HORTUS VEITCHII 



* Begonia x Sedenii was the name given in compliment to the raiser. 



Plants distributed in 1870, and figured in the Plant Catalogue of that year, are 

 described as " of the same upright habit as Begonia boliviensis but with larger 

 leaves, the veins of which are slightly rose-coloured ; the flowers are of the richest 

 magenta and of large size." 



It is interesting in that the first double-flowered Begonia was obtained from 

 seeds produced by self-fertilized flowers from this hybrid. 



This was followed by t Begonia x Chelsoni, another hybrid raised by Seden by 

 fertilizing the hybrid B. x Sedenii with B. boliviensis, thus crossing the progeny 

 with one of its parents. The appearance of B. x Chelsoni greatly resembled 

 B. boliviensis, but the flowers larger, were a glossy red in colour. 



J Begonia x intermedia was the next, a product of the two Andean species B. 

 Veitchii and B. boliviensis, distributed in 1872 and described in the Veitchian 

 Plant Catalogue for that year: "In habit it partakes strongly of B. boliviensis, 

 being a strong upright-growing plant, branching freely, and attaining an average 

 height of 15 to 18 in. The leaves have much the form and substance of 

 B. Veitchii, but are toothed like B. boliviensis. The flowers are of the size and 

 form of B. Veitchii and resemble it also in colour, but are of a rather darker 

 shade." 



In 1874 two more were offered, Stella and Vesuvius : the former the 

 result of crossing Begonia x Sedenii with B. Veitchii, and the latter the 

 progeny of B. Clarkei crossed with B. x Sedenii. Vesuvius had bright orange- 

 scarlet flowers, combined with a robust habit, a useful and popular subject 

 for summer-bedding. || Excelsior and || Model next raised, were distributed 

 in 1875. The variety Excelsior was obtained from Begonia X Chelsoni, crossed 

 with B. cinnabarina, and is described as a very free-blooming variety, with 

 large flowers of the form of B. Veitchii and the colour of B. cinnabarina. It 

 was one of the best bedding Begonias of its time. Model was the product of 

 a cross between B. x Sedenii and B. Pearcei, the flowers of a delicate rosy 

 blush colour, and of the finest shape. 



The hybrids Begonia x Sedenii and B. x intermedia were next used as parents, 

 and these produced the variety named IF Acme, sent out in 1876. A figure of the 

 flower is given in the Plant Catalogue of that year, and in an accompanying 

 description it states : " The flowers are of a delicate orange-pink, tinged with a 

 deeper shade of orange-rose. In well-grown plants the flowers are large, the 

 male or staminate ones from 3 to 4 in. between the extremities of the alternate 

 narrower petals ; the petals of both staminate and pistillate flowers are 

 beautifully veined symmetrically with the edges." 



** Kallista, derived from Begonia x Sedenii crossed with the variety Stella, was 

 also sent out in 1876. The flowers, of a rich vermilion-scarlet, were the darkest 

 shade of that colour known at the time Later Kallista gave rise to many fine 

 varieties from self-fertilized seed. 



* Veitchs' Catlg. of PL 1870, col. pi. and fig. p. 4 ; Fl. and Pom. 1869, p. 169, 

 col. pi. 



f Veitchs' Catlg. of PI. 1871, col. pi. and fig. p. 2. 

 % Veitchs' Catlg. of PI. 1872, p. 2, fig. ; Fl. Mag. Feb. 1872. 

 | Veitchs' Catlg. of PI. 1874, pp. 4, 5, figs. 

 || Veitchs' Catlg. of PI. 1875, pp. 4, 5, figs. 



V Veitchs' Catlg. of PI. 1876, p. 6, fi^. ; The Garden, 1878, vol. xiii. pi. 118. 

 * Veitchs' Catlg. of PI. 1876, p. 7, fig. 



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