Species
B. morelii
Photos
5 photos
Identity
- Genus
- Begonia
- Name
- B. morelii
- Author
- Irmscher ex C. Karegeannes, Begonian
- Publication Date
- 1975
- Country
- Tropical Asia
- Region
- Asia
- Section
- Reichenheimia
- Chr 2n
- 30
- Plant Type
- Semi-Tuberous
- Synonyms and Comments
- B. morelii Irmscher, Begonian 29:47, 56. 1962, nomen nudum;
- Reference
- Begonian 43:26. 1976.; JGSL9/08; The Begonian, Dec 1975;
- Photo References
- The Begonian, Dec 1975; The Begonian, Mar 1962;
Plant
- Description
- Begonia morelii Irmscher – New Species by Edgar Irmscher I have obtained this new species which appeared spontaneously in the cultures of the Station Centrale de Physiologie Vegetale; at Versailles, from Dr. G. Morel, Director of this Station, who sent it to me for determination. According to his characters, it belongs without any doubt to the Asiatic section Reichenheimia, the forty-eight species of which are distributed from India and Ceylon through Burma to the big Sunda Islands and to the north up to China. Then one can admit Tropical Asia as the origin for Begonia morelii, This species is especially remarkable for the structure of the inflorescence built in the same manner as the inflorescence of Begonia cardiophora Irmsch. It forms a cyme consisting of three forked dichasia following each other. Each dichasium has one strong and elongated branch, the other being very short: Each of the two branches forms a cyme at its end, with two to four flowers having a very short and therefore barely visible internode. The terminal flower of the cyme is female and, when old, it is bent downward. The remaining flowers are entirely male. It provides thus a shoot system, which simulates a grape branching in which the strong forked dichasial branch apparently forms the main axis. I am very glad to thank Dr. Morel, after whom this species is dedicated, for being good enough to add an illustration prepared in his Institute and for translating the text into English. Dr. Morel has already sent, a few years ago, seeds of this species to the ABS. Seed Fund as Begonia species? near Begonia Thwaitesii. The members who have received these seeds can give to their plants the name Begonia morelii. DESCRIPTION Begonia morelii Irmscher- New species - Section Reichenheimia. Low herbaceous plant with almost tuberous rhizomes 0.8 - 2 cm. long, 0.5 cm. thick, from which leaves and inflorescence develop; petioles thin, 2 - 2.8 cm. long, barely hairy. Leaves sparsely hairy on the upper face, lower face shortly bristly especially on the veins. Lamina cordate in contour, 2 - 4 cm. long, 2.8 - 4 cm. wide in the middle, indented heart-shaped at the base with a rounded lobe 0.5 - 1.7 cm. long and 1.7 - 2.5 cm. wide towards the outside and a broad margin towards the inside. Apex widely acute, margin double dentate, rarely almost crenate, with apiculate notch. Inflorescence coming from the base, 8 - 11 cm. long, forming a cyme, with 2 – 3 dichasia following, each other. Of these, one branch is longer, 1 - 3 cm. long; the others very short, 0.1 - 0.3 cm. long or almost missing. The two branches form a cyme of 2 - 4 flowers, the internodes being very short; the flowers seem often to be arranged in an umbel. The terminal flower of the cyme is female, all others male. Bracts of the cyme almost leaf-like oval or elongated ova 1 - 3.6 long, 1.7 - 4.5 cm. wide, under a hand lens, covered scarcely and irregularly with minute black glands. Male peduncle 0.7 - 2.2 cm. long. Tepals 4, the 2 exteriors almost circular or widely oval 7 - 9 cm. long, 7 - 8 cm. wide, the interior elongated to linear 5 - 7 cm., 1.5 - 2.6 cm. wide. About 22 stamens all turned on the same side, a little bent with filaments 1 - 2 mm. long, almost coalescent on the base. Anthers elongate 1 - 1.2 mm. long almost emarginate at the tip, forming a hood, the slits bent together towards the top, dehiscing when dry. Bracts of the female flowers minute, one or two, lanceolate, 0.5 - 0.8 mm. long, remote from the ovary. Female peduncle 0.8 - 2 cm. long, often sharply bent downward. Tepals 5, the two exteriors obovate 7 - 9 mm. long, 4.5 - 7 mm. wide, the two interiors narrow, the central 5 - 7 mm. long, and 2 - 3 mm. wide. Pistil 3.2 mm. long, base 0.6 mm. long, caulescent at the top; lunate and two-lobed, stigma developed as a papillose spiral band. Ovary tripartite 6 - 8.5 mm. long, 4 - 4.3 mm. wide; with non-divided placentas, three winged. The wings decurrent at the base, more or less unequal, the larger equal-sided, almost triangular 2.5 - 3 mm. long in the middle, blunt at the top, the two others with two wings half oval, in the middle, 1.2 - 1.5 mm. long. Has appeared spontaneously in the cultures of the Station Centrale de Physiologie Vegetale at Versailles, France.
Lineage
4 descendants
Parents
No parentage recorded.
B. morelii Irmscher, Begonian 29:47, 56. 1962, nomen nudum;
Descendants
4 recorded children
As female parent
1
Male parent: B. rex
As male parent
3
Culture
No populated fields in this section.