3S0 



THE BEGONIA. 



Jies^onia murirata, Roufjli Kicpliant's-car. — A 

 rough eroct-stcniiiiiMl species, j^rowinp three to 

 four feet hijrh, witli dipitatc leaves and clo;»e pan- 

 icles of numerous small white flowers. It blooms 

 in autumn, anil probably at other sea»on9. Some- 

 times callcil H. iligitata. Native of Brazil. 



Bes^onia nitida. Shining-leaved Elephant's-car. 

 A straggling', woody-stemmed stove plant, of mod- 

 erate size, witli snjootli, oblique, corilate leaves, 

 anil large, ilroo|)ing panicles of pink and white 

 flowers. It llowers from May to September, and 

 more or less through great part of the year. Na- 

 tive of Pcnang. Called aLoU. obliqua. 



Begonia octopctala, Kiglit-i)etaled Elephanrt's- 

 ear. — A stemless, tuberous-rooted stove jilant, 

 ■with unequal cordate leaves, and greenish white 

 flowers, produced in October. Native of I-.ima 

 and Peru. 



Begonia odorata, Sweet-scented Elephanfs ear. 

 A slender-stemmed stove species, growing four 

 feet high, with large, unequal, smooth leaves, and 

 large clusters of white flowers, produced during 

 the spring months. Native of South America. 

 Also called B. suaveolens. 



Begonia palmata, Palmated Elephant's ear. 

 An herbaceous species from Nepal with palmated 

 leaves, and pink flowers. It blooms from May to 

 September. 



jBeg-o/n'(/papi//osa, Pimpled Elephanf»-ear. — A 

 fleshy, erect-stemmed stove plant, with large broad 

 cordate leaves; very rough, being covered on both 

 sides with rigid hairs. The flowers are produced 

 in loose panicles, and are of a rose-pink colour. 

 It flowers from July to September. Native of Bra- 

 zil. 



Begonia parvifolia, Small-leaved Elephanfs- 

 ear. — Avery neat branching-stemmed compact 

 growing stove plant, with small angulated oblique 

 leaves, and little clusters of blush-white flowers, 

 produced throughout the whole summer; it is a 

 very neat looking plant. Native of the Cape of 

 Good Hope. It is sometimes called B. floribiinda, 

 and B. semperflorens. 



Begonia patula, Spreading Elephant's-ear. — A 

 fleshy-stemmed stove species; the leaves are un- 

 equally cordate, the flowers blush-coloured. It 

 flowers from May to September, and comes from 

 the West Indies. 



Begonia picta. Painted-leaved Elephant's-ear. 

 A tuberous-rooted herbaceous species of low 

 growth, flowering when about six inches high; 

 the leaves are dark green above, red beneath, and 

 hairy, of a heart-shaped figure ; the flowers are 

 large, pale pink, elevated in small clusters above 

 the foliage. It flowers from June to September. 

 Native of Nepal. This species would probably 

 grow freely in a warm green-house. 



Begonia platanifolia, Plane-leaved Elephant's- 

 ear. — This is a strong growing fleshy-stemmed 

 stove species, with large angulated leaves and pink- 

 ish flowers. It blooms from May to September. 

 Native of Brazil. 



Begonia pulchella, Pretty Elephant's-ear. — A 

 stove species from Brazil; the leaves are semi- 

 cordate, and the flowers are white. Blooms in 

 July and August. 



Begonia petaloides, Pelaloid Elephant"s-ear. 

 An herbaceous stove species, with angulated leaves 

 and white flowers, blooming in Ajiril and May. 

 Native of Brazil. 



Begonia rupestris, Rock Elephanfs-ear. — A 

 slender stemmed stove species, growing from two 

 to three feet high, with obliqucovate leaves marked 

 with white silvery dots, and pink flowers, produced 

 in sjjring. Native of Brazil. 



Begonia ramentucca, Scaly Elephant's ear. — A 

 hanilsome stove plant, with very short thick stems, 

 and large obliquely ovate leaves, red beneath, 

 above which the clusters of blossoms, whitish, de- 

 licately tinged with pink, are gracefully disposed 

 in spreading panicles. It blooms several times in 

 the season. It was introduced from Brazil. 



Begonia reni/ormis. Kidney-shaped leaved Ele- 

 phant's-ear. — A fleshy-stemmed stove plant, with 

 kidney-shaped unequal leaves, and panicles of white 

 flowers. It blooms in July and August. Native of 

 Brazil. 



Begonia rvhricauUs, Red-stemmed Elephant's- 

 ear. — An herbaceous stove perennial, with large 

 oblique cordate glossy leaves, and close panicles of 

 large showy red and blush flowers ; the flower stems 

 and leaf stalks are of a bright red. The native coun- 

 try is not ascertained. It blooms from June to 

 October. 



Begonia sinuata, Sinuated-leaved Elephant's- 

 ear. — An erect branching-stemmed stove species, 

 growing about three feet high, with large oblique 

 leaves like those of B. odorata, which this jjlant 

 altogether resembles. It bears white flowers dur- 

 ing the spring months. Native of South America. 



Begonia sanguinea. Blood-coloured Elephant's- 

 ear. — An upright plant, growing three feet high, 

 with fleshy sstems, unequally cordate leaves, dark 

 red beneath, and bunches of small white flowers. 

 It blooms from July to October. Native of Brazil. 



Begonia scandens, Scandent Elephanfs-ear. — A 

 scandent or climbing stove plant, with ovate, sub- 

 rotund leaves, and small greenish white flowers. 

 It blooms in July and August. Native of Jamaica 

 and Guiana. Also called B. glabra. 



Begonia sellowii, Sellow's Elephant's-ear. — 

 This stove species has white flowers produced in 

 September. 



Begonia spatulata, Spatulate leaved Elephant's- 

 ear. — A succulent-stemmed stove plant, growing 

 two or three feet high, with oblique and some- 

 what ov-al leaves, pale beneath, and small bunches 

 of pale pink or whitish flowers, which are very 

 freely proiluced; the plants are scarcely ever out 

 of bloom. Native of Brazil. It requires the stove 

 in winter, but bears a good deal of exposure in sum- 

 mer, as doubtless many others would do were they 

 tried. Also called B. cucullataand B. grandiflora; 

 sometimes B. semperflorens. 



Begonia stigmosa, Spottevl-leaved Elephant's- 

 ear. — This is rather a pretty stove species, with a 

 short stem, and oblique cordate leaves, curiously 

 fringed on the margin, and beautifully marked 

 with purple spots; the flowers are greenish-white, 

 in loose panicles. 



Begonia tuberosa, Tuberous Elephant's-ear. — A 

 tuberous-rooted dwarf stove plant, with cordate 



