Poinsettia plant named ‘Rineal’

Abstract

A new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant named Rineal, characterized by its upright and uniformly mounded plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely and upright to somewhat outwardly branching habit; dark green-colored leaves; early flowering habit; inflorescences with pale greenish white-colored flower bracts; and good post-production longevity.

Claims

1. A new and distinct Poinsettia plant named Rineal as illustrated and described.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

(1) 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.

(2) The photograph on the first sheet (FIG. 1 of 2) is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of Rineal grown in a 15.25-cm container.

(3) The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of Rineal.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

(4) Plants used in the aforementioned photographs and in the following detailed description were grown during the spring and summer in 15.25-cm in a polyethylene-covered greenhouses in Bonsall and Encinitas, Calif. under artificial long nyctoperiod conditions and cultural practices typical of commercial Poinsettia production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 26 C., night temperatures averaged 18 C. and light levels averaged 4,500 foot-candles. Measurements and numerical values represent averages for typical flowering plants. Plants were pinched one time two weeks after planting and were 18 weeks from unrooted cuttings when the photographs and the description were taken. In the following 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: Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. Rineal. Parentage: Female, or seed, parent.Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. Autumn Leaves, not patented. Male, or pollen, parent.Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. Duegla13, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 26,094. Propagation: Type.Terminal vegetative cuttings. Time to initiate roots, summer.About ten days to develop root callus and about 15 days for root initiation at night temperatures about 18 C. Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.About four weeks at night temperatures about 18 C. Root description.Thick, 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; medium density. Plant description: Plant and growth habit.Upright and uniformly mounded plant habit; inverted triangle; medium-sized inflorescences with numerous flower bracts positioned above the foliar plane; vigorous growth habit and moderate growth rate. Plant height.About 42 cm. Plant diameter or spread.About 48 cm. Lateral branch description.Branching habit: Freely branching habit, about five lateral branches develop after pinching; upright to somewhat outwardly branching habit. Length: About 29 cm. Diameter: About 8 mm. Internode length: About 2 cm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: About 35 to 45 from vertical. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color: Close to 146B. Leaf description.Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length: About 12.5 cm. Width: About 9.4 cm. Shape: Ovate to broadly lanceolate occasionally with irregular rounded and shallow lobes. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Mostly entire and somewhat sinuate. Aspect: Outwardly to slightly drooping with development. Texture and luster, upper surface: Scattered pubescence along venation; matte. Texture and luster, lower surface: Sparsely pubescent; prominent venation; matte. Venation pattern: Pinnate, arcuate. Color: Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to N137A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 139A; venation, close to 147B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 137B; venation, close to 147C. Leaf petioles: Length: About 4.8 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; slightly glossy. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 146C. Inflorescence description: Inflorescence type and habit.Terminal inflorescences are compound corymbs of cyathia with numerous colored flower bracts subtending the cyathia; inflorescences uniformly positioned above the foliar plane. Fragrance.None detected. Flowering response.Under natural season conditions, plants typically flower on or about November 28 in Southern California; under artificial long nyctoperiod/short photoperiod conditions, plants flower about 8.5 weeks later. Post-production longevity.Good post-production longevity; plants of the new Poinsettia maintain good substance and flower bract color for about two months under interior conditions; flower bracts persistent and cyathia not persistent. Inflorescence diameter.About 29 cm to 30 cm. Inflorescence height (depth).About 12.5 cm. Flower bracts.Quantity per inflorescence: Numerous, about 27. Length, largest bracts: About 13.5 cm. Width, largest bracts: About 9 cm. Shape: Broadly lanceolate. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Mostly entire, older flower bracts are somewhat sinuate. Aspect: Mostly upright to slightly horizontal, older flower bracts slightly drooping with development. Texture and luster, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Texture and luster, lower surface: Glabrous with prominent venation; matte. Venation pattern: Pinnate, arcuate. Color: Transitional bracts, upper surface: Close to 145B to 145C. Transitional bracts, lower surface: Close to 145C to 145D. Developing bracts, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 2D. Fully expanded bracts, upper surface: Close to 13D; color becoming closer to 155A with development. Fully expanded bracts, lower surface: Close to 10D; color becoming closer to 155A with development. Bract petioles: Length: About 3.5 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 1C. Cyathia.Quantity per corymb: About 12 to 13. Length: About 1.8 cm. Width: About 8 mm. Shape: Ovoid. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; matte to slightly glossy. Color, inner surface: Close to 146D. Color, outer surface: Close to 144A to 144B. Nectaries.Quantity per cyathium: One. Length: About 8 mm. Width: About 4 mm. Shape: Roughly elliptical. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color, developing, inner and outer surfaces: Close to 3A. Color, fully developed, inner and outer surfaces: Close to 17A. Peduncles.Length: About 0.9 cm to 1.7 cm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly upright to outwardly. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color: Close to 145A. Reproductive organs.Stamens: Quantity per cyathium: About 20. Filament length: About 4 mm. Filament color: Close to 145D. Anther shape: Round to oval; bi-lobed. Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther color: Close to 163A. Amount of pollen: Scarce to moderate. Pollen color: Close to 13A. Pistils: Quantity per cyathium: One; tri-parted. Pistil length: About 1 cm. Stigma shape: Lanceolate, six-parted, recurved. Stigma color: Close to 151C. Style length: About 1.5 mm. Style color: Close to 145B. Ovary color: Close to 146D. Seeds and fruits.To date, seed and fruit production have not been observed on plants of the new Poinsettia. Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, 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 16 C. to about 32 C.