December 25, 1886. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
265 
THE TUBEROUS BEGONIA. 
Its History and Cultivation. 
All the varieties of the tuberous Begonia now in ex¬ 
istence, both single and double, are derived from six 
species—viz., B. Boliviensis, B. Pearcei, B. Veitchii, 
B. rosieflora, B. Davisii and B. Clarkei, the five first- 
named of which were introduced into this country by 
Messrs. James Yeitch & Sons, of Chelsea, and by them 
put into commerce. 
Begonia Boliviensis, which was the first of the 
series introduced by Messrs. Yeitch, was collected by 
their traveller, Mr. Pearce, in Bolivia, and sent home 
in 1857. It was first exhibited in public at the Inter¬ 
national Horticultural Exhibition, held at Paris in 
May, 1867, and in the following year, 1868, it was put 
into commerce. In 1867 it was figured and described 
in the Botanical Magazine, tab. 5657, as “a tuberous- 
rooted deciduous kind, attaining an average height of 
2 ft. Its foliage is of a rather light green colour of the 
species was discovered by Mr. Pearce, near Cuzco, in 
Peru, at an elevation of 12,500 ft. It is figured in the 
Botanical Magazine, t. 5663, and described as having 
“the habit of Saxifraga ciliata, immense flowers of a 
vivid vermilion-cinnabar-red, that no colourist can 
produce.” B. Veitchii was put into commerce in 1869, 
and is still cultivated in considerable quantities by some 
growers, its constitution being remarkably good ; and 
this fact, coupled with its freedom of flowering and the 
bright appearance of its numberless blossoms, renders 
it valuable as a bedding variety. It is, however, now 
greatly surpassed in effectiveness in this capacity by 
numerous varieties, most of which, if not quite all, are 
largely indebted to it for their best qualities. 
Begonia ros^flora -was imported by the Messrs. 
Yeitch from the Andes of Peru, where it was collected 
at an elevation of 12,000 ft., and it flowered first in the 
Chelsea Nursery in July, 1867. It has stout red 
petioles and scapes, broad round leaves with deeply- 
as very abundant, these points also are reproduced to 
a great extent in hybrids obtained from this species as 
one parent; and, in fact, most if not all modern single 
varieties of the “erect "type, as well as the newly 
introduced and exceedingly valuable class of dwarf, 
upright, double-flowering kinds owe their best qualities 
to it. The fine double varieties, B. Davisii hybrida 
flore plena, B. Davisii flore plena superba, B. Davisii 
lutea plena, Canary Bird, M. Gasset, &c., may be cited 
as admirable examples of the result of intercrossing this 
species with other varieties ; and among the singles 
may be named Miss Constance Veitch, Mrs. Arthur 
Potts, and such more modern novelties as Scarlet Gem 
and Novelty. 
Begonia Clarkei was first flowered by Colonel 
Trevor Clarke in 1867, but he had had the plant for 
several years previously, having received it from 
Messrs. Henderson as a native of Peru. Though at 
first sight resembling B. Veitchii, there is a consider- 
Bec.onia Davisii. 
‘ fuschioides ’ character ; and its small drooping flowers 
are of a bright cinnabar-scarlet colour.” For a long 
time after its introduction, its small and thin-petalled 
flowers were much prized by horticulturists, though it 
was not by any means showy enough to attract the 
attention of the general public. 
Begonia Pearcei, the next to arrive in 1865, also 
came from Bolivia, having been collected at Le Paz by 
Mr. Pearce, in whose honour it was fittingly named. 
This also is figured in the Botanical Magazine, t. 5545, 
and described as being “nearly allied in botanical cha¬ 
racters to B. cinnabarina. Flowers yellow, about 1 in. 
to 1£ in. across ; leaves dark velvet-green, and nearly 
glabrous above, dull red beneath excepting the 
nervures.” Its clear yellow flowers and handsomely- 
marbled foliage are characteristics still found—and, 
in some cases, very conspicuously—in many of the 
varieties of the present day, wdiich have been more or 
less directly derived from it. 
Begonia Veitchii was the next addition, made in 
1867, and a most valuable introduction it proved, for, 
practically, it is the progenitor of the varieties which 
give the round flowers now so much admired. This 
impressed veins, and bears numerous pale red flowers 
“like those of the Brier Rose,” and about 2 ins. in 
diameter. This species was not much used by the 
hybridist, but is one of the parents of a few of the 
earlier raised hybrids. 
Begonia Davisii was discovered by Messrs. Veitch’s 
collector, Mr. Davis, near Chupe, in Pern, at an 
elevation of 10,000 ft., and flowered for the first time 
in the Chelsea Nursery in July 1876, though it was 
not put into commerce until 1879. It is figured 
in the Botanical Magazine, tab. 6252, and received 
a First Class Certificate from the Floral Committee 
on August 2nd of the same year. It is a very 
dwarf-habited species, with bright scarlet flowers, and 
smooth and glossy foliage ; and it has proved itself 
remarkably valuable to hybridists, for by the judicious 
crossing of this species with other strains derived from 
the Boliviensis and Veitchii types, a number of varieties 
have been obtained, both single and double-flowered, 
possessing the characteristics of a remarkably dwarf 
and compact habit, with moderate-sized but brightly 
coloured blooms. The inflorescence of B. Davisii being 
naturally of a more or less erect character, as well 
able difference between them, B. Clarkei being the least 
hardy of the two, and requiring a warmer temperature. 
It grows about 2 ft. high, has leaves from 6 ins. to 8 ins. 
in diameter, of a dull green colour above ; and flowers 
from 2 ins. to 2ins. in diameter, of a bright rose-red 
colour. It is figured in the Botanical Magazine, t. 5675, 
and, like B. rosieflora, has only been sparingly used as 
a parent. 
There is yet another species, Begonia Frcebelii, 
which should be noticed in this place, and which pro¬ 
duces more or less tuberous roots ; but as this plant 
does not appear to be amenable to hybridisation, it must 
be recorded against it that the present race of tuberous- 
rooted Begonias owes nothing whatever to it. B. 
Frcebelii v T as introduced in 1872 from Ecuador, by the 
Messrs. Frcebel, nurserymen, of Zurich, and has a re¬ 
markably dwarf habit ; the strong stems, so peculiar to 
the other species, are almost entirely absent, while 
the flower stalks are produced from quite the base of the 
plant. The blooms are small, but of a very bright 
scarlet or light crimson colour, and very showy ; the 
foliage is also small, much more circular in shape than 
that of any other Begonia of the tuberous class, and 
