Begonia (original) (raw)

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Genus of perennial flowering plants

Not to be confused with Bignonia.

Begonia
Begonia obliqua
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Cucurbitales
Family: Begoniaceae
Genus: BegoniaL.
Type species
_Begonia obliqua_L.
Species
Main article: List of Begonia species
Range of the genus Begonia
Synonyms
List Augustia Klotzsch Barya Klotzsch Begoniella Oliv. Casparya Klotzsch Cladomischus Klotzsch ex A.DC. Cyathocnemis Klotzsch Diploclinium Lindl. Donaldia Klotzsch Doratometra Klotzsch Eupetalum Lindl. Ewaldia Klotzsch Falkea J.Koenig ex Steud. Gaerdtia Klotzsch Gireoudia Klotzsch Gurltia Klotzsch Haagea Klotzsch Huszia Klotzsch Isopteryx Klotzsch Knesebeckia Klotzsch Lauchea Klotzsch Lepsia Klotzsch Magnusia Klotzsch Mezierea Gaudich. Mitscherlichia Klotzsch Moschkowitzia Klotzsch Nephromischus Klotzsch Petermannia Klotzsch Pilderia Klotzsch Platycentrum Klotzsch Platyclinium T.Moore Pritzelia Klotzsch Putzeysia Klotzsch Rachia Klotzsch Reichenheimia Klotzsch Riessia Klotzsch Rossmannia Klotzsch Sassea Klotzsch Saueria Klotzsch Scheidweileria Klotzsch Semibegoniella C.DC. Sphenanthera Hassk. Steineria Klotzsch Stibadotheca Klotzsch Symbegonia Warb. Tittelbachia Klotzsch Trachelanthus Klotzsch Trachelocarpus Müll.Berol. Trendelenburgia Klotzsch Trilomisa Raf. Wageneria Klotzsch Weilbachia Klotzsch & Oerst.

Begonia is a genus of perennial flowering plants in the family Begoniaceae. The genus contains more than 2,000 different plant species. The Begonias are native to moist subtropical and tropical climates. Some species are commonly grown indoors as ornamental houseplants in cooler climates. In cooler climates some species are cultivated outside in summertime for their bright colorful flowers, which have petals but no sepals.

Pink flowering Begonia

With 2,002 species, Begonia is one of the largest genera of flowering plants.[1][2] The species are terrestrial (sometimes epiphytic) herbs or undershrubs, and occur in subtropical and tropical moist climates, in South and Central America, Africa, and southern Asia. Terrestrial species in the wild are commonly upright-stemmed, rhizomatous, or tuberous. The plants are monoecious, with unisexual male and female flowers occurring separately on the same plant; the male contains numerous stamens, and the female has a large inferior ovary and two to four branched or twisted stigmas. In most species, the fruit is a winged capsule containing numerous minute seeds, although baccate fruits are also known. The leaves, which are often large and variously marked or variegated, are usually asymmetric such that their left side and right side are different sizes. The plants vary in size from less than a foot to the recently discovered Begonia giganticaulis which can exceed twelve feet (3.6 meters) in height.

The genus name Begonia was coined by Charles Plumier, a French patron of botany, and adopted by Linnaeus in 1753, to honor Michel Bégon, a former governor of the French colony of Saint-Domingue (now Haiti).

The following phylogenetic tree shows the relationships among sections of the genus Begonia.[3]

| | Hillebrandia Begonia Yellow‑Flowering African_Begonia_ (YFAB) Section Scutobegonia Section Filicibegonia Section Loasibegonia Section Erminea Fleshy‑Fruited African_Begonia_ (FFAB) Section Quadrilobaria pro parte Section Mezierea Nerviplacentaria_–_Quadrilobaria Clade Malagasy_Begonia_ (MB) Section Tetraphila pro parte Section Tetraphila pro parte Section Baccabegonia Section Squamibegonia Section Tetraphila pro parte Seasonally Dry Adapted African_Begonia_ 1 (SDAAB 1) Section Sexalaria Section Rostrobegonia Neotropical Clade 1 Section Gaerdtia Section Latistigma Section Tetrachia Section Donaldia Section Stellandrae Wagneria Clade Core Pritzelia Clade Asian_Begonia_ Socotran_Begonia_ (SB) Section Peltaugustia Section Reichenheimia pro parte Section Haagea Asian Clade C Section Lauchea Section Parvibegonia + Begonia smithiae Section Diploclinium pro parte Section Alicida Section Diploclinium pro parte Begonia boisiana Section Diploclinium pro parte Section Diploclinium pro parte Section Diploclinium pro parte Section Diploclinium pro parte Section Platycentrum Asian Clade D Seasonally Dry Adapted African_Begonia_ 2 (SDAAB 2) Section Augustia Neotropical Clade 2 Neotropical Clade 2‑iii Begonia bifurcata Section Eupetalum pro parte Section Eupetalum pro parte Section Eupetalum pro parte Section Australes Section Knesebeckia III pro parte Neotropical Clade 2‑i Section Quadriperigonia Section Parietoplacentalia Section Urniformia Section Gireoudia Neotropical Clade 2‑ii Section Astrothrix Section Solananthera Section Microtuberosa Section Pereira Section Trachelocarpus Section Rossmannia Section Pilderia Section Ephemera Section Ruizopavonia Casparya_–_Semibegoniella Clade | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | |

Selected species:[4]

A potted angel wing begonia (Begonia aconitifolia × B. coccinea)

The different groups of begonias have different care requirements, but most species come from tropical regions, so they and their hybrids require warm temperatures. Most are forest understory plants and require bright shade; few will tolerate full sun, especially in warmer climates. In general, begonias require a well-drained growing medium that is neither constantly wet nor allowed to dry out completely. Many begonias will grow and flower year-round except for tuberous begonias, which usually have a dormant period. During this dormant period, the tubers can be stored in a cool, dry place. Begonias of the semperflorens group (or wax begonias) are frequently grown as bedding plants outdoors. Wax begonias are very attractive, they adapt well when brought inside the house for overwintering and can live up to 4-5 years.[5]

A recent group of hybrids derived from this group is marketed as "Dragonwing" begonias; they are much larger both in leaf and in flower. Tuberous begonias are frequently used as container plants. Although most Begonia species are tropical or subtropical in origin, the Chinese species B. grandis is hardy to USDA hardiness zone 6 and is commonly known as the "hardy begonia". Most begonias can be grown outdoors year-round in subtropical or tropical climates, but in temperate climates, begonias are grown outdoors as annuals, or as house or greenhouse plants.

Most begonias are easily propagated by division or from stem cuttings. In addition, some can be propagated from leaf cuttings or even sections of leaves, particularly the members of the rhizomatous and rex groups.

Horticultural nomenclature

[edit]

Plum Paisley Begonias in a greenhouse.

The nomenclature of begonias can be very complex and confusing. The term 'picotee' refers to edging on the petals that is in contrast to the color of the main petal if the colors blend. If they do not, then the term 'marginata' is used, but sometimes these terms are used simultaneously.[6] 'Non-Stop' refers to a camellia tuberous hybrid that under certain conditions will bloom 'non-stop' all year round.

Display of (tuberous) begonias, Hampton Court Flower Show

Because of their sometimes showy flowers of white, pink, scarlet, or yellow color and often attractively marked leaves, many species and innumerable hybrids and cultivars are cultivated. The genus is unusual in that species throughout the genus, even those coming from different continents, can frequently be hybridized with each other, and this has led to an enormous number of cultivars. The American Begonia Society is the International Cultivar Registration Authority for Begonia, and classifies them into several major groups:

For the most part, these groups do not correspond to any formal taxonomic groupings or phylogeny, and many species and hybrids have characteristics of more than one group or do not fit well in any of them.

The following is a selection from about 70 species, varieties and cultivars which currently hold the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit:[7]

The cultivar 'Kimjongilia' is a floral emblem of North Korea.

Most begonias are sour to the taste, and some people in some areas eat them. This is safe in small amounts but potentially toxic in large quantities due to the prevalence of oxalic acid in the tissues.[22]

  1. ^ Frodin (2004).
  2. ^ "Begonia - Welcome".
  3. ^ Moonlight et al. (2018).
  4. ^ The Plant List
  5. ^ "How to care for beautiful Wax Begonia indoors (Easily)". Shiny Plant. 28 November 2020. Archived from the original on 2021-01-21. Retrieved 2021-02-10.
  6. ^ Perry, Leonard. "Begonia". Perry's Perennial Pages. Archived from the original on 2013-05-02.
  7. ^ "AGM Plants - Ornamental" (PDF). RHS. March 2020. p. 10. Retrieved 2020-11-01.
  8. ^ "Begonia 'Benitochiba'". RHS. Retrieved 2020-10-29.
  9. ^ "Begonia dregei". RHS. Retrieved 2020-10-29.
  10. ^ "Begonia foliosa var. miniata". RHS. Retrieved 2020-10-29.
  11. ^ "Begonia 'Glowing Embers'". RHS. Retrieved 2020-10-29.
  12. ^ "Begonia grandis subsp. evansiana". RHS. Retrieved 2020-10-29.
  13. ^ "Begonia grandis subsp. evansiana var. alba". RHS. Retrieved 2020-10-29.
  14. ^ "Begonia 'Green Gold'". RHS. Retrieved 2020-10-29.
  15. ^ "Begonia listada". RHS. Retrieved 2020-10-29.
  16. ^ "Begonia luxurians". RHS. Retrieved 2020-10-29.
  17. ^ "Begonia masoniana". RHS. Retrieved 2020-10-29.
  18. ^ "Begonia metallica". RHS. Retrieved 2020-10-29.
  19. ^ "Begonia solananthera". RHS. Retrieved 2020-10-29.
  20. ^ "Begonia soli-mutata". RHS. Retrieved 2020-10-29.
  21. ^ "Begonia sutherlandii". RHS. Retrieved 2020-10-29.
  22. ^ Laferrière (1990).

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