Tab. 5663. 



BEGONIA Yeitchii. 



Veitclis Begonia. 



]S T at. Ord. Besoniace^;. — Moncecia Poltandria. 

 Gen. Char. {Vide supra, Tab. 4131.) 



Begonia (§ Huszia) Veitchii ; acaulis, laxe pilosa, foliia crasse petiolatis 

 oblique ovato- v. rotundato-cordatis lobulatis et crenulatis, nervis fla- 

 bellatissubtusprominulis, scapo robusto 2-floro (fl. <$ et ? ), bracteis 

 2 oblongis obtusis roseis, floribus amplis miniato-ciunabarinis, peri- 

 anthii foliolis obovato-rotundatis in $ 4, in ? 5, filamentis liberis, an- 

 theris obtusis, ovario 3-loculari, placentis 2-fidis, lobis lobulatis uudi- 

 que ovuliferis, sty lis 3-2-furcatis, cruribus fascia papillosatorta cinctis. 



Begonta Veitchii. Hook. f. in Gard. Chron. 1867,^). 734, cum ic. xylofj. 



Of all the species of Begonia known, this is, I think, the 

 finest. With the habit of Saxifraga ciliata, immense flowers 

 of a vivid vermilion-cinnabar red, that no colourist can re- 

 produce, it adds the novel feature of being hardy, in certain 

 parts of England at any rate, if not in all. It was discovered 

 by Messrs. Veitch's collector, Mr. Pearce, near Cuzco, in 

 Peru, at an elevation of 12,000-12,500 feet, and the plants 

 grown in Mr. Voitch's establishments have already given 

 proof sufficient of their hardihood, by withstanding a tem- 

 perature of 25° Fahr. with absolute impunity. Unwilling as 

 I am to pronounce on the probable or possible adaptation of 

 exotic plants to an English climate, I cannot but believe 

 that in the south-western counties and in the south of Ire- 

 land, the Begonia Veitchii will certainly prove one of the 

 most ornamental of border plants. 



A very nearly allied species to this exists in the Hookerian 

 Herbarium, collected by Man don in the Andes of Bolivia, 

 near Sorata, altitude 9,000-10,000 feet ; it is, however, more 

 caulescent, and has a glabrous scape, with larger stipules and 

 bracts. I have mentioned this as the same species as Yeitchii. 



SEPTEMBER IsT, 18G7. 



