Patent Publication Number: US-PP25326-P2

Title: Pelargonium plant named ‘Pacsita’

Description:
Botanical designation:  Pelargonium×hortorum.    
     Cultivar denomination: ‘PACSITA’. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Zonal Geranium plant, botanically known as  Pelargonium×hortorum , and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Pacsita’. 
     The new Zonal Geranium plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Dresden, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to develop new vigorous Zonal Geranium plants with early flowering habit and numerous semi-double flowers. 
     The new Zonal Geranium plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in Dresden, Germany during the summer of 2007 of two unnamed proprietary selections of  Pelargonium×hortorum , not patented. The new Zonal Geranium plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Dresden, Germany during the spring of 2008. 
     Asexual reproduction of the new Zonal Geranium plant by vegetative terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Dresden, Germany since January, 2009 has shown that the unique features of this new Zonal Geranium plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Plants of the new Zonal Geranium 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 ‘Pacsita’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Pacsita’ as a new and distinct Zonal Geranium plant:
         1. Upright and uniformly rounded plant habit.   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit and rapid growth rate.   3. Freely basal branching habit.   4. Dark green-colored leaves with a distinct zonation pattern.   5. Early and freely flowering habit.   6. Bright pink-colored semi-double flowers held above the foliar plane on strong peduncles.       

     Plants of the new Zonal Geranium differ primarily from plants of the parent selections in flower coloration. In addition, plants of the new Zonal Geranium are more uniform than plants of the parent selections. 
     Plants of the new Zonal Geranium can be compared to plants of the  Pelargonium×hortorum  ‘Pacros’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,037. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Dresden, Germany, plants of the new Zonal Geranium differed from plants of ‘Pacros’ in the following characteristics:
         1. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium were more compact than plants of ‘Pacros’.   2. Leaves of plants of the new Zonal Geranium had a more distinct zonation pattern than leaves of plants of ‘Pacros’.       

    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH 
       The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Zonal Geranium plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Zonal Geranium plant. The photograph comprises a close-up side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Pacsita’ grown in a container. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION 
     The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in 19-cm containers during the spring and summer in a glass-covered greenhouse in Dresden, Germany and under cultural practices typical of commercial Zonal Geranium production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 18° C., night temperatures averaged 16° C. and light levels ranged from 15 kilolux to 100 kilolux. Plants were three months old when the photograph was taken and nine months old when the detailed description was taken. In the detailed description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.
     Botanical classification:  Pelargonium×hortorum  ‘Pacsita’.   Parentage:
             Female, or seed, parent .—Unnamed proprietary selection of  Pelargonium×hortorum , not patented.     Male or pollen parent .—Unnamed proprietary selection of  Pelargonium×hortorum , not patented.       
       Propagation:
             Type .—By vegetative terminal cuttings.     Time to initiate roots, summer .—About 18 days at temperatures of 20° C.     Time to initiate roots, winter .—About 22 days at temperatures of 20° C.     Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer .—About four weeks at temperatures of 20° C.     Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter .—About four weeks at temperatures of 18° C.     Root description .—Fine, fibrous; white in color.     Rooting habit .—Freely branching; dense.       
       Plant description:
             Plant and growth habit .—Upright and uniformly rounded plant habit; narrow inverted triangle; densely foliated; moderately vigorous growth habit; rapid growth rate; freely basal branching habit with about 17 lateral branches developing per plant; pinching is not required.     Plant height, to top of umbels .—About 35 cm.     Plant height, to top of foliar plane .—About 25 cm.     Plant width .—About 50 cm.     Lateral branches .—Length: About 12 cm. Diameter: About 8 mm. Internode length: About 1 cm. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 144A.       
       Leaf description:
             Arrangement .—Opposite and alternate; simple.     Length .—About 5 cm.     Width .—About 7.5 cm.     Shape .—Rounded; roughly reniform.     Apex .—Rounded.     Base .—Cordate, open.     Margin .—Crenate.     Venation pattern .—Palmate.     Texture, upper and lower surfaces .—Pubescent; velvety.     Color .—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 147A; venation, close to 147A. Developing and fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B; venation, close to 146C. Zonation pattern: Intensity: Distinct. Location: About 1 cm from margin. Width: About 1 cm. Color: Darker than 200A.     Petioles .—Length: About 5 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent; rough. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 147B.       
       Flower description:
             Flower arrangement and flowering habit .—Semi-double flowers arranged in roughly hemispherical umbels arising from apical leaf axils; umbels displayed above the foliar plane on strong peduncles; flowers face upright to outwardly; freely flowering habit; about 30 flowers per umbel with about 15 umbels developing per plant.     Fragrance .—None detected.     Flowering season .—Early flowering habit, plants begin flowering about 75 days after planting; in the garden in Germany, flowering begins in April and continues until frost.     Flower longevity .—Flowers last about six to ten days on the plant; umbels last about three to four weeks on the plant; flowers persistent.     Umbel height .—About 7 cm.     Umbel diameter .—About 11 cm.     Flower diameter .—About 5 cm.     Flower depth  ( height ).—About 1.5 cm.     Flower buds .—Length: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 5 mm. Shape: Rounded. Color: Close to 144A.     Petals/petaloids .—Quantity per flower: About eight arranged in about two whorls; petals/petaloids imbricate. Length: About 2.5 cm to 2.6 cm. Width: About 1.7 cm to 2.2 cm. Shape: Obovate. Apex: Rounded. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Color: When opening and fully opened, upper surface: More blue than 68B; towards the base, close to 155D; venation, close to 68B; color does not fade with development. When opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 65D; towards the base, close to 155D; venation, close to 66C.     Sepals .—Quantity per flower: Five arranged in a single whorl. Length: About 1 cm. Width: About 3 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144A.     Peduncles  ( umbel stems ).—Length: About 14 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm. Strength: Strong. Angle: Mostly upright. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 200A.     Pedicels  ( individual flower stems ).—Length: About 3 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Strength: Moderately strong; flexible. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 199A.     Reproductive organs .—Androecium: Stamen quantity per flower: About ten. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther shape: Tubular. Anther color: Close to 176A. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen color: Close to 169A. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 9 mm. Stigma shape: Five-parted. Stigma color: Close to 46A. Style length: About 4 mm. Style color: Close to 46A. Ovary color: Close to 139D. Seeds and fruits: Seed and fruit development have not been observed on plants of the new Zonal Geranium.       
       Disease &amp; pest resistance: Plants of the new Zonal Geranium have not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Zonal Geraniums.   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Zonal Geranium have been observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 1° C. to about 35° C. to 40° C.