Loboudtis

Lobelia

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'Blue Star' and 'Lobeto'

Summary: 'Loboudtis' has a horizontal growth habit while in 'Blue Star' it is horizontal to upward arching and in 'Lobeto' it is spreading/trailing. 'Loboudtis' is a more vigorous plant with more branching than 'Lobeto'. The stem of 'Loboudtis' is thinner than in 'Lobeto'. 'Loboudtis' has weaker anthocyanin colouration in the stem than 'Blue Star' and 'Lobeto'. 'Loboudtis' has shorter internodes than 'Blue Star' and 'Lobeto'. The leaf of 'Loboudtis' is smaller than 'Blue Star' and 'Lobeto'. The sepal of 'Loboudtis' is slightly shorter than 'Blue Star' and 'Lobeto'. 'Loboudtis' has a lighter blue coloured flower than 'Blue Star' and 'Lobeto'.

Description:

'Loboudtis' is a vegetatively propagated lobelia variety which has a horizontal growth habit and a dense branching habit. The stem is moderately thick, medium green in colour, and has weak intensity of anthocyanin colouration. There is no pubescence on the stem. The simple leaves are arranged alternately on the stems. The leaf blades are linear to slightly falcate in shape and have an cuspidate shaped apex with a cuneate base. The margins of the leaf blades are serrate. The leaf blade is medium green in colour with no variegation. There is no petiole.

The sepals of 'Loboudtis' are acuminate in shape and anthocyanin colouration is absent. The inflorescence is a raceme type with flowers in both terminal and axillary locations. Attitude of the flowers is upright. Anthocyanin colouration of the pedicel is absent. Flower colour is violet blue with two white triangular markings at the base of the lower corolla lobes. There is also a smaller dark violet marking on each of the three lower corolla lobes. The stigma colour is red-purple.

Origin & Breeding History: 'Loboudtis' originated from a cross between 'R616', a selection of Lobelia erinus with a light blue flower colour, strong, spreading growth habit, and early flowering and 'Z925', a selection of Lobelia erinus with blue flower colour, strong, spreading growth habit, and early flowering . The cross took place in 2000 at Syngenta Seeds B.V. in Enkhuizen, the Netherlands. Selection criteria were very light blue flower colour and earliness.

Tests & Trials: Tests and trials for 'Loboudtis' were conducted in a poly house during the spring of 2004 in St. Thomas, Ontario. The trial consisted of 15 plants per variety grown from unrooted cuttings an transplanted into 11cm pots in week 19. Observations and measurements were taken from 10 plants of each variety. All colour measurements were made using RHS Colour Chart 2001.

Comparison tables for 'Loboudtis' with reference varieties 'Blue Star' and 'Lobeto'

Internode length (cm)

Leaf length (cm)

Leaf width (cm)

Sepal length (mm)

Colour of upper lobe (RHS)

Colour of lower lobe (RHS)