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MEMOIRS OF THE NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN [ Vol. 8, No. 1 



Begonia serotina A. DC. 



Junction of the Provinces of Guayas, Canar, Chimborazo, and Bolivar: plants 

 rhizomatous, rhizomes often contorted, ends erect; leaves deep green above, very 

 pale below; pedicels pale greenish; perianth of both flowers white, with pinkish- 

 pale veins; ovary white with pink tinge at anthesis, pale green later; moist cliff 

 bases in shade; foothills of the western Cordillera near the village of Bucay; 

 1,000-1,250 ft., E-3716. 



Begonia Urticae L. f 



Azuay: flowers and fruit crimson; the eastern cordillera, 1—8 km. north of the 

 village of Sevilla de Oro, 8,000-9,000 ft., E-4346. To 2 m. leaves deep green 

 above, veins red below, flowers bright crimson; in thicket, same locality; E-4621. 

 Loja— "Oriente" Border: perianth segments bright red; stigmas bright crimson or 

 red; stamens pink; fruit red; crest of the Cordillera de Zamora, east of Loja, ca. 

 10,000 ft., E-91. With much the same appearance of No. 91, except perianth seg- 

 ments white, fruit green; E-92, Flowers deep red; leaves dark green above, pale 

 below with red veins; plants from thin rhizomes; fruit beaked; wings equal; Nudo 

 de Guagrauma, ca. 12 km. south of Zaraguro, 9,500—10,500 fto, E-136. 



Begonia valvata Smith & Schubert sp, nov. Fig. 2. 



Suffruticosa; ramis hirtellis vel glabris; foliis rectis, asymmetricis, lanceo- 

 latis, acuminatis, basi dimidiatis, ad 7 cm. longis et 2 cm. latis, serratis, supra 

 omnino et subtus ad nervos hirtellis, petiolis 13 mm. longis, hirtellis, stipulis 

 tarde deciduis, late ellipticis, 7 mm. longis, integris, apice setiferis, pallide 

 brunneis; pedunculis 30—35 mm. longis; inflorescentiis paucifloris, proterandris; 

 pedicellis masculinis 18 mm. longis; tepalis masculinis 4, subaequalibus, 12 

 mm, longis, retusis, rubris, exterioribus late ellipticis, juvenilibus insigniter 

 valvatis, interioribus suboblongis; staminibus 4, liberis, antheris oblongis, ob- 

 tusis, quam filamentis longioribus; tepalis femineis perjuvenilibus solum cognitis, 

 verisimiliter 5, quorum uno multo minore quam reliquis; stylis multifidis, seg- 

 ments linearibus; ovario 3-loculato, placentis bicornutis; capsula late turbinata, 

 apice columna alta praedita, aequaliter 3-cornuta; seminibus crasse ellipsoideis. 



Santiago-Zamora ( "Oriente"): flowers crimson; between Santa Elena and Tres 

 Ranchos, eastern slope of the cordillera, valley of the Ri'os Negro and Chupianza 

 (on the trail from Sevilla de Oro to Mendez), 2,900-3,300 ft., Nov. 1, 1944, Camp 

 E'825. Leaves deep green above, pale below, veins red, perianth parts orange- 

 crimson; between Tres Ranchos and Chontal, eastern slope of the cordillera, 

 valley of the Ri'os Negro and Chupianza (on the trail from Sevilla de Oro to Men- 

 dez), 2,700-5,700 ft., Dec. 15, 1944, Camp E-1560 (type). 



In general habit Begonia valvata closely resembles B. Urticae, but its four 

 stamens indicate closer affinity with B. tetrandra. From this last it differs in its 

 subaequal retuse staminate tepals, elongate anthers, and linear style-branches. 

 We realize that the name valvata does not signalize a particularly distinctive 

 character in Begonia, — it just happens not to have been used before. 



