Patent Publication Number: US-PP27017-P2

Title: Portulaca plant named ‘Duecupgraje’

Description:
Botanical designation:  Portulaca hybrida.    
     Cultivar denomination: ‘DUECUPGRAJE’. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of  Portulaca  plant, botanically known as  Portulaca hybrida  and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Duecupgraje’. 
     The new  Portulaca  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 compact  Portulaca  plants with numerous attractive flowers. 
     The new  Portulaca  plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany in July, 2010 of a proprietary selection of  Portulaca hybrida  identified as code number F-016-2116, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of  Portulaca hybrida  identified as code number F-004-161525, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new  Portulaca  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 May, 2013. 
     Asexual reproduction of the new  Portulaca  plant by cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany since June, 2013, has shown that the unique features of this new  Portulaca  plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Plants of the new  Portulaca  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 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 ‘Duecupgraje’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Duecupgraje’ as a new and distinct  Portulaca  plant:
         1. Semi-upright to spreading growth habit.   2. Vigorous growth habit.   3. Freely branching habit.   4. Freely flowering habit.   5. Large red purple-colored flowers.       

     Plants of the new  Portulaca  can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new  Portulaca  differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in flower color as plants of the female parent selection have more reddish-colored flowers. 
     Plants of the new  Portulaca  can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new  Portulaca  differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in plant habit as plants of the new  Portulaca  are more compact than plants of the male parent selection. 
     Plants of the new  Portulaca  also can be compared to plants of the  Portulaca  ‘Red on Yellow’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Rheinberg, Germany, plants of the new  Portulaca  differed primarily from plants of ‘Red on Yellow’ in the following characteristics:
         1. Plants of the new  Portulaca  were more compact than plants of ‘Red on Yellow’.   2. Plants of the new  Portulaca  had shorter and broader leaves than plants of ‘Red on Yellow’.   3. Plants of the new  Portulaca  had larger inflorescences than plants of ‘Red on Yellow’.   4. Plants of the new  Portulaca  and ‘Red on Yellow’ differed in flower color as plants of ‘Red on Yellow’ had red purple, orange red and yellow-colored flowers.       

    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH 
       The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new  Portulaca  plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new  Portulaca  plant. 
       The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Duecupgraje’ grown in a container. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION 
     The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the summer in 12-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Rheinberg, Germany and under cultural practices typical of commercial  Portulaca  production. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures averaged 18° C. and light levels averaged 4,500 lux. Plants were pinched one time three weeks after planting and were 20 weeks old when the photograph and the description were taken. In the description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.
     Botanical classification:  Portulaca hybrida  ‘Duecupgraje’.   Parentage:
             Female, or seed, parent .—Proprietary selection of  Portulaca hybrida  identified as code number F-016-2116, not patented.     Male or pollen parent .—Proprietary selection of  Portulaca hybrida  identified as code number F-004-161525, not patented.       
       Propagation:
             Type .—By 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; close to 159C in color.     Rooting habit .—Freely branching; dense.       
       Plant description:
             Plant and growth habit .—Semi-upright to spreading plant habit; vigorous growth habit.     Branching habit .—Freely branching habit about 160 to 210 lateral branches potentially developing per plant; pinching enhances branching potential.     Overall plant height .—About 25 cm.     Plant diameter  ( area of spread ).—About 80 cm.       
       Lateral branch description:
             Length .—About 22 cm.     Diameter .—About 4 mm.     Internode length .—About 2 cm.     Strength .—Moderately strong.     Texture .—Smooth, glabrous.     Color .—Close to 177D and 144B.       
       Leaf description:
             Arrangement .—Opposite, simple.     Length .—About 2 cm.     Width .—About 1.1 cm.     Shape, developing leaves .—Elliptic.     Shape, fully expanded leaves .—Obovate.     Apex .—Cuspidate.     Base .—Attenuate.     Margin .—Entire.     Texture, upper and lower surfaces .—Smooth, glabrous; fleshy, succulent.     Venation pattern .—Pinnate.     Color .—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A; venation, close to 150C. Developing and fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 137C; venation, close to 150C.     Petioles .—Length: About 2.6 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 150C.       
       Flower description:
             Flower arrangement .—Single rotate flowers; freely flowering habit with potentially about 600 to 1,100 flowers developing per plant; flowers face mostly upright to outwardly.     Fragrance .—None detected.     Natural flowering season .—Plants begin flowering about twelve weeks after planting; in the garden, plants flower continuously from spring until autumn in Germany.     Flower longevity .—Flowers last about one day on the plant; flowers not persistent.     Flower diameter .—About 3.2 cm.     Flower length  ( height ).—About 1.4 cm.     Flower buds .—Length: About 1.1 cm. Diameter: About 5.4 mm. Shape: Ovoid. Color: Close to 146B.     Petals .—Quantity per flower: Corolla consists of five petals fused at the base. Length: About 1.7 cm. Width: About 1.5 cm. Shape: Obovate. Apex: Emarginate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to N74A; color does not change with development. When opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to N74B; color does not change with development.     Sepals .—Quantity per flower: Two to three fused into a tubular calyx. Length: About 5.4 mm. Width: About 4.6 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acuminate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; leathery. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144B.     Peduncles .—Length: About 2.9 cm. Diameter: About 3.2 mm. Angle: Mostly upright to outwardly. Strength: Moderately strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 146C.     Reproductive organs .—Androecium: Quantity of stamens per flower: About 40 to 60. Filament length: About 3.8 mm. Filament color: Close to 160B. Anther shape: Oval, bi-lobed. Anther length: About 0.5 mm. Anther color: Close to 21B. Amount of pollen: Abundant. Pollen color: Close to 23A. Gynoecium: Pistil length: About 1.1 cm. Style length: About 8.8 mm. Style color: Close to 34A. Stigma color: Close to 33A. Ovary color: Close to 143A.     Seeds  &amp;  fruits .—Seed and fruit production have not been observed on plants of the new  Portulaca.          
       Garden performance: Plants of the new  Portulaca  have been observed to have good garden performance and to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 7° C. to about 40° C.   Pathogen &amp; pest resistance: Plants of the new  Portulaca  have not been shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to  Portulaca  plants.