BEGONIA XANTHINA.
THE FLORIST
AND HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL.
Vol. II.] Philadelphia, July, 1853. [No. 7.
BEGONIA XANTHINA.
Yellow-flowered Begonia.
Begoniaceæ.—Monœcia-Polandria.
CHARAC. GENER.—Flores monoici. Masc. Perigonii tetraphylli foliolissubrotundis, 4 exterioribus majoribus. Stamina plurima; filamentis brevissimisliberis v. basi-connatis, antheris extrorsis bilocularibus, loculis linearibus discretis,connectivi continui obtusi margini adnatis longitudinaliter dehiscentibus. Fem.Perigonii tubo triptero cum ovario connate, limbi superi 4-9-partiti persistentislobis pluriseriatim imbricatis. Ovarium interum triloculare. Ovula in placentise loculorum angulo centrali bilamellatis plurima anatropa. Styli 3 bifidi stigmatihuscrassis flexuosis v. capitatis. Capsula membranaceo-trialata trilocularisloculicide trivalvis. Semina plurima minima striata. Embryo in axi albuminiscarnosi orthotropus.
Herbæ in Asia et America tropica indigenæ, foliis alternis petiolatis integris v.palmatilobis basi saepecordatis inæquilateris integerrimis dentatis v. mucronatoserrutisstipulis lateralibus membranaceis deciduis, cymis axillaribus pedunculatisdichotomis floribus albis roseis v. rubincundis.
CHARACT. SPECIF.—B. acaulis, rhizomate brevi crasso subtus radicante,foliis amplis oblique cordato-ovatis brevi acuminatis sinuatis denticulatis subtusdiscoloribus (rubris) petiolis aggregatis crassis folium subaequantibus rubris stipulatiscrinitis, setis patentibus interioribus reflexis, scapo petiolis duplo longiore,floribus nutantibus corymbosis flavis, masculis tetrasepalis, sepalis 5 oblongo-cuneatisunico majore rotundato magis concavo, foeminis triplo minoribus hexasepalis,sepalis æqualibus ovali-rotundatis, fructus alis duabus brevibus unica horizontaliterelongata striata. Hook.
Begonia xanthina, Hook, Bot. Mag. t. 4683.
Although many different species of this valuable genus havebeen discovered up to this time, we have had only those with whiteor red flowers. B. cinnabarina with its orange red flowers was anapproach to what we now figure—the Begonia xanthina. But eventhe yellow of this is shaded with the red which prevails in agreater or less degree in the flowers or leaves, and stalks of all thegenus.
This species, which flowered in July, 1852, in the collection ofMr. Nuttall, at Rainhill, Lincolnshire, was received by him in 1850,from the Bootan Himalayas, having been sent thence by his nephew,Mr. Booth.
It may be some time before this beautiful plant is imported intothis country; but we know that our enterprizing nurserymen andamateurs will obtain it as soon as it finds its way into the hands ofthe trade in Europe.
HISTORY AND CULTIVATION.
Few plants have a greater claim on the American plant growerthan the Begonia. It has been too much the habit to sigh after,and bewail the want of “Chiswick Heaths,” and other things whichdo not do well in America, to the manifest neglect of many beautifulthings which do. It is time we had ceased to be the mere copyistsof English horti