The stamens differ from those of the typical Begonias in that they are in an 

 elongated column, instead of a globular cluster, and the stigma also differs in 

 some minor technical points. These characters considered by Klotzch sufficient 

 to merit a new genus, he proposed the name of Barya, subsequently merged 

 into Begonia by De Candolle. 



Begonia boliviensis will always be of special interest to gardeners, from the fact 

 that it was one of the species used by Seden in the production of the first hybrid 

 tuberous Begonia raised in England, B. x Sedenii. 



The next great find was * Begonia Pearcei, a beautiful species with yellow 

 flowers, native of La Paz, where it was discovered by Pearce, after whom it 

 was named. 



The plant is of tufted habit, has the unusual quality of possessing orna- 

 mental foliage and showy flowers. The leaves are dark velvety green 

 above, traversed by straw-coloured veins : the under surface dark red with 

 the exception of a prominent venation. Well above the handsome leaves 

 are borne the bright yellow flowers, usually three in number, on slender 

 scapes. 



This species entered largely into the production of garden varieties, developing 

 colours entirely absent prior to its introduction. Traces of its ornamental foliage 

 can still be detected in the yellow-flowered varieties of the present day. 



It was distributed in 1866, and figured amongst other new Plants, in a 

 coloured plate in the Veitchian Plant Catalogue of that year, associated with 

 Calathea (Maranta) Veitchiana, Lapageria alba, and Urceolina pendula, all of 

 which we owe to Pearce, and all of which remain favourite garden plants. 



t Begonia Veitchii, another introduction due to Richard Pearce, was discovered 

 near Cuzco in Peru at an elevation of 12,000-12,500 ft. in 1866, and first 

 flowered in this country in 1867, soon after B. boliviensis had produced its scarlet 

 blooms. 



In the Botanical Magazine (sub t. 5663), Sir J. D. Hooker writes : " Of all 

 species of Begonia known, this is, I think, the finest. With the habit of Saxifraga 

 ciliata, immense flowers of a vivid vermilion-cinnabar red, that no colourist can 

 reproduce, it adds the novel feature of being hardy, in certain parts of England 

 at any rate, if not in all. 



" Unwilling as I am to pronounce on the probable or possible adaptation of 

 exotic plants to an English climate, I cannot but believe that in south-western 

 counties and in the south of Ireland, the Begonia Veitchii will certainly prove 

 one of the most ornamental of garden plants." 



This expectation of the probable hardiness of Begonia Veitchii was not realized, 

 as it was found of too delicate a constitution to withstand the combined 

 effects of cold and damp of English winters, but tubers stored in a dry 

 place flowered freely out-of-doors during the summer months ; this is the case 

 with all the Andean species of Begonia. 



Walter Davis, who traversed Pearce's ground some years later, found Begonia 

 Veitchii inhabiting rocky positions by waterfalls, in company with Masdevallia 

 Veitchiana. 



In association with Begonia boliviensis and B. Pearcei, this species has been 



* Begonia Pearcei, Hook. f. Bot. Mag. t. 5545 ; Veitchs' Catlg. of PL 1866, col. pi. 

 t Begonia Veitchii, Hook, f . Gard. Chron. 1867, p. 734, fig. ; Bot. Mag. t. 5663 ; 

 Fl. Mag. 1867, vol. vi. pi. 365. 



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