Species
B. acuminata
See B. acutifolia
Photos
5 photos
Identity
- Genus
- Begonia
- Name
- B. acuminata
- Author
- Dryander, Trans. Linn. Soc.
- Publication Date
- 1791
- Country
- Jamaica
- Region
- America
- Section
- Begonia
- Plant Type
- Shrub-like
- Synonyms and Comments
- acutifolia Jacquin. 1787; also known as “White Richmondendis”
- Reference
- Trans. Linn. Soc. 1:166, pl. 14, figs. 5–6. 1791. —W.J. Hooker, Bot. Mag. 69:pl. 4025. 1843. —O.E. Schulz in Urban, Symb. Antil. 7:13. 1911.; JGSL9/08; Begonias, Misono 1974: 20 (5)
Plant
- Description
- The Botanical Register: London: Printed for James Ridgway 1815-1828. v. 5 (1819): http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/9041 Begonia acuminata. Willd. sp. pl. 4. 417. Hort. Kew. ed. 2. 5. 284. - Native of Jamaica. Introduced by Sir Joseph Banks in 1790. Requires to be kept in the hothouse, where it flowers during the winter months. A shrub. The male and female flowers are distinct, as is usual in this genus. The former has four petals, of which two opposite ones are smaller than the other two. The latter have five petals, of which two are smaller. Two sharply serrate bracts are placed at the base of the germen, and are twice shorter than that. We had no opportunity of inspecting the inflorescence while fresh. The drawing was made at the nursery of Mr. Jenkins in the Regent's Park; Curtis's Botanical Magazine. London; New York. Academic Press vol. 69 ser. 2: v. 16 (1842-1843) [no. 3964-4047]: Page(s): Plate 4025, TAB. 4025 http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/14347 The various species of BEGONIA have not been valued by Horticulturists in general, according to their merits. As stove plants, few families present a greater variety of color and form in their foliage than they do: they are easily increased, ready flowerers, and the blossoms are highly beautiful. A collection of various species, grouped together, as is now the case in the Royal Garden of Kew, is at all seasons of the year attractive; and from among this group the present one, though far indeed from being the handsomest, is selected. It was introduced to this establishment by Sir. Joseph Banks, from Jamaica in 1790 and flowers, more or less copiously, from May to December. Description: Our plant rises with several weak, though rather stout, fleshy, semi-pellucid, reddish stems, having a few scattered patent hairs, to the height of three or four feet, branched. Leaves on short, rounded petioles, two to three inches long, succulent, very oblique, or, in other words, semi-cordato-ovate, hispid, plaited at the nerves, acuminate, lobed and inciso-serrate at the margin. Stipules ovate, membranous, deciduous. Peduncles axillary, longer than the leaves, hispid, bearing three to five flowers. Male flowers consisting of four, white petals, two large and acute, two about half that size and obtuse. Female flowers with five white petals, of which two are smaller. Fruit with one large and two small membranous wings.
Lineage
Parents
No parentage recorded.
acutifolia Jacquin. 1787; also known as “White Richmondendis”
Descendants
No recorded descendants.
Culture
No populated fields in this section.