( 4025 ) 



Begonia acuminata. Point-leaved 

 Begonia ; or Elephant's Ear. 



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Class and Order. 



MONCECIA POLYANDRIA. 



( Nat. Ord. — Begoniace^;. ) 



Generic Character. 



Masc. Calyx o. Corolla polypetala, petalis plerumque 

 4, inaequalibus. Fcem. Calyx o. Corolla petalis 4 — 9, 

 plerumque inaequalibus. Styli 3 bifidi. Capsula triquetra, 

 alata, trilocularis, polysperma. 



Specific Character and Synonyms. 



Begonia acuminata ; caulescens, foliis hispidis subplicatis 

 semicordato-ovatis acuminatis lobatis inciso-serratis, 

 capsula? ala maxima oblique triangulari-ovata reliquis 

 parvis acutangulis subaequalibus. 



Begonia acuminata. Dryand. in Trans. Linn. Soc. v. I. p. 

 166. t. 14./. 5, 6. Willd. Sp. PL v. 4. p. 417. Hort. 

 Kew. ed. 2. v. 5. p. 284. Ker 3 in Bot. Reg. t. 364. 

 Spreng. Syst. Veget. v. 2. p. 626. 



The various species of Begonia have not been valued 

 by Horticulturists in general, according to their merits. 

 As stove plants, few families present a greater variety of 

 colour and form in their foliage than they do : they are 

 easily increased, ready flowerers, and the blossoms are 

 highly beautiful. A collection of various species, grouped 

 together, as is now the case in the Royal Gardens of 

 Kew, is at all seasons of the year attractive; and from 

 among this group the present one, though far indeed from 

 being the handsomest, is selected. It was introduced to 

 this establishment by Sir Joseph Banks, from Jamaica, 



in 



