NAT ORDER. 



Begoniaceoe. 



BEGONIA SANGUINEA. BLOOD-RED BEGONIA. 



Class XXI. MoNCEciA. Order VII. Polyandria. 



Gen. Char. Cci/i/.r, none. Corolla, polypetalous. Petals, from four 

 to six, unequal. Sfijlcs, three. 



Spe. Char. Slems, several in number. Leaves, large, sub-peltate. 



Petioles, very unequal. Stamem, numerous. Germens, winged. 



The stems of this plant are several in number, all rising froiii 

 the crown of the root, subligneous, red, with scattered, oblong, paler 

 spots; the /cares are from four to six inches long, two and a half to 

 three and a half inches broad, sub-peltate, unequally cordate, acumi- 

 nate, the apex soon withering, leathery-succulent, perfectly glabrous 

 and shining on both sides, green above, blood-red below, the edge 

 crenulate and revolutc all round ; nerves about ten, radiating, the 

 larjier branched, the smaller subsimple ; petioles of very unequal 

 length, round, resembling the stem ; stipules intra-foliaceous, large, 

 ovate, acute, keeled ; peduncle about ten inches long, terminal, becom- 

 ing axillary, tapered, similar to the stem, but without spots, repeatedly 

 dichotomous at the apex, the primary branches are about one inch 

 long, the others gradually shorter; bractras lanceolate-elliptical at 

 each division ; Jloircrs white, rather small ; mule Jloircrs in the clefts 

 of the cyme, or on the inner side, where the ultimate branches are 

 reduced to two flowers (the outer one being a female), or, occasion- 

 ally, solitary on the ultimate branches ; petuls four, the two outer 

 subrotund, slightly crenate, the two inner linear, elliptical, very nar- 

 row, entire; stamens numerous; filaments free, excepting at the 



Vol. iv -21. 



