304 BEGONIACE33. 



Seeds very minute, indefinite : embryo exalbuminous. — Leaves distichous, oblique, stipulate; 

 flowers in axillary, dichotomous cymes. 



I. BEGONIA, Z. 



Capsule dehiscent along the lateral facets of the cells : placentas central. 



Sect. I. Bkgoniastkum. — Sepals $ 4, biseriate, ? 5. Stiff mas 3, bipartite or bifid, 

 twisted, with a papillose, continuous band. Capsule unequally %-winged: placentas 

 bilamellate. — Succulent herbs, or shrubs. 



1. B. acuminata, Dryand. Stem suffrutescent, erect, glabrous ; leaves semicordate- 

 oblong, acuminate, unequally sinuate-dentate, pilose on the margin, the nerves beneath, and 

 the petiole; cymes few-flowered ; capsule-wings 2, shortly deltoid, the third oblong, blunt. 

 —SI. t. 127. f. 1. 2. Bot. Mag. t. 4025.— 3'-4' high ; leaves 3"-4" long, 1"-H" broad; 

 flowers white : larger <? sepals broadly ovate, 8'" long ; longer capsule-wing 6 long. 

 Hab. Jamaica !, March. 



2. B. acutifolia, Jacq., Sw. Stem suffrutescent, suberect, glabrous; leaves semi- 

 cordate-oblong, acuminate, angular-repand, denticulate, subciliate, glabrous on both sides 

 and on the petiole ; cymes few-flowered ; capsule-wings 2, narrow, rounded, the third ovate- 

 oblong, obtusate.— B. jamaicensis, A. DC. !— 2'-4' high ; leaves 2"-3*" long, f "-H'M>road ; 

 flowers white and red : larger £ sepals oval, 6"' long ; longer capsule-wing 6"'-8 long, 

 narrow ones 1'" broad. — Hab. Jamaica !, Al., Bancr., Wullschl., among mountain-shrubs, 

 S. Anns, Manchester; [Portorico]. 



3. B. nitida, Dryand. Stem suffrutescent, erect, glabrous ; leaves unequally cordate- 

 ovate, pointed, repand, subentire or obsoletely crenate, wholly glabrous with the petioles ; 

 cymes spreading-dichotomous ; <J sepals unequal, 2 much larger ; " third capsule-wing 

 broadly ovate."— Bot. Mag. t. 4046. Desc. Ft. 5. t. 344.— 4'-5' high ; leaves 5"-4" long, 

 2*"-2" broad; flowers rosy: larger <? sepals oval -roundish, 6"'-8'"long, &" broad.— Hab. 

 Jamaica !, March, in the mountains. 



4. B. dominicalis, A. DC. {in lit.). Stem glabrous ; leaves semicordate-ovate, pointed, 

 sinuate-repaud, or obsoletely serrate, wholly glabrous with the petioles ; cymes spreading- 

 dichotomous; $ sepals sub equal ; " capsule- wings 2 narrow, rounded, the third deltoid. — 

 Bot. Mar,, t. 5047.— B. Wageneriana, Hook, (exclus. syn. Kl.).— 3'-2' high; leaves 6 -4 

 long, 3"-2" broad; flowers white: <? sepals ovate, bluntish, 4'" long.— Hab. Dommica {A. 

 DC); [Guadeloupe!]. 



5. B. domingensis, A. DC. Stem glabrous ; leaves unequally cordate-ovate, pointed, 

 repand-undulate. subentire, glabrous above, rusty-pilose on the nerves beneath, and chtefiy 

 on the petioles ; cymes long-peduncled, many-flowered, contracted ; flowers small: 6 

 sepals subequal ; capsule . . . — Leaves 6"-5" long, 4"-3" broad ; peduncles often 1 long : 

 cymes 2"-3" diam. ; broader <? sepals roundish, 2"'-3'" diam.— Hab. Dominica !, Imr. ; 

 [Haiti]. 



6. B. rottradifolia, Dryand. Stem short, glabrous ; leaves obliquely reniform-round- 

 ish, slightly cordate at the base, angular-crenate, rusty-pilose on the nerves beneath, and on 

 the petioles ; cymes long-peduncled, manv-flowered ; capsule . . . — Plum. Ed. Burnt, t. 45. 

 —Leaves 2" long, 3"-4" broad j larger '$ sepals oval t 6"'-5"' long.— Hab. S. Vincent !, 

 Guild. 



7. B. martinicensis, A. DC. " Stem suffrutescent, glabrous ; leaves semicordate- 

 ovate, pointed, crenulate, puberulous on the nerves beneath : petiole villous, at length gla- 

 brate ; capsule acute at the base, with the larger wing pointed." — Hab. S. Viacent {A. DC.) ; 

 [Martinique]. 



8. B. humilis, Dryand. Annual ; stem erect, hairy or glabrescent ; leaves semicor- 

 date-oblong, acuminate, unequally ciliate-serrate, with scattered hairs above and on the 

 petiole, glabrous beneath ; cymes few -flowered ; capsule-wings rounded, the third broader. 

 —Bonpl. Malm. t. 62.— i'-14/ high • leaves H" long, 8"' broad ; 2 capsule-wings H"',the 

 third 3'" broad.— Hab. Trinidad !, Cr. 



9. B. glaudulifera, Gr. (». sp.). Perennial, stemless ; leaves semicordate-ovate, 



