Patent Publication Number: US-PP16205-P2

Title: Primula plant named ‘Kerbelcrem’

Description:
Botanical designation:  Primula acaulis.    
   Cultivar Denomination: ‘Kerbelcrem’. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of  Primula  plant, botanically known as  Primula acaulis , and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name Kerbelcrem. 
   The new  Primula  is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Over, Cambridge, United Kingdom. The objective of the breeding program was to create new compact pot-type  Primula  cultivars with numerous double flowers with short peduncles and attractive leaf and flower coloration. 
   The new  Primula  originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventors in Over, Cambridge, United Kingdom of two unnamed proprietary  Primula acaulis  seedling selections, not patented, in March, 2001. The new  Primula  was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Over, Cambridge, United Kingdom in February, 2002. 
   Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by tissue culture since the summer of 2002 in Enniscorthy, Ireland, has shown that the unique features of this new  Primula  are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Plants of the cultivar Kerbelcrem have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, daylength, and fertility level without, however, any variance in genotype. 
   The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Kerbelcrem’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Kerbelcrem’ as a new and distinct cultivar:
         1. Upright, compact and uniform plant habit.   2. Large, double, fragrant and cream-colored flowers that are held upright on strong and erect peduncles.   3. Freely flowering habit.   4. Tolerant to low temperatures.       

   Plants of the new  Primula  differ from plants of the parent selections in the following characteristics:
         1. Plants of the new  Primula  have double flowers whereas plants of the parent selections have single flowers.   2. Plants of the  Primula  are sterile whereas plants of the parent selections are fertile.       

   Plants of the new  Primula  can be compared to plants of the  Primula acaulis  cultivar Val Horncastle, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Over, Cambridge, United Kingdom, plants of the new  Primula  differed from plants of the cultivar Val Horncastle in the following characteristics:
         1. Plants of the new  Primula  had larger flowers than plants of the cultivar Val Horncastle.   2. Plants of the new  Primula  had cream-colored flowers whereas plants of the cultivar Val Horncastle had pale yellow-colored flowers.   3. Petal margins of plants of the new  Primula  were entire whereas petal margins of plants of the cultivar Val Horncastle were fringed.   4. Plants of the new  Primula  had strong upright peduncles whereas plants of the cultivar Val Horncastle had weak arching peduncles.       

   Plants of the new  Primula  can be compared to plants of the  Primula acaulis  cultivar Dawn Ansell, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Over, Cambridge, United Kingdom, plants of the new  Primula  differed from plants of the cultivar Dawn Ansell in the following characteristics:
         1. Plants of the new  Primula  had larger flowers than plants of the cultivar Dawn Ansell.   2. Plants of the new  Primula  had smaller sepals than plants of the cultivar Dawn Ansell.   3. Plants of the new  Primula  had cream-colored flowers whereas plants of the cultivar Dawn Ansell had white-colored flowers.       

   
     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 more accurately describe the actual colors of the new  Primula.    
     The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Kerbelcrem’ grown in a 11-cm container. 
     The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical flower of ‘Kerbelcrem’. 
   

   DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION 
   The aforementioned photographs, following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Over, Cambridge, United Kingdom, in a glass-covered greenhouse and under commercial production practices during the spring. Plants were about four to five months old when the photographs and description were taken. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 20 to 28° C. and night temperatures ranged from 15 to 20° C. In the following 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:  Primula acaulis  cultivar Kerbelcrem.   Parentage:
             Female, or seed, parent. —Unnamed proprietary  Primula acaulis  seedling selection, not patented.     Male, or pollen, parent. —Unnamed proprietary  Primula acaulis  seedling selection, not patented.       
       Propagation:
             Type. —By tissue culture.     Time to initiate roots. —About four weeks at 20° C.     Time to produce a rooted young plant.— About five weeks at 20° C.     Root description. —Fibrous; white in color.     Rooting habit. —Freely branching.       
       Plant description:
             Plant form/habit. —Upright, compact and uniform plant habit; inverted triangle. Vigorous growth habit. Leaves basal.     Plant height. —About 13.5 to 18 cm.     Plant width  ( spread ).—About 25 to 30 cm.     Foliage description. —Arrangement: Basal, simple. Length: About 10 to 17 cm. Width: About 4 to 7 cm. Shape: Elliptic. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Acute. Margin: Slightly crenate; irregular; undulate. Texture, upper surface: Smooth. Texture, lower surface: Prominent venation; pubescent. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color: Developing leaves, upper surface: 132B to 143C. Developing leaves, lower surface: 147B. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: 147A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: 147B. Venation, upper surface: 144B. Venation, lower surface: 144D. Petiole length: About 3 to 7 mm. Petiole diameter: About 4 to 11 mm. Petiole texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Petiole color, upper surface: 59D. Petiole color, lower surface: 59D to 157A.       
       Flower description:
             Flower type/habit. —Single, rounded double flowers; flowers face upright and outward. Freely flowering habit with about 11 to 23 flower buds and flowers per plant.     Fragrance. —Strong fragrance; typical of species.     Natural flowering season. —Recurrent flowering during the spring in the United Kingdom. Flowers persistent.     Flower buds. —Height: About 1.3 to 1.6 cm. Diameter: About 5 to 8 mm. Shape: Ovoid. Color: 145A to 145B.     Flower diameter. —About 3 to 4 cm.     Flower depth. —About 1.2 to 2 cm.     Petals. —Quantity per flower: About 21 to 34 in several concentric whorls. Length (including tube): About 1.3 to 1.8 cm. Width: About 1.2 to 1.8 cm. Shape: Obcordate. Apex: Emarginate. Margin: Slightly undulate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; satiny. Color: Developing petals, upper surface: 157A. Developing petals, lower surface: 157D. Fully expanded petals, upper surface: 157A; towards the base, 17A; color becoming closer to 4B with development. Fully expanded petals, lower surface: 157D; towards the base, 2A to 2B to 1D.     Sepals. —Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single whorl, fused at the base. Length: About 1.2 to 1.7 cm. Width: About 5 to 8 mm. Shape: Narrowly oblong. Apex: Acute. Margin: Irregular; undulate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces: 143C.     Peduncles. —Length: About 5 to 8 cm. Diameter: About 2 to 3 mm. Orientation: Mostly erect. Strength: Strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color: 63B to 63C.     Reproductive organs. —Development of reproductive organs has not been observed.       
       Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new  Primula  have not been noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to  Primula.      Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new  Primula  have been observed to have tolerate temperatures from about −5 to 28° C.