Euphorbia `Georgusis No. 1.`

Abstract

A new and distinct variety of Euyphorbia plant of the milii group has a very compacy habit with short internodes and very frequent branching that is productive of clavate branches which at the nodes bear persistent long acicular stipular spines. The leaves are oblanceolate to obovate and the plant develops pseudobracts as opposite to subopposite pairs on leafy stems and branches and which subtend a developing leafy branch and/or cyathial branch. The blades of the pseudobracts are usually variegated and have a basic field which in color is usually dominated by a red, purplish red and/or purplish pink hue. The basic field usually has streaks and/or blotches which vary in pattern and size and which in color are usually dominated by a yellow green hue. The inflorescence rarely exceeds three tiers of cyathia and the bract blades of the cyathia are in color dominated by a red and/or purplish red hue. The plant has a growth habit of producing a dense interlocked network of branches that provide a compact domed vegetative crown without the need for pruning from the propagation of but one stem cutting.

I claim: 
     
       1. The new and distinct variety of Euphorbia plant substantially as herein shown and described and which is principally distinguishable by a growth habit that combines the following characteristics: (a) compactness with short internodes and very frequent branching;   (b) branches which are clavate and at the nodes bear persistent long acicular stipular spines that are usually 8-12 mm in length;   (c) leaves which in shape generally range from oblanceolate to obovate, and have relatively short petioles and blades that in length are usually 25-45 mm and in maximum width are usually 12-18 mm;   (d) pseudobracts which usually develop as opposite to subopposite pairs on a leafy stem or branch, subtend a developing leafy branch and/or cyathial branch, and have blades that are usually variegated and provided with a basic field which in color is dominated by a red, purplish red and/or purplish pink hue and has streaks and/or blotches that vary in pattern and size within a pseudobract and/or from one pseudobract to the next and in color is usually dominated by a yellow green hue;   (e) an inflorescence which rarely has more than three tiers of cyathia and wherein the blades of the cyathial bracts are in color dominated by a red and/or purplish red hue when mature and fully expanded; and   (f) specimens which when derived by the propagation of a single stem cutting have a dense interlocked network of branches that provide a compact domed vegetative crown without the need for pruning.