B. hydrocotylifolia var. hydrocotylifolia

This is one of the many pretty BEGONIAS with which our stoves have been enriched through the liberality of the Royal Botanic Garden of Berlin. As far as my investigations will allow me to judge, it is not a specie anywhere described, and I give it under the name by which we have received it from M. Otto. It flowers with us during the summer season. Description: The stem is short, thick, succulent, but perennial, creeping and throwing out fibrous roots from beneath. Towards the apex, throwing up several leaves, which have petioles, two or more inches long, thick and fleshy, hairy. The blade about 2” across, rotundate, cordate, entire, nearly equilateral above convex, shining and nearly glabrous, the margin and beneath pubescent. At the base of the petioles are rnembranaceous, fringed stipules, which soon become brown, and give a scaly appearance to the stem. Peduncles axillary, eight to ten inches to a foot high, clothed with spreading hairs, and bearing a compound raceme or panicle at the apex, pale red. Flowers, of both kinds, with two spreading, deep rose-colored, rounded petals. Stamens and styles, as in the Genus. Fruit oval, triquetrous, with three moderately broad, nearly equal wings.
Pests Diseases

• Classification: Species
• Plant Type: Rhizomatous
• Botanical Section: Gireoudia
• Origin: America, Mexico
• Originator: Otto ex Hook.
• Date of Origin: 1842