THE BEGONIA. 137 



dent Carnot, Sandersoni stigmosa, Thurstoni, Sunderbruchi, Wett- 

 steinii, zebrina, Pond Lily, Souvenir de F. Gaulin, undulata, decora 

 Uhinkii. 



DESCRIPTION OF SPECIES AND VARIETIES. 



Taking them up in the order named, we find that B. Scharffiana, 

 Kegel, was introduced from Brazil, by Haage and Schmidt, in 1889. 



Scharffiana. It has large, thick, fleshy, hairy leaves, which are 

 oliVe green above and crimson below. The flowers are waxy white, and 

 hang in clusters resembling those of the calceolaria. A plant has been 

 grown at Kew a yard through. It sometimes takes a resting period, 

 partially dying off, and requires warmth and care to succeed well. 

 When well grown, it is an excellent bracket plant. 



Duchartrei. B. Duchartrei, Hort., is a hybrid between B. echino- 

 sepala and Scharffiana, and was introduced by Bruant, in 1892. 

 Like Scharffiana, the leaves are green above and red below. The flow- 

 ers are waxy white, with a few red hairs on the under surface of the 

 petals. Although the plant will grow under ordinary conditions, yet it 

 requires warmth and care in order to branch profusely and flourish. 



Haageana. B. Haageana, Watson (B. Scharffi, Hook.), is a na- 

 tive of the peninsula of Destierra, in South Brazil, and was intro- 

 duced by Haage and Schmidt, in 1889. The leaves are about a foot 

 long, dark green above, and crimson on the under side. The flower- 

 stems are about a foot long, and branch into enormous cymes of pink 

 flowers, eight to twelve inches in diameter. The stems, capsules, and 

 under side of the petals, are covered with long, red hairs. The species 

 is closely allied to B. metallica and B. ecliinosepala, and has already 

 been crossed with both these species. The plant displays its beauty best 

 when two years old, and is regarded as one of the most beautiful species 

 in the genus. In the months of December and January no con- 

 servatory should be without this exceedingly beautiful begonia. 



Credneri. B. Credneri, Hort., is a variety originated by hybridizing 

 B. Scharffiana and B. metallica, and was introduced by Haage and 

 Schmidt, in 1891. There is another plant, named B. Credneri, which 

 was raised by Lemoine, in 1891, three months later, from the same 

 parents. Bruant a]so used these two parents in 1891, and called his 

 plant B. Pictaviensis. All the above varieties have been grown by the 

 writer, and they appear to be identical. It is very similar to B. Haao- 

 eana, but has smaller flowers and erect flower stems, not gracefully 

 bending over as in Haageana. 



Pictavensis. rThere is still another plant, spelled B. Pictavensis, 

 which was raised by Bruant, in 1881, a cross between B. Schmidtmna 

 and B. semperflorens. This plant is now appropriately called B. 

 Bruanti in most catalogues. 



