<i>Euphorbia </i>plant named ‘BONPRI 1516’

Abstract

A new and distinct cultivar of Euphorbia plant named ‘BONPRI 1516’, characterized by its relatively compact, upright and mounded plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; inflorescences with deep red-colored flower bracts; and good post-production longevity.

Claims

1. A new and distinct Euphorbia plant named ‘BONPRI 1516’ as illustrated and described.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

(1) The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Euphorbia 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 Euphorbia plant.

(2) The photograph at the top of the photographic sheet (FIG. 1) is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘BONPRI 1516’ grown in a container.

(3) The photograph at the bottom of the photographic sheet (FIG. 2) is a close-up view of a typical inflorescence of ‘BONPRI 1516’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

(4) Plants used in the aforementioned photographs and described herewith in detail were grown during the autumn and early winter in 12-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and under cultural practices typical of commercial Euphorbia production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 23° C. and night temperatures averaged 13° C. Plants were six months old when the photographs and the 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. ex Klotzsch X Euphorbia cornastra ‘BONPRI 1516’. Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of a proprietary selection of Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ex Klotzsch X Euphorbia cornastra identified as code number 917.2, not patented. Propagation: Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings. Time to initiate roots, summer.—About seven days at temperatures about 20° C. to 25° C. Time to initiate roots, winter.—About eight days at temperatures about 20° C. to 25° C. Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three weeks at temperatures about 20° C. to 25° C. Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four weeks at temperatures about 20° C. to 25° C. Root description.—Fibrous; typically white in color, actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate composition, water quality, fertilizers, substrate temperature and physiological age of roots. Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density. Plant description: Plant habit and form.—Relatively compact, upright and mounded plant habit; inverted triangle; inflorescences positioned above the foliar plane; vigorous growth habit. Plant height.—About 17.2 cm. Plant diameter or spread.—About 24.6 cm. Lateral branch description.—Branching habit: Freely branching habit, about four lateral branches develop per plant. Length: About 11.2 cm. Diameter: About 3.4 mm. Internode length: About 2.3 cm. Aspect: Mostly upright to somewhat outward. Strength: Moderately strong. Texture and luster: Sparsely pubescent; glossy. Color: Close to 146A. Leaf description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length: About 7.1 cm. Width: About 4.1 cm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acute. Base: Rounded. Margin: Mostly entire, occasionally with few shallow lobes. Venation pattern: Pinnate, reticulate. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Sparsely pubescent; matte. Color: Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to NN137A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B. Fully developed leaves, upper surface: Close to NN137A and 139A; venation, close to 144D and 179D. Fully developed leaves, lower surface: Close to NN137C; venation, close to 145B. Petioles: Length: About 2.3 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Sparsely pubescent. Color, upper surface: Close to 183B. Color, lower surface: Close to 145B; slightly tinged with close to 183B. Inflorescence description: Inflorescence type and habit.—Inflorescences are compound corymbs of cyathia with numerous flower bracts subtending the cyathia; inflorescences positioned above the foliar plane. Quantity of inflorescences.—One per lateral branch, about four inflorescences develop per plant. Inflorescence diameter.—About 11.6 cm. Inflorescence height.—About 1.7 cm. Fragrance.—None detected. Natural flowering season.—Plants typically flower during the autumn and winter in Japan; inflorescence initiation and development can also be induced under artificial long nyctoperiod and short photoperiod conditions; early flowering response, plants flower about 50 days under natural season or photoinductive conditions in Japan. Post-production longevity.—Good post-production longevity; plants of the new Euphorbia maintain good substance and bract color for about eight weeks. Flower bracts.—Quantity per inflorescence: About nine. Length: About 4.9 cm. Width: About 2.8 cm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acute. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire with occasional irregular shallow serrations. Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous. Texture, lower surface: Sparsely pubescent. Aspect: Mostly horizontal. Venation pattern: Pinnate, reticulate. Color: Transitional bracts, upper surface: Random sectors, close to 53B, 200A and 200B. Transitional bracts, lower surface: Random sectors, close to 138B, 55B and 8D. Developing bracts, upper surface: Close to 53A. Developing bracts, lower surface: Close to 53C. Fully expanded bracts, upper surface: Close to 53B; venation, close to 183B; color does not change with subsequent development. Fully expanded bracts, lower surface: Close to 53C; venation, close to 145C; color does not change with subsequent development. Flower bract petioles: Length: About 8.4 mm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper surface: Close to 53B and proximally, close to 180C. Color, lower surface: Close to 145A. Cyathia.—Quantity per corymb: About twelve. Diameter of cyathia cluster: About 1.8 cm. Height, individual cyathium: About 5.6 mm. Diameter, individual cyathium: About 5.3 mm. Shape, individual cyathium: Globose. Color: Distally, close to 60B; mid-section and proximally, close to 144A. Nectaries: Quantity per cyathium: One. Size: About 1.9 mm by 2.9 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 13C and 42D. Peduncles.—Length: About 2.6 mm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Aspect: Mostly upright. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 145A. Reproductive organs.—To date, stamen and pistil development have not been observed on plants of the new Euphorbia. Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit development have not been observed on plants of the new Euphorbia. Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Euphorbia have not been shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Euphorbia plants. Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Euphorbia have been observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 8° C. to about 40° C.