18 
BEGONIA ARGYROSTIGMA. 
Silver-spotted Begonia. 
MONOECIA POLYANDRIA ^Nat. Ord. BEGONIACEJEy Bmpl. De Cand. 
Gen. Char. — Mas. Cal 0. Cor. polypetala. Petala, plerumque 4>, inae- 
qualia. — Fcem. Cal. 0. Cor. petalis 4-9, plerumque insequalibus. Siyli 3, 
bifidi. Caps, triquetra, alata, 3-locularis, polysperraa. 
Begonia argyrostigma ; foliis oblongis semicordatis acuminatis repandis 
glabris discoloribus, superne argenteo-maculatis. 
B. argyrostigma, Fisch. Hort. Gorenk. (fide Link et Otto). — Link et Otto, 
Abbild. Anserl. Gew. v. i. p. 23. 1. 10— Haw. Succ. PL 1821, p. 197- 
Stem erect, from 8 or 1 0 inches to 2 or 3 feet in height, according to Link, 
branched ; its thickness about that of the human finger ; reddish, joint- 
ed, glabrous. Leaves numerous, more or less crowded, alternate, petio- 
lated, pendent, oblong, unequally cordate, the large lobe being almost 
half the size of the rest of the leaf, quite glabrous, the margin thickened, 
repand, scarcely crenated, the upper surface deep green, nerved, and 
studded with numerous white roundish spots, which in the older leaves 
have a shining appearance, not unlike silver ; these spots have again one 
or more green spots or points in their centre ; the under side of the leaf 
is a fine deep reddish-purple, quite destitute of spots. Petioles about 2 
or 3 inches long, terete, with large, ovate, membranous stipules at the 
base. 
Flowers lai-ge, monooecious ; male and female generally borne on distinct axil- 
lary peduncles, and collected into many-flowered panicles, drooping, as 
it appears, from the weight. Peduncles and pedicels pale reddish, the 
latter with two ovate, rather small bracteas. Male jUmer composed of 
two roundish, large, and two obovato-oblong, white, spreading petals. 
Stamens numerous, united by their base. Filaments short, yellow, some- 
times forked at the extremity. Anther oblong, yellow, opening behind 
longitudinally, the opening near the margins. Female ^/rer of six, ra- 
ther unequal, ovate, concave, pale rose-coloured petals. Germen very 
large, rose-coloured, triangular, trialate, wings broad, rounded at the up- 
per angle, membranaceous, nearly equal. Sti/le short, yellow ; stigmas 3, 
large, variously lobed, yellow, glandular, the lower lobe broad, and 
curved downwards. 
VOL. I. 
