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BEGONIA vtmiro.ia. 
Elm-leaved Begoma. 
MONGCIA POLYANDRIA.—Nar. Onp. BEGONIACEZ, Bonpl. De Cand. - 
Gen. Cuar.—Mas. Cal.0. Corolla polypetala. Petala, plerumque quatuor, 
inequalia. Fam. Cal. 0. Corolla petalis 4-9, plerumque inequalibus. 
Styli tres, bifidi. Capsula triquetra, alata, trilocularis, polysperma. 
Begonia ulmifolia, Wittp. Sp. Pl. v. iv. p. 418.—Pens. Syn. Pl. v. ii. p. 564. 
Haw. Sazifr. Enum. 1821, p. 197. ‘ 
Stem two feet or more in height, declined, herbaceous, green, succulent, 
branched, beset with a few soft scattered hairs, which are deciduous be- 
low. Leaves large, handsome, alternate and distichous, petiolate, with 
large ovate stipules at the base, obovato-oblong, acute, unequal, in their 
lower half duplicato-dentate ; very glossy above, furrowed with veins, 
hispid with soft white hairs, deep green ; below paler, the nerves promi- 
nent, furnished with a few soft hairs. Petioles very much shorter than 
the leaves, green, hispid. ° 
Peduncles arising from the axils of the superior leaves, 4 to 6 inches in length, 
yet shorter than the leaves, twice forked at the extremity, each ramifica- 
tion bearing an umbel of mixed male and female flowers ; every general 
and partial flower-stalk is furnished with an ovate, membranaceous brac- 
tea, resembling the stipules. , 
Male flowers rather large, showy, white, or tinged with rose color, com~ 
posed of 2 rounded, nearly plane, spreading petals. Anthers numerous, 
yellow, united at the base. Filaments rather long. Female flowers with 
a germen, which is triangular, pilose, and trialate, wings unequal ; oper 
of them very large, white, veined, with a protruded, rather acute point ; 
the two others green, short, very obtuse. Corollas of 4 unequal, 2 small 
and ovate, and 2 large and rounded, white petals. Styles 3, bifid, curved : 
Stigmas 2-lobed ; all of them glanduloso-punctated, yellow-green. 
This Begonia, appropriately enoug named ulmifolia ie 
WILLDENow, makes a very handsome appearance im oor | 
stove, with its large glossy, distichous, luxuriant tag oo 
its delicate, pale rose-colored flowers, which have bright = 
stamens. 
VOL. I. 0 
