Begonia plant named `Bacchus`

A new and distinct cultivar of Begonia plant named `Bacchus`, characterized by its compact and freely branching plant habit; fully double intense red flowers that are about 6 to 8 cm in diameter; short peduncles and short pedicels; and excellent postproduction longevity.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
 The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Begonia
 plant, botanically known as Begonia.times.hiemalis, commercially known as
 Elatior Begonia, and hereinafter referred to by the name `Bacchus`.
 The new Begonia was discovered by the Inventor in a controlled environment
 in Ermelo, The Netherlands, in December, 1994, as a naturally-occurring
 mutation of Begonia.times.hiemalis `Barkos`, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat.
 No. 9,523. The new Begonia was observed as a single plant in a group of
 flowering plants of the parent cultivar. The selection of this plant was
 based on its unique flower color.
 Asexual reproduction of the new Begonia by leaf and terminal cuttings taken
 in a controlled environment in Ermelo, The Netherlands, has shown that the
 unique features of this new Begonia are stable and reproduced true to type
 in successive generations.
 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
 The cultivar `Bacchus` has not been observed under all possible
 environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations
 in environment such as temperature, daylength 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 `Bacchus`. These characteristics in
 combination distinguish `Bacchus` as a new and distinct Begonia:
 1. Compact and freely branching plant habit.
 2. Fully double intense red flowers that are about 6 to 8 cm in diameter.
 3. Short peduncles and short pedicels.
 4. Excellent postproduction longevity.
 In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Ermelo, The
 Netherlands, plants of the new Begonia differ from plants of the parent
 cultivar Barkos in the following characteristics:
 1. Plants of the new Begonia are more compact than plants of the cultivar
 Barkos.
 2. Flowers of plants of the new Begonia are more intense red than flowers
 of plants of the cultivar Barkos.
 3. Plants of the new Begonia have shorter peduncles and shorter pedicels
 than plants of the cultivar Barkos.
 4. Flowers of plants of the new Begonia are longer-lasting than flowers of
 plants of the cultivar Barkos.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION
 In the following description, color references are made to The Royal
 Horticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms of ordinary
 dictionary significance are used. The following observations and
 measurements describe plants grown in Ermelo, The Netherlands, under
 commercial practice in a glass-covered greenhouse. Average day and night
 temperatures were 20.degree. C. during the first three to four weeks then
 lowered to an average day and night temperature of 19.degree. C. until
 flowering. Four weeks after planting, one week of long nyctoperiods were
 given followed by short nyctoperiods of eight hours. Measurements and
 numerical values represent averages for typical flowering plants that were
 about 10 to 12 weeks old.
 Botanical classification: Begonia.times.hiemalis cultivar Bacchus.
 Commercial classification: Elatior Begonia.
 Parentage: Naturally-occurring mutation of Begonia.times.hiemalis `Barkos`,
 disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,523.
 Propagation:
 Type.--Terminal cuttings.
 Time to develop roots.--About 42 days with soil temperatures of 20.degree.
 C.
 Rooting habit.--Fine, fibrous, well-branched, and spreading; plants do not
 form tubers.
 Plant description:
 Plant form.--Compact; upright and somewhat spreading potted plant; freely
 branching with good stem and stem base strength. Flowers are fully double
 and abundant. Plants flower continuously.
 Growth habit.--Moderate growth rate, vigorous. Suitable for 11 to 15-cm
 containers. Under optimal environmental and cultural conditions, usually
 10 to 12 weeks are required to produce proportional 13-cm potted plants
 from terminal cuttings. Vegetative shoots are formed at basal nodes and
 flowering shoots are formed at upper nodes.
 Plant height.--About 22 to 24 cm.
 Plant width.--About 26 to 29 cm.
 Leaves.--Arrangement: Simple, alternate. Length: About 11.5 cm. Width:
 About 11.5 cm. Shape: Asymmetrical, more or less reniform. Apex:
 Acuminate. Base: Cordate. Margin: Doubly serrate. Texture: Slightly
 pubescent. Petiole length: About 2 to 5 cm. Color: Young and fully
 expanded foliage, upper surface: 147A to 147B. Young and fully expanded
 foliage, lower surface: 147B to 147C. Venation, upper and lower surfaces:
 144D to 146D with medium to strong purple anthocyanin coloration. Petiole:
 144D with medium to strong anthocyanin coloration.
 Flower description:
 Flowering habit.--Large and fully double flowers with numerous tepals
 arranged in axillary cymes. Usually three to five flowers per cyme. Many
 cymes in flower simultaneously. Flowering continuous.
 Natural flowering season.--Plants will flower year around regardless of
 nyctoperiod, however plants flower earlier and more abundantly from
 mid-February until November in the Northern Hemisphere.
 Flowers.--Shape: Rounded. Diameter: About 7 cm. Depth (height): About 3 cm.
 Flower buds.--Length: About 2 to 3 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 to 2 cm. Color:
 46B to 46C.
 Tepals.--Arrangement: Rosette. Shape: Very broadly cordate with rounded
 apex. Margin: Crenate. Quantity per flower: Usually about 35 per flower.
 Size: Outer tepals: Length: About 3 to 3.8 cm. Width: About 3.2 to 4 cm.
 Inner tepals: Length: About 1.5 to 2.5 cm. Width: About 1.5 to 2.5 cm.
 Texture: Smooth, satiny, glabrous. Color: When opening: 46B. Fully opened,
 upper surface: 46B. Fully opened, lower surface: 46C. Fading to: 46B.
 Peduncles.--Angle: Erect to bent. Length: About 7 to 9 cm. Texture:
 Slightly pubescent. Color: 146D to 144D with slight to moderate purple
 anthocyanin coloration.
 Pedicels.--Angle: Bent. Length: About 1.5 to 3 cm. Texture: Slightly
 pubescent. Color: Close to 179A.
 Bracts.--Arrangement: Two, opposite. Shape: Very broadly cordate. Margin:
 Entire. Color: Upper surface: 46B. Lower surface: 47B to 47C.
 Reproductive organs.--Stamens: None observed. Pistils: None observed.
 Postproduction longevity:
 Individual flowers.--Generally about 2 to 3 weeks on the plant.
 Whole plants.--About 6 weeks under interior conditions.
 Disease resistance: Resistance to diseases common to Begonia has not been
 determined.
 Seed production: Seed production has not been observed as reproductive
 organs are not formed.