Tas. 4676. 
BEGONIA HERNANDL&AFOLIA. 
Hernandia-leaved Begonia. 
Nat. Ord. Beconracek®.—Mona@cra PoLyaANnDRtia. 
Gen. Char. (Vide supra, Tas. 4172.) 
Brconta hernandicafolia; acaulis, foliis omnibus radicalibus aggregatis longe 
petiolatis suboblique rotundato-ovatis breviter acuminatis glanduloso-serratis 
coriaceis peltatis concavis subtus atro-purpureis, scapis folio longioribus 
apice dichotome corymbosis, pedicellis nutantibus, floribus rubris : mase. 
4-sepalis, sepalis 2 minoribus ; fam. 3-sepalis sepalo unico minimo, fructu 
alis rotundatis, ala unica duplo 3-plo majore. 
Received at the Royal Gardens of Kew from seeds sent from 
Veraguas by Mr. Seemann. I have failed in finding the de- 
scription of any species that will tally with it. Much of the 
character, indeed, of B. peltata, Haskrl., as given in the fifth 
volume of Walpers’ Repertorium, p. 7 66, well corresponds with 
this; but that is placed in a group called “ Repentes, 1s said 
to be “caulescent,”’ and is a Java plant. Further, the same 
species is described in the second volume of the Repertorum, 
p- 210, as having the leaves tomentose: whereas our plant is 
not caulescent, nor creeping, and has glabrous foliage. It is 
indeed a most lovely species, with singularly shaped, very thick, 
concave and peltate leaves, deep blood-colour beneath, and the 
copious petioles, peduncles, and flowers of a full rose-red. It 
flowers readily in the stove during the summer months. 
Drscr. Stemless. From the top of the root spring numerous 
bright red terete petioles, stipuled at the base, two to four inches, 
or rather more, long, which are inserted underneath, and at nearly 
an inch distance from the base of the very thick, between fleshy 
and coriaceous, subrotundo-ovate, acuminated, rather oblique, 
concave /eaves, indistinctly glanduloso-serrated at the margin, 
OCTOBER Ist, 1852. 
