BEGONIA

Begonia L., Sp. Pl. 1056. 1753; Gen. Pl. ed. 5: 475. 1754; Clarke in Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 2: 635. 1879; Cooke, Fl. Pres. Bomb. 1: 582. 1901; Bailey, Stand. Cyclop. Hort. 1: 419. 1919; Collett, Fl. Siml. ed. 2: 201. 1921 (Reprint 1980); Nair, Bur. Fl. Pl. 1: 99. 1963; Hutch, Gen. Pl. 2: 419. 1967; Fl. China @ eFloras.org 13: 153; Fl. North Amer. @ eFloras.org vol. 6; Fl. Pak. @ eFloras.org p. 1.

Perennial succulent herb or subshrubs, monoecious, rarely dioecious. Stem erect, frequently rhizomatous or plants tuberous and acaulescent or shortly stemmed. Leaves alternate, mostly 2-ranked, often simple, blade often oblique and asymmetric, margin often irregularly serrate, occasionally entire, base often oblique, venation palmate; petiole long, weak; stipules membranous, usually deciduous. Flowers unisexual, zygomorphic, epigynous, (1-)2-4(-many) in dichotomous cymes, sometimes in panicles; pedicels and bracts present. Male Flowers: Tepals usually 4, in 2 whorls, decussate, valvate, usually outer ones larger, inner smaller. Stamens numerous; filaments free or connate at base; anthers bithecous, dehiscence apical or lateral, connectives extended at apex, sometimes apiculate. Female Flowers: Tepals 2-5(-10), imbricate. Carpels 2-5(-7), mostly 3, syncarpous, ovary inferior, 1-7-locular, usually 3-locular, placentation axile or parietal; styles 2 or 3 (or more), free or fused at base; stigma turgid, spirally twisted-tortuous or U-shaped, setose-papillose. Capsule dry, sometimes berry-like, unequally 3-winged or 3-4-horned; opening by 3 valves. Seeds numerous, pale brown, oblong, minute, reticulate.

2045 species

Begonia cucullata var. hookeri

Begonia cucullata var. hookeri (A.DC.) Sm. & Schub., Darwiniana 5:104. 1941; Begonia hookeri Sweet in Hort. Brit., ed. 2: 437 (1830); B. semperflorens Hook., Bot. Mag. 56: t. 2920. nom. illeg. 1829; Begonia semperflorens var. hookeri (Sweet) A.DC. in C.F.P.von Martius & auct. suc. (eds.), Fl. Bras. 4(1): 342 (1861).

Perennial herbs, dwarf, compact grow into mound-shaped plants, up to 30 cm tall; plants monoecious. Stem erect, branched, branches terete, glabrous. Leaves cauline, alternate, simple, 2-ranked; petiole to 4.5 cm long, with adaxial groove; stipules membranous, ovate- oblong, ca. 1 cm long, with margin ciliated; leaf blade broadly ovate, 2.7-5.5 cm x 2.7-5 cm, apex acute, margin irregularly serrate or denticulate and ciliate, base truncate, obliquely cordate or subcordate and mostly asymmetrical, 5-7(-9) palmately-veined, glabrous, bronze or green coloured. Flowers unisexual, zygomorphic or actinomorphic, epigynous, in panicles of dichasial cymes; peduncle up to 3 cm long. Male Flowers: Pedicels ca. 10 mm long; bract red, ca. 4 mm x 4 mm, margin laciniate. Tepals 4, free, red or pink, glabrous, in 2 whorls, opposite decussate, valvate; outer 2 tepals larger, ca. 1.1-1.3 cm long, orbicular; inner 2 smaller, ca. 0.8 cm x 0.4 cm, obovate. Stamens many, 30-35, free; filaments 0.5-2 mm long; anthers ca. 2 mm long, anthers bithecous, thecae narrow, dehiscence longitudinal, connectives broad and extended at apex beyond thecae, apex obtuse or subtruncate. Female Flowers: Pedicels short; bract ca. 4 mm x 4 mm, margin laciniate, red; bracteoles 2, similar to bract, caducous. Tepals 5, free, unequal, 4-7 mm x 3-5 mm, orbicular, apex obtuse, glabrous, red. Staminodes absent. Carpels 3, syncarpous, ovary inferior, ca. 4 mm x 6 mm, glabrous, triangular, unequally 3-winged, trilocular with 3 forked placentas, placentation axile, ovules many; style 1, with 3 branches, each branch ending in 2 yellow, tortuous, papillose stigmas. Fruit not observed.

Flowering and Fruiting: February to May
Common Names: Wax Begonia, Fibrous Begonia, Bedding Begonia, Perpetual Begonia