134 PACIFIC STATES FLORAL CONGRESS. 



STRUCTURE OF PLANT. 



The leaf of the begonia is characteristically oblique in shape, but 

 varies in size, thickness; covering, and marginations to a very consider- 

 able degree. The male and female flowers are produced on the same 

 plant, but on separate cymes. The female flower consists of five petals, 

 of nearly equal size, two to four styles, with branched or twisted stigmas 

 like a corkscrew, and the stigmas covered with a spiral of short hairs. 

 The ovary consists of a capsule which has three more or less developed 

 wings. The male flower is usually composed of two small, narrow, and 

 two large, ovate petals, and numerous stamens, free or united at the 

 base. 



INTRODUCTION OF HORTICULTURAL VARIETIES 1777-1894, 



The first species of begonia introduced into the British greenhouses 

 is said to have been B. nitida, Dry., which was obtained from Jamaica 

 by the Royal Gardens at Kew, in 1777. Ten years later, another 

 species similar to B. nitida, viz., B. suaveol&ns, was introduced from 

 San Domingo, and first cultivated by Messrs. Lee and Kennedy, of 

 Hammersmith, near London, England. 



In 1814 we find that there were only nine species known in gardens. 

 These were B. nitida, suaveolens, acuminata, dichotoma, discolor, Jiir- 

 suta, humilis, macropliylla, and Evansiana. Up to 1850 we find the 

 number has increased to thirty-six, including many species that are 

 well known and cultivated at the present time, such as semperflorens, 

 incarnata, sanguined, rubra, fuchsioides, and metallica. The next ten 

 years marks the introduction of the progenitors of the Rex begonias 

 in B. Rex, with its associates B. Griff itlii, laciniata, and xantliina, from 

 India. The great popularity of the begonia in England began with the 

 introduction of B. boliviensis, in 1864, from Bolivia, a large, scarlet- 

 flowered, tuberous variety. Soon followed Pearcei, Veitchii, Clarkii, 

 Davissii, and rosaeflora, whose progeny now number many hundreds 

 of varieties in all shades of color. 



One of the most interesting and somewhat recent introductions is 

 that of B. socotrana. It was discovered by Alexander Scott, the gar- 

 dener accompanying the expedition to Socotra sent out by the Geo- 

 graphical Society of London. 



Professor Bayley Balfour, of Glasgow, sent the plant to Kew in 

 1880. As the island of Socotra, off the west coast of Africa, is dry, 

 burning hot, and sandy, it is rather remarkable that a begonia should 

 be found growing there. The root-stock consists of numerous fleshy 

 buds, clustered together, each one resembling a tuber but lacking solid- 

 ity. On this account it has been placed in a separate section by itself, 

 now known as the semi-tuberous section, and has recently been crossed 



