THE BEGOXJA. 145 



Diadema; Sceptra. B. diadema, Linden (B. sceptra, Hort.), grows 

 about two feet high, with green, dentate, deeply-parted leaves that 

 are blotched with white. The flowers are insignificant. A native of 

 Borneo. 



Angvlaris; Zebrina. B. angularis, Raddi. (B. zebrina, Hort.), is a 

 smooth-stemmed, succulent species about two feet high, with long, ovate, 

 shiny-green leaves, with undulating margins and white veins. The 

 flowers are insignificant and light pink. A native of Brazil. 



Wettsteinii. B. Wettsteinii, Hort., is of unknown origin, and grows 

 about a foot high, with' slightly lobed leaves and bright red flowers, 

 which hang on long, graceful flower stems. 



Dregei. A species that is of special importance on account of 

 crossing it with the semi-tuberous section, is B. Dregei, Otto and Dietr. 

 It is peculiar in having a large, globular rootstock like a cyclamen. 

 The leaves are small, green, deeply toothed, and reddish on the under 

 side. The flowers are small and white. B. Macbethii, Hort., is a 

 straggly form of the above, with pink flowers, whose origin the writer 

 has been unable to trace. 



Weltoniensi*. B. Weltoniensi*, Hort.. is probably a hybrid or much- 

 improved variety of B. Dregei. It is said to have been introduced 

 by Major Clark, of Welton Park, England, but its parentage is not 

 given. The leaves are larger and broader than those of B. Dregei, 

 and the flowers are very profuse and of a delicate shade of pink. 

 Var. alba differs only in having white flowers. These two last-named 

 begonias are very useful for decorative purposes. 



SEMI-TUBEROUS SECTION. 



The second section, the semi-tuberous, comprises B. Socotrana, with 

 its hybrid varieties. Its origin, discovery, and habitat have already 

 been given. It is a fall-blooming species, semi-tuberous in character, 

 and especially distinct. The leaves are peltate, and the much-branched 

 panicles bear lovely carmine-pink flowers. It is more useful for cut 

 flowers than those of the tuberous section, as the female flowers are 

 numerous and persistent. An interesting fact is that this species 

 has been crossed with the fibrous-rooted section on the one side, and 

 the tuberous section on the other. What remains now to be accom- 

 plished is to infuse the blood of the tuberous section with that of the 

 fibrous section, or winter-flowering begonias. If this is done, and 

 there seems but very little doubt that it can be done, it will prove 

 a great acquisition to our greenhouses, for no more beautiful plants 

 can be imagined than the foliage of many of the fibrous-rooted sorts 

 combined with the gorgeous, many-colored, tuberous varieties. An 

 interesting experiment also would be to cross B. Socotrana with some 



