Keilavbu

Petunia

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'Surfinia Blue Vein'

Summary: 'Keilavbu' has shorter stem internodes on the stem than 'Surfinia Blue Vein'. The leaves of 'Keilavbu' have weaker undulation of the margin and weaker pubescence than the leaves of 'Surfinia Blue Vein'. Flower colour on the inner side for 'Keilavbu' is violet to blue-violet with a light yellow throat while for 'Surfinia Blue Vein' it is violet to light blue-violet with a dark violet throat. The throat veins on the outer side for 'Keilavbu' are yellowish-green in colour and weakly prominent on the inner side while for 'Surfinia Blue Vein' they are purple in colour on the outer side and very strongly prominent on the inner side.

Description:

'Keilavbu' is a petunia variety which has a semi-pendulous to pendulous growth habit, short to medium plant height and abundant branching. The stems are moderate to thick with medium to dense foliage and absent to very weak intensity of anthocyanin colouration. The stems have dense pubescence. The leaves vary from oblanceolate to broad elliptic in shape with a broad acute to obtuse shaped apex. At the center of the leaves in cross-section, the leaf profile is concave to straight. The rugosity of the leaves is very smooth to smooth with absent to very weak undulation of the margin. The leaf margins are entire. There is absent to very weak pubescence on the upper leaf surface and margin and sparse pubescence on the lower leaf surface. The orientation of the leaf is perpendicular to the stem. 'Keilavbu' has medium green leaves.

The sepals of 'Keilavbu' are linear in shape with a rounded to broad acute shaped apex. The orientation of the sepal is perpendicular to slightly angled towards the apex of the flower. The sepal has absent to very weak intensity of anthocyanin colouration and has moderately dense pubescence. Time of flowering for 'Keilavbu' is early. The flowers are single and are distributed along the axis of the stems. The overall flower shape is salver form and the shape of the apex of the corolla lobe is acute. The peduncle has moderate to dense pubescence. The inner side of the corolla has absent to very sparse pubescence and the outer side has sparse pubescence. The orientation of the flower is perpendicular to slightly angled towards the apex of the stem. The margin of the corolla has medium to strong undulation. 'Keilavbu' has violet to blue-violet flowers with light yellow on the inside and outside of the throat. The veins on the outer side of the throat are yellowish-green in colour. The throat veins on the inner side are weakly prominent. There is absent to very sparse pubescence on the inner side of the throat of the corolla and moderate to dense pubescence on the outer. 'Keilavbu' has no markings on the inner side of the flower. The corolla lobes are medium in size and have entire margins. The calyx lobes are 1/4 to more than ½ the length of the corolla tube. The stamens are positioned below and above the stigma. There are five stamens which have greenish-white filaments and cream coloured anthers. Mature pollen is yellowish-white in colour. The style is light green in colour and the ovule is ovate in shape with a distinct rounded knob at the apex.

Origin & Breeding History: 'Keilavbu' originated from a cross between two unnamed seedlings, made in Chiba-ken, Japan in 1996. It was selected from the F1 generation. Selection criteria included bluish colour of large, single flowers, free flowering and a pendant growth habit that is freely branching.

Tests & Trials: Tests and trials for 'Keilavbu' were conducted in a poly house at Norseco Inc., Boisbriand, Quebec during the summer of 2001. The trials consisted of plants grown in ten inch hanging baskets (three plants per pot). There were five pots per variety. Unless otherwise indicated, measured characteristics were based on fifteen measurements.

Comparison tables for 'Keilavbu' with reference variety 'Surfinia Blue Vein'

Internode length (cm)

Colour of corolla on inner side (RHS)

Colour of corolla RHS)

Colour of throat (RHS)

Colour of throat veins (RHS)

Colour of prominent marking (RHS)