Begonia.] Begoniacea. 263 



3-6 in., ovate-rotundate, strongly cordate with the lobes nearly 

 equal at base, acute or obtuse at apex, very slightly lobed, 

 crenate-dentate, unequal-sided, thin, sparingly hairy on both 

 sides, bright light green, stip. ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, 

 glabrous ; scapes 4-6 in., erect, succulent, hairy, pink, slightly 

 bifurcate at top ; ft f-i \ in., male and fern, usually on sepa- 

 rate scapes, ped. of male fi. \-\ in., filiform, of fern. fl. shorter 

 and stouter, bracts small, ovate, acute ; male fl. : — per.-segm. 

 4, the outer pair rotundate, cordate at base, inner narrowly 

 oblong, stam. about 30, fil. monadelphous below ; fem. fi. : — 

 per.-segm. 3-5 (usually 5), the 2 outer rotundate, the 3 inner 

 oval-oblong, ov. with bifid placentas, shortly 3-winged, 

 glabrous, style deeply divided into 3 stout curved branches, 

 each bilobed at end ; capsule very thin and papery, dehiscent 

 on the three sides, wings nearly equal, variable in width, 

 upper margin rounded ; seeds broadly ovoid, ridged, dark 

 brown. 



Low country to about 1500 ft.; very rare. In plenty in crevices of 

 wet rocks near Lunugala, Bibile, and Nilgala, Uva Prov. Fl. Jan.- 

 March; white. 



Also in S. India. 



A. DC. (Prod. xv. pt. 1, 329) calls the Ceylon plant var. insularis. 



2. B. tenera, Dryand. in Trans. Linn. Soc. i. 169 (1791). 



B. rupestris, Moon Cat. 64(F). B. Thwaitesii, Hk., Thw. Enum. 128 

 (part). C. P. 3952, 2808 (part). 



Fl. B. Ind. ii. 652. Trans. Linn. Soc. i. t. 16. 



Stemless, with a stout prostrate rhizome ; 1. 2|- 4 in., rotun- 

 date, very strongly cordate and slightly unequal at base, 

 rounded or subacute at apex, faintly serrate-crenate, hairy on 

 both sides, thin, petiole 3-6 in., hairy, succulent, stip. ovate, 

 acuminate, somewhat fleshy; scapes 3-9 in., erect, stiff, hairy; 

 fl. few, umbellately corymbose, on slender ped., the male erect, 

 the fem. drooping, bracts ovate, acute; male fl. : — per.-segm. 

 4, 2 outer rotundate, cordate, hairy outside, 2 inner oval- 

 oblong, stam. 40-50, fil. connate at base; fem. fl. : — 2 outer 

 per.-segm. broad, 3 inner narrow, ov. very hairy, placentas 

 undivided, styles 3, distinct almost to base, stigmas bilobed ; 

 capsule I in. by ^ in. wide (with wings), glabrous, wings nearly 

 equal, their upper margins nearly straight, forming a sharp 

 angle (or slightly rounded) with sides. 



Moist low country; rare. First collected by Koenig, but he does not 

 give any locality. Near Bulat-Singhale, Pasdun Korale (Thwaites); 

 Wellawaya (F. Lewis). Fl. Sept.; white. 



Endemic. 



Dryander gives in full Koenig's description from Ins MSS.; and the 

 figure is taken from his specimen in the Mus. Brit. 



