Patent Publication Number: US-PP29012-P2

Title: Poinsettia plant named ‘BKPONLR’

Description:
Botanical designation:  Euphorbia pulcherrima  Willd. 
     Cultivar denomination: ‘BKPONLR’. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant, botanically known as  Euphorbia pulcherrima  Willd. and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Bkponlr’. 
     The new Poinsettia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in De Kwakel and Maasdijk, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new uniform and freely-branching Poinsettia plants with good postproduction longevity. 
     The new Poinsettia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in January, 2010 in De Kwakel, The Netherlands of a proprietary selection of  Euphorbia pulcherrima  Willd. identified as code number 2000084, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of  Euphorbia pulcherrima  Willd. identified as code number 2000063, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Poinsettia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Maasdijk, The Netherlands in December, 2012. 
     Asexual reproduction of the new Poinsettia plant by terminal vegetative cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Maasdijk, The Netherlands since March, 2013 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 
     Plants of the new Poinsettia have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions 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 ‘Bkponlr’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Bkponlr’ as a new and distinct Poinsettia plant:
         1. Broadly upright and uniformly mounding plant habit.   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.   3. Freely branching habit.   4. Dark green-colored leaves.   5. Large and full inflorescences with bright red-colored flower bracts.   6. Excellent post-production longevity.       

     Plants of the new Poinsettia can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Poinsettia differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:
         1. Plants of the new Poinsettia are more upright than and not as broad as plants of the female parent selection.   2. Plants of the new Poinsettia have thicker and stronger lateral branches than plants of the female parent selection.   3. Plants of the new Poinsettia have darker green-colored leaves than plants of the female parent selection.   4. Plants of the new Poinsettia and the female parent selection differ in flower bract color as flower bracts of the female parent selection are dark red in color.       

     Plants of the new Poinsettia can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Poinsettia differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:
         1. Plants of the new Poinsettia are more upright than and not as broad as plants of the male parent selection.   2. Plants of the new Poinsettia have thicker and stronger lateral branches than plants of the male parent selection.   3. Plants of the new Poinsettia have lighter green-colored leaves than plants of the male parent selection.   4. Plants of the new Poinsettia and the male parent selection differ in flower bract color as flower bracts of the male parent selection are light red in color.       

     Plants of the new Poinsettia can be compared to plants of  Euphorbia pulcherrima  Willd. ‘Floasatur’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,230. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Poinsettia differ primarily from plants of ‘Floasatur’ in the following characteristics:
         1. Plants of the new Poinsettia are more freely branching than plants of ‘Floasatur’.   2. Plants of the new Poinsettia flower earlier than plants of ‘Floasatur’.   3. Flower bracts of plants of the new Poinsettia are more rugose than flower bracts of ‘Floasatur’.       

    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS 
       The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Poinsettia plant 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 accurately describe the colors of the new Poinsettia plant. 
       The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Bkponlr’ grown in a container. 
       The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Bkponlr’. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION 
     The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the summer and autumn in 13-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in De Kwakel, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial Poinsettia production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 17° C. to 18° C. and night temperatures ranged from 15° C. to 16° C. Plants were pinched one time and were 19 weeks old when the photographs and the detailed description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.
     Botanical classification:  Euphorbia pulcherrima  Willd. ‘Bkponlr’.   Parentage:
             Female, or seed, parent .—Proprietary selection of  Euphorbia pulcherrima  Willd. identified as code number 2000084, not patented.     Male, or pollen, parent .—Proprietary seedling selection of  Euphorbia pulcherrima  Willd. identified as code number 2000063, not patented.       
       Propagation:
             Type .—Terminal vegetative cuttings.     Time to initiate roots, summer and winter .—About 18 days at temperatures about 19° C. to 21° C.     Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer .—About 21 days at temperatures about 17° C. to 19° C.     Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter .—About 30 days at temperatures about 17° C. to 19° C.     Root description .—Medium in thickness, fibrous; typically white in color, actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate composition, water quality, fertilizer type and formulation, substrate temperature and physiological age of roots.     Rooting habit .—Freely branching; dense.       
       Plant description:
             Plant and growth habit .—Broadly upright and uniformly mounded plant habit; inverted triangle with rounded crown; large full inflorescences positioned above the foliar plane; moderately vigorous growth habit and moderate growth rate.     Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane .—About 32.3 cm.     Plant height, soil level to top of floral plane .—About 30.9 cm.     Plant diameter or spread .—About 40.7 cm.     Lateral branch description .—Branching habit: Freely branching habit, about five lateral branches develop after pinching. Length: About 20.3 cm. Diameter: Thick, about 7 mm. Internode length: About 1.3 cm. Strength: Moderately strong. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; glossy. Angle: About 30° from vertical. Color, when developing and fully developed: Close to 146A strongly tinged with close to 183A.     Leaf description .—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length: About 14.1 cm. Width: About 10 cm. Shape: Ovate to roughly deltoid. Apex: Apiculate. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire to very slightly angulate. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Texture and luster, upper surface: Slightly rugose, glabrous; moderately glossy. Texture and luster, lower surface: Slightly rugose, glabrous; matte. Color: Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to NN137A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 138A. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Darker than between 139A and N189A; venation, close to NN137C. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 175A; venation, close to 176B to 176C. Petioles: Length: About 5.9 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm. Strength: Moderately strong. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; glossy. Color, upper surface: Close to between 183A and 187B. Color, lower surface: Close to 183A.       
       Inflorescence description:
             Inflorescence type and habit .—Large full inflorescences are compound corymbs of cyathia with bright red-colored 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 the late autumn to winter under long nyctoperiod conditions; inflorescence initiation and development can be induced under artificial long nyctoperiod conditions; early flowering habit, response time is about 52 days.     Post - production longevity .—Excellent post-production longevity; plants of the new Poinsettia maintain good substance and bract color for about 30 days; flower bracts not persistent.     Flower bracts .—Quantity per inflorescence: About eleven. Length: About 11.8 cm. Width: About 9.4 cm. Shape: Ovate to roughly deltoid. Apex: Apiculate. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire to very slightly repand. Venation: Pinnate. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Slightly rugose, glabrous; matte. Aspect: Mostly horizontal to very slightly drooping. Color: Developing bracts, upper surface: Close to 46A. Developing bracts, lower surface: Close to N45D. Transitional bracts, upper surface: Close to N45B. Transitional bracts, lower surface: Close to N45D. Fully expanded bracts, upper surface: Close to N45B; venation, close to N45B; color does not fade with development. Fully expanded bracts, lower surface: Close to 53C; venation, close to 53C; color does not fade with development. Bract petioles: Length: About 2.5 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous; glossy. Color, upper surface: Close to 187C. Color, lower surface: Close to 184B.     Cyathia .—Quantity per corymb: About eight. Length: About 1.1 cm. Width: About 5.5 mm. Shape: Ovoid. Texture and luster, inner and outer surfaces: Glabrous; matte. Color, developing, inner and outer surfaces: Close to 143B; towards the apex, close to 144B. Color, fully developed, inner and outer surfaces: Close to 143B; towards the apex, close to 39A to 39B. Nectaries: Quantity per cyathium: Typically two. Length: About 2.5 mm. Diameter: About 4 mm. Shape: Club-shaped. Texture and luster, inner and outer surfaces: Glabrous; matte. Color, developing, inner and outer surfaces: Close to 144B. Color, fully developed, inner surface: Close to N144A. Color, fully developed, outer surface: Close to between 144B and N144A.     Peduncles .—Length: About 3 mm to 5 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Strength: Moderately strong. Aspect: Erect to about 30° from vertical. Texture and luster: Glabrous; glossy. Color: Close to 143C.     Reproductive organs .—Stamens: Quantity per cyathium: About ten. Filament length: About 3 mm. Filament color: Close to 47A. Anther shape: Club-shaped. Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther color: Close to N170A. Amount of pollen: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 12A. Pistils: Pistil development has not been observed on plants of the new Poinsettia. Seeds and fruits: Seed and fruit production has not been observed on plants of the new Poinsettia.       
       Pathogen &amp; 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 high temperature about 35° C. and to be suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 10 to 12.