An Encyclopaedia of Horticulture. 



177 



Begfonia — con Hnued. 



mar>iins serrated, ciliated, surface smooth, shining green, fl. on 

 axillary stalks, near apex of stems, white or rose, rather larjie. 

 Capsule win^s two short, one long, rounded. Autumn. Brazil. 

 1829. A useful siinuner and autumn flowering species, of which 

 there are several named varieties more or less distinct from the 

 type, either in colour or size of flowers, or in habit of plant. 

 The varieties carmhiea, ainafitea, and rosea are perhaps the best. 

 SVN. n. s^i'athvlata. (B. M. 2920.) 



B. s. Frau Maria Brandt. A dwarf compact variety, with 

 ruse-tinted tluwers. See Fig'. 234. 



B. socotrana (Socotra).* Stem annual, stout and succulent, 

 funning at base a cluster of bulbils, each of which produces a 

 plant the following year; sparsely hairy. I. dark gi-een, orbi- 

 cular, peltate. 4in. to Tin. across,' centre depressed ; margin re- 

 curved, crenate. Jl. in terminal, few-flowered cymes, Uin. to 

 2in. wide, bright rose. Capsule three-angled, one-winged. Winter. 

 Socntra, 1880. Sliouldbe rested througli the summer, and started 

 in heat in September. A distinct and beautiful species. (B. ftl. 6555.) 



B. spathulata (spathulate). Synonymous with B. semperjlorens. 



B. stlgmosa (branded).* Rhizome creeping, fleshy. I. 6in. to 

 Sin. long, oblique, cordate-acute, irregularly toothed, smootli 

 above, hairy beneath, green, with brownish - purple blotches ; 

 stalks scaly, as in B. manicata. Jl. in cymose panicles, white, 

 medium-sized, numerous. Brazil, 1845. 



B. strigiUosa (strigillose).* Rhizome short, fleshy, creeping, 

 /. 4in. to 6in. long, oblique, ovate-acute, cordate-toothed; margins 

 ciliate, red; stalk and blade covered with fleshy scales; blade 

 smooth, blotched with brown, fi. in branching cyme*, dipetalous, 

 small, rose-coloured. Summer. Central America, 1851. 



B. suaveolens (sweet-scented). S. Stem branching, 2ft. high, 

 smooth. I. 3in. to 4in. long, oblique-ovate, cordate-acute, crenu- 

 late, glabrous, jl. in axillary panicles, large, white. Winter. 

 Central America, 1816. Resembles B. nitida, but may be distin- 

 guished by its distinctly creniUate leaves and smaller flowers, 

 which are white, and not pale rose, as in B. nitida. SVN. B. 

 odorata. (L. B. C. 69.) 



B. Sutherland! (Sutherland's).* T. Stems annual, 1ft. to 2ft. 

 high, slender, gTaceful, red-purple. I. on slender red petioles, 

 2hi. to 3in. long ; bhide 4in. to 6in. long, ovate-lanceolate, deeply 

 lobed at base ; margins serrate, bright green ; 

 nerves bright red. Jl. in axillary and terminal 

 cymes, numerous, orange-red, shaded with dark 

 vinous-red. Capsule wings equal. Summer. 

 Natal, 1867. (B. M. 5689.) 



B. Teuscheri (Teuscher's). S. A strong, erect- 

 gi'owing, large-leaved plant, from the Dutch 

 Indies, not yet flowered. I. cordate-ovate, acute, 

 olive-gi-een above, with greyish blotches ; under 

 side rich claret-coloured. Hort. Linden. (I. II. 

 1879, 358.) 



B. Thwaitesil (Thwaites's).* Stemless. L 2in. 

 to 4in. in diameter, obtuse or sub-acute, cor- 

 ilate at b:Lse, minutely toothed, slightly pubes- 

 cent, very shaggy when young, rich coppery- 

 green, red-purple and blotched with white ; 

 under side blood red. Jl, in an umbel, medium- 

 sized ; scape short, white. Capsule shaped like 

 a Beech nut ; wings short. Ceylon. 1852. One 

 of the most beautiful of coloured-leaved Be- 

 gonias, requiring a close, moist atmosphere 

 in a stove. (B. M. 4692.) 



B. ulmifolia (Elm-leaved). S. Stem 2ft. to 

 4ft. high, branching. I. 3in. to 4in. long, ovate- 

 oblong, une(i\uilsi)led, toothed, rugose, hairy. 

 }L on hairy peduncles, numerous, small, white. 

 Capsule wings two small, one large, ovate. 

 Winter. Venezuela, 1854. (L. C. 658.) 



B. undulata (wavy-leaved). S. Stem 2ft. to 

 3ft. high, erect, brandling freely, turgid below, 

 green, succulent until old. I. distichous, ob- 

 long-lanceolate, undulated, smooth, shining 

 green. //. in nodding axillary cymes, wliitu, 

 small. Winter. Brazil, 1826. (B. M. 2723.) 



B. urophylla (caudate - leaved). Stemless. 

 Leafstalks terete, succulent, clothed with scat- 

 tered bristly hairs, l. large, 12in. long, broad, 

 cordate ; margin irregularly cut, toothed ; apex 

 long-pointed, green, smooth above, hairy be- 

 neath ; peduncle stout, paniculate, jl. cniwded, 

 larjie, dipetalous, white. Spring. Brazil. 

 (B. M. 4855.) 



B. Veitchii (Veitch's).* T. Stem very short, 

 thick, fleshy, green. /. orhiculate, cordate, 

 lobed and incised ; margins ciliated, green, 

 princi])al nerves radiating from bright cav- 

 mine spot near centre; underside pale green; 

 petiole thick, terete, with a few hairs on the 

 upper portion ; scape lOin. to 12ln. high, thick, 

 terete, pilose, two flowered, jl. 2iin. in diameter, cinnabar red 

 Cai)sule smooth, two short, one long wings. Summei". Peru, 1867, 

 One of the species from which the popular garden tuberous 

 rooted Begonias have been obtained. (B. M. 6663.) 



Begonia — conii n tied. 



B. Verschaffeltiana (Verschaffelt's).* A hybrid between 

 B. carotina-jolia and B. manicata, with large ovate acutely-lobed 

 leaves ami flowers in large cymes, rose-coloured and pendent. 

 Winter. (R. G. 1855, p. 248.) 



B. vitifolia (Vine-leaved). S. Stem 3ft. to 4ft. high, thick, 

 smooth, and fleshy. I. large as vine foliage, and similar in 

 shape ; peduncles axillary, erect, branching into a cymose 

 head of small white flowers. Capsules three-angled, one-winged. 

 Winter. Brazil, 1833. Syns. B. m-andis, B. renit'onnis. (B. M. 

 3225.) 



B. Wagneriana (Wagner's). S. Stem 2ft. to 3ft. high, erect, 

 glabrous, -ireen, succulont, branched. I. cordate-ovate, acumi- 

 nate ; margins obscurely lobed, slightly serrate, quite glabrous ; 

 peduncles axillary and terminal, cymose. jl. numerous, white. 

 Capsules, which are ripened in abundance, three-angled, one 

 wing long, two short. Winter. Venezuela, 1856. (B. M. 4988.) 



B.Warscewlczli (Warscewicz's). Synonymous with B. conchce/olia. 



B. WeUonienslS(Welton). A garden hybrid; one of the oldest 

 of cultivutt'd winter-flowering kinds, with light pink flowers, very 

 free. 



B. xanthlna (yellow-flowered).* Stem short, thick, fleshy, hori- 

 zontal, along with petioles thickly-clothed with brown scaly 

 hairs ; petioles 6in. to 12in. long, stout, terete, fleshy, reddish- 

 brown ; blade 8in. to 12in. long, cordate - ovate, acuminate, 

 sinuate-ciliated, dark green above, purplish beneath. Flower- 

 stalks erect, 1ft. high, bearing a cymose head of large golden 

 flowers. Capsule with one largo wing. Summer. Boutan, 1850. 

 (B. M. 4683.) 



B. X. Lazuli (Lapis-lazuli).* Foliage metallic purple, with a 

 bluish tinge. 



B. X. plctlfolla (ornaraented-leaved).* I. with large silvery spots, 

 and pale yellow flowers. 



The following list comprises a selection of sonic of the 

 best and most distinct of the innumerable varieties now 

 existing in gardens, and which have been obtained by 

 crossing and re-crossing the several tuberous-rooted species 

 found in the temperate regions of South America. 



OMA AnMlRATIO*N. 



Single - Flowered Varieties. Crumoa and Scarlet Shaded: 

 AitiMiitATioN, floMers vivid orange-scarlet, of dwarf, compact 

 habit, and free flowering (see Fig. 235); Arthur G. Soames,* 

 brilliant crimson scarlet, of excellent form, and very free; Ball 



2 A 



