Patent Publication Number: US-PP25321-P2

Title: Poinsettia plant named ‘Bkponhl’

Description:
Botanical designation:  Euphorbia pulcherrima  Willd. 
     Cultivar denomination: ‘BKPONHL’. 
     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 ‘Bkponhl’. 
     The new Poinsettia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in De Kwakel, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create uniform Poinsettia plants that have recurved dark red-colored flower bracts, low temperature tolerance and good postproduction longevity. 
     The new Poinsettia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in December, 2006 in De Kwakel, The Netherlands of a proprietary selection of  Euphorbia pulcherrima  Willd. identified as code number 204132-026, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of  Euphorbia pulcherrima  Willd. identified as code number 204156-005, 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 De Kwakel, The Netherlands in December, 2007. 
     Asexual reproduction of the new Poinsettia plant by terminal vegetative cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in De Kwakel, The Netherlands since June, 2008 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 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 ‘Bkponhl’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Bkponhl’ as a new and distinct Poinsettia plant:
         1. Upright and uniformly mounding plant habit.   2. Vigorous growth habit.   3. Freely branching habit.   4. Recurved and rugose dark green-colored leaves.   5. Ball-shaped inflorescences with recurved and rugose dark 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 freely branching than plants of the female parent selection.   2. Plants of the new Poinsettia have recurved dark red-colored flower bracts whereas plants of the female parent selection have flat light red-colored flower bracts.       

     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 branching habit as plants of the new Poinsettia are more freely branching than plants of the male parent selection. 
     Plants of the new Poinsettia can be compared to plants of  Euphorbia pulcherrima  Willd. ‘Winrose’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,904. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in De Kwakel, The Netherlands, plants of the new Poinsettia differed primarily from plants of ‘Winrose’ in the following characteristics:
         1. Plants of the new Poinsettia were faster-growing than plants of ‘Winrose’.   2. Plants of the new Poinsettia were larger than plants of ‘Winrose’.   3. Plants of the new Poinsettia were more freely branching than plants of ‘Winrose’.   4. Plants of the new Poinsettia had larger leaves than plants of ‘Winrose’.       

    
    
     
       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 ‘Bkponhl’ grown in a container. 
       The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Bkponhl’. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION 
     The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the winter 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 averaged 20° C., night temperatures averaged 18° C. and light levels averaged 200 Watts/m 2 . Plants were pinched one time and were 18 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, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.
     Botanical classification:  Euphorbia pulcherrima  Willd. ‘Bkponhl’.   Parentage:
             Female, or seed, parent .—Proprietary selection of  Euphorbia pulcherrima  Willd. identified as code number 204132-026, not patented.     Male, or pollen, parent .—Proprietary seedling selection of  Euphorbia pulcherrima  Willd. identified as code number 204156-005, not patented.       
       Propagation:
             Type .—Terminal vegetative cuttings.     Time to initiate roots, summer .—About ten days at 22° C.     Time to initiate roots, winter .—About two weeks at 22° C.     Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer and winter .—About four weeks at 22° C.     Root description .—Medium in thickness to thick, fibrous; white in color.     Rooting habit .—Freely branching; medium density.       
       Plant description:
             Plant and growth habit .—Upright and uniformly mounded plant habit; narrow inverted triangle with rounded crown; ball-shaped inflorescences positioned above the foliar plane; vigorous growth habit and rapid growth rate.     Plant height .—About 22 cm.     Plant diameter or spread .—About 23 cm.     Lateral branch description .—Branching habit: Freely branching habit, about four lateral branches develop after pinching. Length: About 15 cm to 16 cm. Diameter: Thick, about 5 mm. Internode length: About 2 cm. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Angle: Mostly upright. Color: Close to 144A.     Leaf description .—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length: About 7 cm to 9 cm. Width: About 6.5 cm to 7 cm. Shape: Roughly ovate. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Obtuse to slightly cordate. Margin: Entire, shallowly lobed. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous; rugose. Aspect: Recurved. Color: Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 139B. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 141D. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 139A; venation, close to 147A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 141C; venation, close to 139C. Petiole: Length: About 1.5 cm to 1.8 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 183B.       
       Inflorescence description:
             Inflorescence type and habit .—Ball-shaped inflorescences are compound corymbs of cyathia with rugose and recurved dark 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 winter under long nyctoperiod conditions; inflorescence initiation and development can be induced under artificial long nyctoperiod conditions; early flowering habit, response time is about seven to eight weeks.     Post - production longevity .—Excellent post-production longevity; plants of the new Poinsettia maintain good substance and bract color for about six to seven weeks under interior conditions; flower bracts persistent.     Inflorescence diameter .—About 7 cm to 8 cm.     Inflorescence height .—About 3.5 cm to 4 cm.     Flower bracts .—Quantity per inflorescence: About ten to twelve. Length: About 4.5 cm. Width: About 4 cm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acute to acuminate. Base: Obtuse to cordate. Margin: Entire. Venation: Pinnate. Texture, upper surface: Glabrous; rugose. Aspect: Recurved. Color: Developing and fully expanded bracts, upper surface: Close to 47B; venation, close to 47A; color does not fade with development. Developing and fully expanded bracts, lower surface: Close to 47C; venation, close to 47B; color does not fade with development. Bract petiole: Length: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper surface: Close to 53C. Color, lower surface: Close to 139D and 53D.     Cyathia .—Quantity per corymb: About six to eight. Length: About 4 mm. Width: About 3 mm. Shape: Ovoid. Color: Developing, inner and outer surfaces: Close to 144A. Fully developed, inner and outer surfaces: Close to 144B. Nectaries: Quantity per cyathium: Typically one. Length: About 4 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Shape: Elliptical. Color: Developing, inner and outer surfaces: Close to 150B. Fully developed, inner and outer surfaces: Close to 13A.     Peduncles .—Length: About 2 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Angle: Mostly upright. Color: Close to 144C.     Reproductive organs .—Stamens: Quantity per cyathium: About six to eight. Filament length: About 2 mm. Filament color: Close to 185B. Anther shape: Oval, bi-lobed. Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther color: Close to 187C. Amount of pollen: Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 15B. Pistils: Quantity per cyathium: Typically one. Pistil length: About 6 mm. Style length: About 4 mm. Style color: Close to 46B. Stigma shape: Six-lobed. Stigma color: Close to 46B. Ovary color: Close to 143A. Seeds and fruits: Seed and fruit production has not been observed on plants of the new Poinsettia.       
       Disease &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 temperatures ranging from about 8° C. to about 35° C.