Begonia

Begoniaceae	Taxa treated: Begonia ×cheimantha Begonia ×hortensis Begonia ×tuberhybrida	Our review process is web based, i.e. both drafts and close-to-final accounts are stored in our server; mistakes in linking do occur. Therefore, in case you want to refer to a treatment, be careful to include version code and date (left). Accounts which are not accessible from our public web site should not be cited. Please note that web links are subject to change.
by Thomas Karlsson (6b, 20070320)
© Flora Nordica

Sorry, HTML-manus inte klart!

This treatment is partly outdated - the final version will appear in print.

Begonia L.

Linnaeus, Sp. pl.: 1056 (1753).

Perennial monoecious herbs with succulent stems. Leaves alternate, petiolate, with scarious, persistent stipules; blade ± oblique. Flowers in axillary cymes towards the top of the stem; bracts conspicuous; male flowers with 4 perianth segments (the outer two largest) and numerous stamens; female flowers epigynous, with 4-5 perianth segments and 3 branched styles; ovary and fruit with 3 longitudinal wings (one wider than the others).

Begonia ×cheimantha Everett ex J.G.C. Weber 1969 (B. dregei Otto & A. Dietr. × socotrana Hook. f.). D Julebegonie. F joulubegonia. Fa . I . N . S julbegonia. - Short and compact, c. 20 cm. Petioles glabrous. Leaf blades glabrous, c. 5 × 5.5 cm, almost circular and only very slightly oblique; base rounded to slightly cordate; margin entire. Bracts hyaline, not or very slightly ciliate. Flowers pink; outer perianth segments in male flowers reniform, 1.2 × 1.6 cm. Anthers oblong; connective protruding beyond the thecae.

Indoor pot plant. S Sk S:t Olof 2004 (tip). - Garden origin. - Map (not in the book).

Begonia ×hortensis I. Grafl & Zwicky 1951 (B. semperflorens auct., non Link & Otto 1828). D Sommerbegonie. F kesäbegonia. Fa . I . N . S sommarbegonia. - Erect, 10-30 cm. Petioles glabrous. Leaf blades ciliate but otherwise glabrous, 6-7 × 5-5.5 cm, broadly ovate, very oblique; base very shallowly cordate with a wide sinus, slightly rolled; margin doubly serrate with shallow teeth. Bracts hyaline, with numerous long cilia. Flowers usually pink; outer perianth segments in male flowers reniform, 1.2 × 1.5 cm. Anthers oblong; connective protruding beyond the thecae. [2n=40-46]

Grown for ornament, in- and outdoors. F V Turku 1960 (roadside; probably throwout). - Garden origin (a hybrid complex derived from, i.a., B. cucullata Willd. and B. schmidtiana Regel). - Map (not in the book).

Begonia ×tuberhybrida Voss 1894. D Knoldbegonie. F mukulabegonia. Fa . I . N . S knölbegonia. - Erect, 10-30 cm. Petioles towards the blade with numerous coarse, reddish hairs. Leaf blades with reddish hairs along the margin and close to it on the upper surface, 9-13 × 6-8 cm, broadly ovate, very oblique; base rather deeply cordate with a narrow sinus; margin doubly serrate with coarse teeth. Bracts reddish, papery, not or very slightly fringed. Flowers red, orange or yellow, often double; outer perianth segments in male flowers ovate, c. 3.5 × 2.2 cm. Anthers almost globose; connective not protruding. [2n=46-66]

Grown for ornament, mainly an indoor pot plant. D ØJy Sjellebro 1980, Sjæ Køge 1988. S Sk Hörby 2002 (tip), SmI Ljungby 2000 (tip), Vrm Karlskoga 1999 (compost). - Garden origin (a hybrid complex derived from B. boliviensis DC. and several other S American species). - Map (not in the book).

References To top