Patent Publication Number: US-PP17677-P2

Title: Viola plant named ‘Sunviolaho’

Description:
Botanical designation:  Viola cornuta.    
   Cultivar denomination: ‘Sunviolaho’. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of  Viola  plant, botanically known as  Viola cornuta,  and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name Sunviolaho. 
   The new  Viola  is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan. The objective of the breeding program is to create new  Violas  with numerous flowers with attractive flower colors. 
   The new  Viola  originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in April, 2001, of a proprietary selection of  Viola cornuta  identified as code number 9V-29a, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of  Viola cornuta  identified as code number 01V-77, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new  Viola  was selected as a single plant from the resulting progeny of the cross-pollination by the Inventor in a controlled environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan. 
   Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan since April, 2003 has shown that the unique features of this new  Viola  are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Plants of the cultivar Sunviolaho have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment 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 ‘Sunviolaho’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Sunviolaho’ as a new and distinct  Viola  cultivar:
         1. Outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit.   2. Vigorous and freely branching growth habit.   3. Freely flowering habit.   4. Single white-colored flowers with long peduncles.   5. Long flowering period.   6. Good garden performance.       

   Plants of the new  Viola  differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:
         1. Plants of the new  Viola  are broader than plants of the female parent selection.   2. Plants of the new  Viola  differ from plants of the female parent selection in flower color.       

   Plants of the new  Viola  differ from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:
         1. Plants of the new  Viola  are more spreading than plants of the male parent selection.   2. Plants of the new  Viola  have larger flowers than plants of the male parent selection.       

   Plants of the new  Viola  can be compared to plants of the cultivar Violetto Nive, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, plants of the new  Viola  differed from plants of the cultivar Violetto Nive in the following characteristics:
         1. Plants of the new  Viola  were taller and narrower than plants of the cultivar Violetto Nive.   2. Plants of the new  Viola  had longer leaves than plants of the cultivar Violetto Nive.   3. Plants of the new  Viola  had larger flowers than plants of the cultivar Violetto Nive.       

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS 
     The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new cultivar, 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  Viola.    
     The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunviolaho’ grown in a container. 
     The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a close-up view of a typical flower of ‘Sunviolaho’. 
   

   DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION 
   The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, in 15-cm containers for about seven months in an outdoor nursery during the spring with day temperatures about 13° C. and night temperatures about 3° C. Plants were pinched one time in the early spring. Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.
     Botanical classification:  Viola cornuta  cultivar Sunviolaho.   Parentage:
             Female, or seed, parent. —Proprietary selection of  Viola cornuta  selection identified as code number 9V-29a, not patented.     Male, or pollen, parent. —Proprietary selection of  Viola cornuta  selection identified as code number 01V-77, not patented.       
       Propagation:
             Type cutting. —Terminal vegetative cuttings.     Time to initiate roots. —About two weeks at 20° C. to 25° C.     Time to develop roots. —About four weeks at 20° C. to 25° C.     Root description. —Fine, fibrous, fleshy; pale yellow in color.     Rooting habit. —Freely branching.       
       Plant description:
             Plant and growth habit. —Annual flowering plant; outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit. Vigorous growth habit. Freely branching habit with about 55 lateral branches developing per plant.     Plant height. —About 16.2 cm.     Plant diameter. —About 39.6 cm.     Lateral branches. —Length: About 15.8 cm. Diameter: About 2.8 mm. Internode length: About 2.4 cm. Texture: Pubescent. Color: 144A.     Foliage description. —Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length: About 4.8 cm. Width: About 1.3 cm. Shape: Narrowly elliptic. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Truncate. Margin: Crenate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Venation pattern: Pinnate; reticulate. Color: Developing and fully expanded foliage, upper surface: 137B. Developing and fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 146A. Venation, upper and lower surfaces: Similar to lamina. Petioles: Length: About 1.6 cm. Diameter: About 0.9 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces: 144A. Stipules: Length: About 3.1 cm. Width: About 1.8 cm. Shape: Narrowly ovate. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Pinnately parted. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces: 144A.       
       Flower description:
             Flower type and habit. —Single rotate flowers; flowers face mostly upward or outward; axially. Flowers not persistent. Freely flowering habit; about 130 flowers and flower buds per plant.     Natural flowering season. —Long flowering period, plants flower from autumn through the spring in Japan; flowering continuous during this period.     Flower longevity on the plant. —About five to seven days.     Fragrance. —None detected.     Flower diameter. —About 5.8 cm by 5 cm.     Flower length  ( depth ).—About 1.7 cm.     Flower buds. —Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 8.4 mm. Shape: Lenticular. Color: 155B.     Corolla. —Quantity/arrangement: Five petals; fused in a single whorl. Petal length: Upper petals: About 3 cm. Lateral petals: About 2.5 cm. Lower petal: About 2 cm. Petal width: Upper petals: About 3.5 cm. Lateral petals: About 2.7 cm. Lower petal: About 3.8 cm. Petal shape: Upper petals: Rounded with rounded apex. Lateral petals: Elliptic with rounded apex. Lower petal: Cordate with cordate apex. Petal margin, all petals: Entire. Petal texture, all petals, upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous, smooth; velvety. Color: Upper and lateral petals, when developing and fully developed, upper surface: 155B. Lower petal, when developing and fully developed, upper surface: 155B; at the base, 17A. All petals, when developing and fully developed, lower surface: 155B.     Spurs  ( lower petal only ).—Length: About 5.8 mm. Width: About 1 mm. Color: 189B.     Sepals. —Arrangement/appearance: Single whorl of five sepals fused at base; star-shaped calyx. Length: About 1.5 cm to 2 cm. Width: About 4.6 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Color, upper and lower surfaces. 144B.     Peduncles. —Length: About 9.8 cm. Width: About 1.5 mm. Strength: Moderately strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 144A.     Reproductive organs. —Stamens: Quantity: Five per flower. Anther shape: Ellipsoidal. Anther size: About 2 mm by 1 mm. Anther color: 11D. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: 11D. Pistils: Quantity: One per flower. Pistil length: About 5.5 mm. Style length: About 0.7 mm. Style color: 2C. Stigma shape: Ellipsoidal. Stigma color: 154C. Ovary color: 144C.     Seeds. —Seed development has not been observed.       
       Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new  Viola  have not been noted to be resistant to specific pathogens and pests common to  Viola.      Garden performance: Plants of the new  Viola  have been observed to have good garden performance and tolerance rain, wind and tolerated temperatures from −7° C. to 25° C.