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Poinsettia plant `Sophie` |
| PP10163 |
Poinsettia plant `Sophie`
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| Patent Drawings: | |
| Inventor: |
Gross |
| Date Issued: |
December 23, 1997 |
| Application: |
08/630,904 |
| Filed: |
April 4, 1996 |
| Inventors: |
Gross; Eduard (Nanteuillet, FR)
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| Assignee: |
Paul Ecke Ranch, Inc. (Encinitas, CA) |
| Primary Examiner: |
Feyrer; James R. |
| Assistant Examiner: |
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| Attorney Or Agent: |
Arnold, White & Durkee |
| U.S. Class: |
PLT/307 |
| Field Of Search: |
Plt/86.4 |
| International Class: |
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| U.S Patent Documents: |
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| Foreign Patent Documents: |
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| Other References: |
UPOXROM citation, listing for `Sophie` FR PBR 152116, Oct. 10, 1994.. |
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| Abstract: |
Poinsettia `Sophie` is a new cultivar, distinguished by bright red flower bracts, strong stems, even growth habit and self-branching chaacteristics. `Sophie` is a sport of the red bracted `Angelika` (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 5,492) with the same flowering response and cultural requirements. The new plant produces a very desirable branched flowering pot plant. The new plant is resistant to epinasty after being confined to shipping containers. The post-production foliage and bract retention are good. |
| Claim: |
What is claimed is:
1. A new and distinct variety of Poinsettia plant, substantially as herein shown and described, distinguished by its strong even growth habit, rounded red flower bracts, selfbranching and good leaf and bract retention in the consumer environment. |
| Description: |
BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT
This new poinsettia cultivar originated as a sport of `Angelika` (U.S. Plant. Pat. No. 5,492) in my greenhouse in Blanzac, France in 1993. It was selected, because of its even growth, uniform branching and more rounded leaves and bracts than`Angelika`. These are traits that make `Sophie` more desirable for commercial greenhouse production than `Angelika`. After selection, `Sophie` was vegetatively reproduced from stem cuttings for test purposes in Encinitas, Calif. By subjecting clonesof this plant to successive generations of vegetative propagation, it was demonstrated that the distinctive characteristics of `Sophie` held true from generation to generation. Grown under the same greenhouse environment, `Sophie` had the same floweringresponse time as the parent plant `Angelika`.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS
Poinsettia `Sophie` is illustrated in the accompanying color photographs.
The upper photo is a side view of one branched plant per pot in full flower.
The lower photo is a top view of the same plant showing flower and bract formation.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT
The following is a detailed description of this new poinsettia as observed in Encinias, Calif., USA during December 1994. Observations were recorded from flowering plants, grown as one branched plant per pot. The pot was 14 cm in diameter and11 cm in height. Color designations are compared to the 1986 edition of R.H.S. Colour Chart, first published in 1966 by The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England.
THE PLANT
The following chart summarizes some of the differences between `Sophie` and its parent poinsettia `Angelika` (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 5,492).
______________________________________ Plant 'Sophie' 'Angelika' ______________________________________ Branching Uniform length Uneven length Leaf dimensions 12 .times. 8 cm 14 .times. 8 cm Bract dimensions 13 .times. 9 cm 15 .times. 9cm Bract color RHS 45B-C RHS 45A-46B ______________________________________
Origin: Sport of `Angelika` (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 5,492).
Classification:
Botanical.--Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd.
Form: Shrub.
Height: Medium.
Growth habit: As a single stemmed plant, upright and vigorous with self-branching side shoots. The application of a chemical growth retardant may be needed to restrict height for commercial pot plant production. I observed one branched plant ina pot with an overall height of 43 cm and an overall width of 55 cm. The bract diameter of individual flowers was 25 cm.
Branching: Axillary branches will develop and terminate in a flower without pinching. However, it is usually desirable to pinch `Sophie` before flower induction and remove all terminal dominance. Then, all axillary branches will developuniformly and at a faster rate.
Growth rate: Rooting of stem cutting occurs in 12-18 days under intermittent mist.
Flowering: The plant will flower in eight to nine weeks under continuous long night conditions and night temperatures of 16.degree.-18.degree. C. Like its parent, (`Angelika`), `Sophie` will be in full bloom in late November in the northernhemisphere under natural daylength conditions.
Foliage: The foliage was clean and uniformly dark green from bottom to top of the plant. The leaves were of medium size, leaf blades typically being 12 cm long and 8 cm wide with leaf petioles 5 cm long. The upper and under surfaces of the leafpetiole are red.
Leaf shape.--Typical leaves are ovate with obtuse to acute bases and acuminate tips. Leaf margins are mostly entire. An occasional lower leaf is modestly lobed on either side of the leaf blade.
Leaf surface.--The upper surface is glabrous and the under surface is finely pubescent.
Color.--Upper side -- Green, near R.H.S. 147A. Under side -- Green, near R.H.S. 147B.
Retention.--The foliage retention is good even under low light intensities in the consumer's home.
Bracts: Generally there were 15-17 bright red bracts of various sizes subtending the cyathia. The primary bracts had blades typically 13 cm long and 8-9 cm wide with petioles 2-3 cm long.
Shape.--Primary bracts are ovate with acute bases and acuminate tips. Leaf margins are entire or weakly lobed with 1 small indentation on either side of the bract. Secondary bracts are ovate to elliptic and have entire margins.
Surface.--The bract surface is slightly rugose.
Color.--Upper side -- Bright, light red, R.H.S. 45B-C. Under side -- Light red, near R.H.S. 45C.
Flowers: Generally, 15-16 cyathia (flowers) were present when the plant was in full bloom. Each cyathium is about 6 mm long and 5 mm wide, green in color, and fringed red at the distal end. Sometimes one but mostly two yellow nectar cupsprotrude from the side of each cyanthium. The flower pedicel is also green and about 5 mm in length. The stamens protruding from the cyathia are red. The stigmas are red and trifurcate. The pollen is yellow and copious. Cyathia retention was boutthree weeks beyond the time the flower was fully mature.
Nectar exudate.--Present, abundant.
Seed formation.--Self-incompatible.
Fertility.--Not observed.
Post production: `Sophie` was resistant to epinasty after being confined to shipping containers. The foliage and bract retention were good.
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