THE BEGONIA. 
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flowers on a drooping panicle, from May to 
September. It is a native of China, and is 
also known by the names of B. Evansiana, and 
B. bulbifera. It is sometimes commonly 
called the beef-steak plant. At Killanley 
Glebe, Ballina, some plants of this have been 
growing in the open air for several years. 
Begonia disticha, (distichous Elephant's- 
car.) — A fleshy-stemmed stove species, with 
acute leaves, and two-forked bunches of 
whitish flowers. It blooms from June to 
October. Native of South America. 
Begonia Bregei, (Drege's Elephant's-ear.) 
— A small fleshy-stemmed erect stove plant ; 
growing from two to three feet high, with 
small oblique angular leaves ; the flowers are 
blush-white, generally in pairs. It blooms in 
March. Native of the African continent. It 
is also known as B. parvif'olia, B. floribunda, 
and B semperflorens. 
Begonia dubia, (doubtful Elephant's-ear.) 
— An herbaceous stove species, with unequally 
cordate leaves, and white flowers, produced in 
July. Native of Brazil. 
Begonia fagifolia, (beech-leaved Elephant's- 
ear.) — A creeping-stemmed stove plant with 
ovate leaves, which together with the stems 
are covered with soft white hairs ; it bears 
small white flowers in great profusion in the 
spring months. Native of Brazil. Called 
also B. pendula, and B. repens. It is beauti- 
ful grown on a trellis. 
Begonia Fischeri, (Fischer's Elephant's-ear.) 
— A branching-stemmed stove species, growing 
two to three feet high : the leaves are rather 
small, unequally cordate, silky above and 
crimson beneath ; the flowers are blush-co- 
loured. It blooms from February to April. 
Native of Brazil. 
Begonia geranii folia, (geranium-leaved Ele- 
phant's-ear.) — A tuberous-rooted herbaceous 
stove species, with small wavy leaves, like 
those of a geranium, and pretty deep pink 
flowers. It blooms in September, and was 
introduced from Lima. 
Begonia heracleifolia, (heracleum-leaved 
Elephant's-ear.) — A strong-growing herba- 
ceous species, with large pahnated leaves, the 
stalks of which are two feet long, covered 
with white hairs, which rise from crimson 
spots ; it has large bunches of blush or pale 
pink flowers. Though rather coarse, it is a 
very pretty species. It blooms in the spring ; 
and comes from Mexico. 
Begonia hirsuta, (shaggy-leaved Elephant's- 
ear.) — A fleshy-stemmed, herbaceous stove- 
plant ; the leaves hairy, unequally semicor- 
date ; the flowers are white. It is a biennial, 
flowering in May and June. Native of the 
West Indies. 
Begonia liirtella, (fringed Elephant's-ear.) 
A slender-stemmed stove species, from three 
to four feet high, with unequal, pointed leaves, 
and white flowers, produced in small clusters, 
from July to October. It is from the West 
Indies. Sometimes called B. acuminata. 
Begonia homoni/ma, (kindred Elephant's- 
ear.) — A fleshy-stemmed stove plant, resem- 
bling B. parvi folia, growing from two to 
three feet high, with unequally angled leaves, 
and white flowers. It blooms during the 
summer and autumn. Native of Brazil. 
Also called B. sinuata. 
Begonia Sookeri, (Hooker'sElephant's-ear.) 
— This is the B. semperflorens of some authors. 
It i* a very pretty species, with short stems, 
and nearly round leaves, which are bright 
green, smooth and shining ; it has pure white 
flowers in short panicles from the axils of the 
young leaves. It blooms through the greater 
part of the year, and was introduced from 
Mexico. It is also sometimes called B. spathu- 
lata, and B. grandiflora. 
Begonia humili.s, (dwarf Elephant's-ear.) — 
A fleshy erect-stemmed stove plant, of dwarf 
habit, with semi-cordate, oblique leaves, and 
white flowers, which open in September and 
October. It is a biennial. Native of the 
West Indies. 
Begonia hydrocotylifolia, (hydrocotyle- 
leaved Elephant's-ear.) — A dwarf, stemless, 
or very short-stemmed stove plant, with nu- 
merous round, shining, dark green fleshy 
leaves, reddish beneath ; and loose panicles 
of numerous light pink, very handsome flowers. 
It is one of the handsomest of the whole genus. 
It flowers in March and April, and remains 
a long time in bloom. 
Begonia incana, (hoary Elephant's-ear.) — 
An herbaceous stove species, which has hoary 
leaves, and pink and white flowers. It is from 
Mexico, and blooms from April to July. 
Begonia incarnata, (flesh-coloured Ele- 
phant's-ear.) — A branching stove plant, with 
stems four feet high ; large oblique, dark green 
leaves, and pale pink flowers, in good-sized 
clusters. It blooms almost throughout the 
year. Native of Mexico. 
Begonia insignis, (remarkable Elephant's- 
ear.) — A fleshy-stemmed, erect-growing, stove 
plant, with unequally cordate, acuminate 
leaves, and spreading, drooping panicles of 
large, handsome pink flowers. It blooms in 
December and January. Native of South 
America. 
Begonia hinrina, (bay-leaved Elephant's- 
ear.) — A strong, branching-stemmed stove 
species, growing four feet high, with ovate, 
beautifully serrated leaves, and graceful clus- 
ters of pink flowers ; produced in summer. 
Begonia longipes, (long-stalked Elephant's- 
ear.) — A sub-shrubby, fleshy-stemmed plant, 
growing five feel high, with large, anequally- 
lobed leaves, and clusters of white flowers on 
