

Refugium Botanicum.] [June, 1873. 
TAB. 340. 
Natural Order BEGONIACER. 
Genus Brconra, Linn. 
Section Gireoupi1A, A. DC. 
B. sparstera (Baker). Caulibus crassis elongatis cum petiolis 
pedunculis et facie inferiori foliorum pilis ferrugineis sparsis 
vestitis, petiolis crassis foliis brevioribus, foliis peltatis iInequi- 
lateraliter ovatis acutis subangulatis denticulatis carnosis 
modice crassis supra glabris viridibus, nervis 7—8 ex apice 
petioli radiantibus, floribus rubellis in corymbis bisexualibus 
dispositis, pedicellis cernuis elongatis, bracteis deciduis, flori- 
bus masculis segmentis 2 rotundatis, foemineis segmentis 2 
similibus, ovario angulis omnibus late alatis. 
Probably a native of Central America. 
A close ally of B. pruinata (Tab. 247), but the leaves not nearly 
so thick, the flowers smaller, and the petiole, peduncle, and leaves 
below thinly coated with adpressed ferruginous hairs. Petiole 
a quarter of an inch thick. Leaves peltate, obliquely ovate, 
slightly angulato-repand, acute, eight to nine inches long, five to 
six inches broad, the petiole inserted below the middle and much 
nearer one side than the other, the seven to eight main vevns 
radiating from the apex of the petiole, the texture fleshy and 
moderately thick, the upper surface glabrous and bright green, 
the lower glaucous with very minute close papille. Flowers 
thirty to forty in lax terminal dichotomous bisexual corymbs half 
a foot across. Pedicels drooping, half to three-fourths of an 
inch long. Female flower with two roundish blunt pink sepals 
four to five lines long; style three-cleft nearly to the base ; ovary 
three-fourths of an inch deep, with three subequal broad wings. 
Male flower with two precisely similar segments, the free stamens 
in a laterally flattened cluster. 
Tap. 340.—1, male flower; 2, a single stamen; 3, a female flower ; 
4, horizontal section of ovary: all magnified.—J. Gab, 

This is a free-flowering and handsome-leaved_ species of 
Begonia. I am indebted to the Royal Gardens at Kew for my 
stock of this plant. It requires similar treatment to that recom- 
mended for Begonia conchifolia (Tab. 246).—W. W.8. 
