Poinsettia Plant Named ‘doeuprerib’

Botanical designation: Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. Cultivar denomination: ‘DOEUPRERIB’.

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 cultivar name ‘Doeuprerib’. The new Poinsettia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Encinitas, California. The objective of the breeding program is to create new uniform and early-flowering Poinsettia plants having large inflorescences with attractive flower bracts and excellent post-production longevity. The new Poinsettia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in November 2017 of a proprietary selection of Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. identified as code number EZ14-000251-001 (PE15-52), not patented, as the female, or seed, parent, with a proprietary selection of Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. identified as code number EZ15-000116-001 (16-56), not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Poinsettia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Encinitas, California on Dec. 24, 2018. Asexual reproduction of the new Poinsettia plant by terminal vegetative cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Encinitas, California since March 2019 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 combinations of 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 ‘Doeuprerib’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Doeuprerib’ as a new and distinct Poinsettia plant: 1. Uniform, upright and mounded plant habit. 2. Moderately vigorous growth habit. 3. Freely and upright branching habit without requiring phytoplasma infection. 4. Large dark green-colored leaves. 5. Under natural season conditions, plants flower on or about November 25 in Southern California. 6. Small inflorescences with dark red-colored flower bracts. 7. Good post-production longevity. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, California, 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 vigorous than and not as compact as plants of the female parent selection. 2. Under natural season conditions, plants of the new Poinsettia flower about three days earlier than plants of the female parent selection. 3. Plants of the new Poinsettia have smaller inflorescences than plants of the female parent selection. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, California, plants of the new Poinsettia differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics: 1. Plants of the new Poinsettia are more vigorous than and not as compact as plants of the male parent selection. 2. Under natural season conditions, plants of the new Poinsettia flower about 15 days later than plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Poinsettia can be compared to plants of the Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ‘Peterstar’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,259. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Poinsettia differ primarily from plants of ‘Peterstar’ in the following characteristics: 1. Plants of the new Poinsettia do not require phytoplasma infection to induce lateral branching whereas plants of ‘Peterstar’ require phytoplasma infection to induce lateral branching. 2. Leaves of plants of the new Poinsettia are darker green in color than leaves of plants of ‘Peterstar’. 3. Plants of the new Poinsettia have smaller inflorescences than plants of ‘Peterstar’. 4. Plants of the new Poinsettia have dark red-colored flower bracts whereas plants of ‘Peterstar’ have bright red-colored flower bracts. Plants of the new Poinsettia can be compared to plants of the Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ‘490’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,825. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Poinsettia differ primarily from plants of ‘490’ in the following characteristics: 1. Plants of the new Poinsettia do not require phytoplasma infection to induce lateral branching whereas plants of ‘490’ require phytoplasma infection to induce lateral branching. 2. Lateral branches of plants of the new Poinsettia are more upright than lateral branches of plants of ‘490’. 3. Plants of the new Poinsettia have smaller inflorescences than plants of ‘490’. 4. Plants of the new Poinsettia flower about one week later than plants of ‘490’. 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 ( FIG. 1 ) is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Doeuprerib’ grown in a container. The photograph on the second sheet ( FIG. 2 ) is a top perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Doeuprerib’ grown in a container. DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION Plants used in the aforementioned photographs and in the following detailed description were grown during the summer to late autumn in 16.5-cm containers in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse in Encinitas, California under natural season conditions and cultural practices typical of commercial Poinsettia production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 21° C., night temperatures ranged from 13° to 14° C. and light levels ranged from 3,500 to 4,500 foot-candles. Plants were pinched one time about six weeks after sticking unrooted cuttings and plants were 22 weeks old when the photographs and the description were taken. Measurements and numerical values represent averages for typical flowering plants. 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. ‘Doeuprerib’. Parentage: Female, or seed, parent .—Proprietary selection of Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. identified as code number EZ14-000251-001 (PE15-52), not patented. Male, or pollen, parent .—Proprietary selection of Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. identified as code number EZ15-000116-001 (16-56), not patented. Propagation: Type .—Terminal vegetative cuttings. Time to initiate roots .—About seven to ten days at night temperatures about 20° C. and day temperatures about 27° C. Time to produce a rooted young plant .—About four weeks at night temperatures about 20° C. and day temperatures about 27° C. Root description .—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. Plant description: Plant and growth habit .—Uniform, upright and mounded plant habit; inverted triangle; small inflorescences with numerous flower bracts positioned above the foliar plane; moderately vigorous growth habit. Plant height .—About 30 cm to 33 cm. Plant diameter or spread .—About 40 cm to 42 cm. Lateral branch description .—Quantity: Freely branching habit, about eight lateral branches develop after pinching; upright branching habit; plants of the new Poinsettia do not require phytoplasma infection, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 9,193,975, to induce lateral branching. Length: About 28 cm to 32 cm. Diameter: About 7.5 mm to 9 mm. Internode length: About 2.25 cm to 2.5 cm. Strength: Strong, rigid. Aspect: About 30° from vertical. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Luster: Moderately glossy. Color: Distally, close to 187A; proximally, close to 147A variably overlain with close to 187A. Leaf description .—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length: About 10.5 cm to 11 cm. Width: About 7 cm to 8 cm. Shape: Ovate with a single lobe; lobes moderate in depth and divergent. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Broadly obtuse with truncate tendencies. Margin: Mostly entire with a single lobe; slightly undulate. Aspect: Outwardly to somewhat drooping; moderately carinate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Rugose, glabrous; prominent venation on lower surface. Luster, upper surface: Semi-glossy. Luster, lower surface: Matte. Venation pattern: Pinnate, arcuate. Color: Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to between N189A and 203A; venation, close to 187A. Developing and fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 147A; midvein, close to 187A to 187B; lateral venation, proximally, close to 187A to 187B and distally, close to 147A. Leaf petioles: Length: About 4 cm to 4.5 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm by 4 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Luster, upper and lower surfaces: Moderately glossy. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 187A to 187B. 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 25 in Southern California; under artificial long nyctoperiod/short photoperiod conditions, plants flower about nine weeks later. Post - production longevity .—Good post-production longevity; plants of the new Poinsettia maintain good substance and flower bract color for about four to six weeks under interior conditions; flower bracts persistent and cyathia not persistent. Inflorescence diameter .—About 16 cm to 18 cm. Inflorescence height ( depth ).—About 3 cm to 4 cm. Flower bracts .—Quantity per inflorescence: Numerous, about 24 to 28. Length, largest bracts: About 8 cm to 9 cm. Width, largest bracts: About 6 cm to 6.5 cm. Shape: Ovate with a single lobe; lobes moderate in depth and divergent. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Obtuse with truncate tendencies. Margin: Mostly entire with a single lobe; slightly undulate. Aspect: Mostly horizontal to slightly upright; moderately carinate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Slightly rugose, glabrous; satiny; prominent venation on lower surface. Luster, upper and lower surfaces: Matte. Venation pattern: Pinnate, arcuate. Color: Developing or transitional bracts, upper surface: Ground color, close to between 147A and N189A; irregular and random sectors, close to 53A. Developing or transitional bracts, lower surface: Ground color, close to 146A; irregular and random sectors, close to between 46A and N45A. Fully expanded bracts, upper surface: Close to between N45 and 53A. Fully expanded bracts, lower surface: Close to between N45A and N45B. Bract petioles: Length: About 2.5 cm to 2.75 cm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm to 3 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Luster, upper and lower surfaces: Moderately glossy. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 187A to 187B. Color, lower surface: Close to 144A variably overlain with close to 185A. Cyathia .—Quantity per corymb: About 20 to 24. Length: About 5 mm. Width: About 3 mm. Shape: Ovoid. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color, inner and outer surfaces: Close to 144A to 144B. Nectaries .—Quantity per cyathium: One. Length: About 3 mm. Width: About 2.5 mm to 3 mm. Shape: Roughly deltoid. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color, inner and outer surfaces: Close to 13A. Peduncles .—Length: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: Upright to slightly outwardly. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Luster: Moderately glossy. Color: Close to 144A to 144B. Reproductive organs .—Stamens: Quantity per cyathium: About 15 to 20. Filament length: About 3.5 mm. Filament color: Close to 53A. Anther shape: Round to oval; bi-lobed. Anther length: Less than 1 mm. Anther color: Close to 12A. Amount of pollen: None observed. Pistils: Quantity per cyathium: One; tri-parted. Pistil length: About 5 mm. Stigma shape: Lanceolate, six-parted, recurved. Stigma color: Close to 59A. Style length: About 3 mm. Style color: Close to 59A. Ovary color: Close to 144A to 144B. Fruits & seeds: To date, fruit and seed development has 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 29° C.