Poinsettia plant named ‘Duematin’

A new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant named ‘Duematin’, characterized by its upright to outwardly spreading and uniformly mounded plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; large star-shaped inflorescences with red-colored flower bracts; and excellent post-production longevity.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant, botanically known asEuphorbia pulcherrimaWilld., and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Duematin’.

The new Poinsettia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to create new vigorous Poinsettia plants with attractive flower bract orientation and coloration.

The new Poinsettia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in July, 2009 in Rheinberg, Germany of a proprietary selection ofEuphorbia pulcherrimaWilld. identified as code number F-03-001, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection ofEuphorbia pulcherrimaWilld. identified as code number E-05-0718, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Poinsettia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany in December, 2011.

Asexual reproduction of the new Poinsettia plant by terminal vegetative cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany since January, 2012 has shown that the unique features of this new Poinsettia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Duematin’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Duematin’ as a new and distinct Poinsettia plant:1. Upright to outwardly spreading and uniformly mounded plant habit.2. Vigorous growth habit.3. Freely branching habit.4. Large star-shaped inflorescences with red-colored flower bracts.5. Excellent post-production longevity.

Plants of the new Poinsettia differ primarily from plants of the parent selection in growth habit as plants of the new Poinsettia are more vigorous than plants of the female and male parent selections.

Plants of the new Poinsettia can be compared to plants ofEuphorbia pulcherrimaWilld. ‘Fiscor’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,364. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Rheinberg, Germany, plants of the new Poinsettia differed primarily from plants of ‘Fiscor’ in the following characteristics:1. Plants of the new Poinsettia were more vigorous than plants of ‘Fiscor’.2. Plants of the new Poinsettia had longer internodes than plants of ‘Fiscor’.3. Plants of the new Poinsettia had smaller leaves than plants of ‘Fiscor’.4. Plants of the new Poinsettia had larger inflorescences and longer flower bracts than plants of ‘Fiscor’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the autumn in a glass-covered greenhouse in Rheinberg, Germany and under cultural practices typical of commercial production. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures averaged 22° C. and light levels averaged 4,500 lux. Measurements and numerical values represent averages for typical flowering plants. Single plants were grown in 12-cm containers and were pinched one time three weeks after planting. Plants were 16 weeks old when the photograph and the detailed description were taken. 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:Euphorbia pulcherrimaWilld. ‘Duematin’.Parentage:Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection ofEuphorbia pulcherrimaWilld. identified as code number F-03-001, not patented.Male or pollen parent.—Proprietary selection ofEuphorbia pulcherrimaWilld. identified as code number E-05-0718, not patented.Propagation:Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.Time to initiate roots, summer.—About five days at temperatures about 20° C.Time to initiate roots, winter.—About seven days at temperatures about 20° C.Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three weeks at temperatures about 20° C.Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four weeks at temperatures about 20° C.Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.Plant description:Plant and growth habit.—Upright to outwardly spreading and uniformly mounded plant habit; broad inverted triangle; large star-shaped inflorescences positioned above the foliar plane; vigorous growth habit.Plant height.—About 27 cm.Plant diameter or spread.—About 45 cm.Lateral branch description.—Branching habit: Freely branching habit, about six to seven lateral branches develop after pinching. Length: About 13.3 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm. Internode length: About 1.9 cm. Strength: Moderately strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 137A.Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length: About 10.6 cm. Width: About 6.8 cm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Apiculate. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Lobed; dentate. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous. Texture, lower surface: Rugose, glabrous. Color: Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 138A. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 139A; venation, close to 146A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 137A to 137B; venation, close to 146B to 146C. Petiole: Length: About 6.6 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 187A to 187B.Inflorescence description:Inflorescence type and flowering habit.—Star-shaped inflorescences are compound corymbs of cyathia with flower bracts subtending the cyathia; one inflorescence per lateral branch with inflorescences positioned above and beyond the foliar plane.Fragrance.—None detected.Natural flowering season.—Plants flower naturally during October and November in Germany; inflorescence initiation and development can be induced under artificial long nyctoperiod conditions; early flowering habit, response time is about eight weeks under long nyctoperiod conditions.Post-production longevity.—Excellent post-production longevity; plants of the new Poinsettia maintain good substance and bract color for about twelve weeks under interior conditions.Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 31 cm. Height (depth): About 4 cm.Flower bracts.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 15. Length: About 15.4 cm. Width: About 8.1 cm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Apiculate. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire; lobed, dentate. Aspect: Mostly flat. Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous. Texture, lower surface: Rugose, glabrous. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color: Developing bracts, upper surface: Close to 46A. Developing bracts, lower surface: Close to 53B. Transitional bracts, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 46A to 46B. Fully developed bracts, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 46A to 46B; venation, close to 46A to 46B; color does not fade with development. Bract petiole: Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 53A.Cyathia.—Quantity per corymb: About twelve. Length: About 8 mm. Width: About 5 mm. Shape: Ovoid. Color, immature: Inner surface: Close to 143C. Outer surface: Close to 143B. Color, mature: Inner surface: Close to 143B. Outer surface: Close to 143B to 143C. Nectaries: Quantity per cyathium: One. Length: About 4 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Color, immature and mature, inner surface: Close to 17A. Color, immature and mature, outer surface: Close to 17C.Peduncles.—Length: About 4 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 143C.Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per cyathium: About ten. Filament length: About 7 mm. Filament color: Close to 53A. Anther shape: Oval. Anther length: About 0.5 mm. Anther color: Close to 187A to 187B. Amount of pollen: Abundant. Pollen color: Close to 9A. Pistils: Quantity per cyathium: One. Pistil length: About 1 cm. Style length: About 2 mm. Style color: Close to 144B. Stigma shape: Crested. Stigma color: Close to 59A to 59B. Ovary color: Close to 144A. Seeds and fruits: Seed and fruit production have not been observed on plants of the new Poinsettia.Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Poinsettia have not been shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Poinsettia plants.Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Poinsettia have been observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 40° C.