fifth Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.
     Botanical classification:  Verbena  X  hybrida  ‘Doverbempsuwhit 19’.   Parentage:
             Female, or seed, parent .—Proprietary selection of  Verbena  X  hybrida  identified as code number VV14-006036-001, not patented.     Male, or pollen, parent .—Proprietary selection of  Verbena  X  hybrida  identified as code number VV14-008473-002, not patented.       
       Propagation:
             Type .—Terminal vegetative cuttings.     Time to initiate roots, summer .—About five days at temperatures about 20° C.     Time to initiate roots, winter .—About seven days at temperatures about 20° C.     Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer .—About three weeks at temperatures about 20° C.     Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter .—About four weeks at temperatures about 20° C.     Root description .—Fine, fibrous; close to 158A in color, actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate composition, water quality, fertilizers, substrate temperature and age of roots.     Rooting habit .—Freely branching; dense.       
       Plant description:
             Plant habit .—Mounding to semi-trailing plant habit; freely branching habit with about four to six primary lateral branches each with about five to six secondary lateral branches; pinching enhances lateral branch development; dense and bushy plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; moderate growth rate.     Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane .—About 13 cm.     Plant height, soil level to top of floral plane .—About 13 cm.     Plant diameter .—About 20 cm.       
       Lateral branch description:
             Length .—About 13 cm.     Diameter .—About 3 mm.     Internode length .—About 4.6 cm.     Strength .—Strong.     Texture and luster .—Pubescent; semi-glossy.     Color, developing .—Close to 144B.     Color, developed .—Close to 144A; at the internodes, close to 144B.       
       Leaf description:
             Arrangement .—Opposite, simple.     Length .—About 4.4 cm.     Width .—About 2.9 cm.     Shape .—Lanceolate.     Apex .—Acute.     Base .—Attenuate.     Margin .—Lobed; sinuses medium in depth and divergent.     Texture and luster, upper surface .—Pubescent, coarse; semi-glossy.     Texture and luster, lower surface .—Pubescent, coarse; matte.     Venation pattern .—Pinnate.     Color .—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 137C. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 139A; venation, close to 146B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 138A; venation, close to 146D.     Petioles .—Length: About 6 mm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm. Strength: Moderately strong. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color, upper surface: Close to 145B. Color, lower surface: Close to 145C.       
       Flower description:
             Flower arrangement and habit .—Salverform flowers arranged in hemispherical terminal umbels; umbels dense and mounding; numerous umbels per plant; flowers face upward or outwardly depending on position in the umbel; freely flowering habit with about twelve flowers per inflorescence and numerous inflorescences per plant.     Fragrance .—None detected.     Natural flowering season .—Plants flower continuously from the spring through the fall in Germany; plants begin flowering about eight weeks after planting.     Flower longevity .—Individual flowers last about one week on the plant; flowers persistent.     Inflorescence height .—About 3 cm.     Inflorescence diameter .—About 6.5 cm.     Flower buds .—Length: About 1.1 cm. Diameter: About 1.4 mm. Shape: Oval to tubular. Texture and luster: Rippled; matte. Color: Close to 143A.     Flowers .—Appearance: Salverform, five-parted fused corolla. Diameter: About 2.3 cm. Depth: About 2.3 cm. Throat diameter: About 1.8 mm. Tube length: About 2.2 cm. Tube diameter: About 1.2 mm.     Corolla .—Arrangement: Single whorl of five fused petals. Petal lobe length: About 9 mm. Petal lobe width: About 9.4 mm. Petal lobe shape: Obovate. Petal lobe apex: Emarginate. Petal margin: Entire. Petal texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Throat texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Tube texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color: Petal lobe, when opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 155C. Petal lobe, fully opened, upper surface: Close to 155B; venation, close to 155B; color becoming closer to 158A with development. Petal lobe, fully opened, lower surface: Close to 155B to 155C; venation, close to 155B to 155C; color becoming closer to 158B to 158C with development. Throat: Close to 150C; venation, close to 150C. Tube: Close to 149D; venation, close to 149D.     Calyx .—Arrangement: Star-shaped calyx with five fused sepals. Length: About 1.3 cm. Diameter: About 1.9 mm. Sepal length: About 1.2 cm. Sepal width: About 1.2 mm. Sepal shape: Ligulate. Sepal apex: Acute. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal texture and luster, upper surface: Pubescent, coarse; semi-glossy. Sepal texture and luster, lower surface: Pubescent, coarse; matte. Sepal color, when developing, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144A and 145A. Sepal color, fully developed, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144A and 145A.     Peduncles .—Length: About 4 cm. Diameter: About 2.8 mm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly upright. Texture and luster: Pubescent; semi-glossy. Color: Close to 144B.     Pedicels .—Length: About 0.6 mm. Diameter: About 0.4 mm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly upright. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; semi-glossy. Color: Close to 145B.     Reproductive organs .—Stamens: Quantity and arrangement: About four to five per flower, adnate to corolla tube. Filament length: About 0.8 mm. Filament color: Close to 155C. Anther length: About 0.9 mm. Anther shape: Oval. Anther color: Close to 144A. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 2C. Pistils: Quantity: One per flower. Pistil length: About 2.2 cm. Style length: About 1.9 cm. Style color: Close to 144D. Stigma diameter: About 1 mm. Stigma shape: Bi-parted; fimbriate. Stigma color: Close to 144A. Ovary color: Close to 149B. Fruits: Quantity produced per plant: About 50 during the flowering season. Length: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Texture: Rough. Color: Close to 199C. Seeds: Quantity per fruit: About four. Length: About 4.8 mm. Diameter: About 0.8 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 199B.       
       Garden performance: Plants of the new  Portulaca  have been observed to have good garden performance and to be suitable for USDA Hardiness Zone 11.   Pathogen &amp; pest resistance: To date, plants of the new  Verbena  have not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to  Verbena  plants.