B. oligandra

Culture

Original Botanical Description or Link to

Journal of the Arnold Arboretum. Cambridge, Mass. Harvard University MERRILL & PERRY, PLANTAE ARCHBOLDIANAE, XI v. 24 (1943): Page 41-59 http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/33600 Herba erect a gracilis ramosa; radice subcrassa: caule rufescente glabro nodis imis radicante; foliis breviter vel longiuscule peliolatis, petiolo 1-2.5 (-4) cm. longo tenui; Iamina glabra vel conspersissime setulosa, usque 4.5(-8) cm. longa et 2.5(-5) cm. lata, palmatim 4 6-partita, lobis pinnati-partitis vel bipinnatifidis, lobis ultimis integris vel apicem versus 1- vel 2-inciso-serratis; stipulis ochraceis ovatis. ± 4 mm. longis caducis; inflorescentiis racemosis terminalibus et in axillis superioribus, 2-4 cm. longis, flores ♂ atque ♀ gerentibus: bracteis late ovatis vel fere orbicularibus circiter 1 cm. longis membranaceis albis; floribus ♂: pedicello circiter 7 mm. longo glabro; tepalis 4 glabris, exterioribus 2 late ovatis 4 mm. longis latisque obtusiusculis, interioribus lanceolato-oblongis 3 mm. longis et 1.5 mm. latis; staminibus 6-8 basi 0.5 mm. connatis, filamentis 2.5 mm. longis, antheris suborbicularibus 0.5 mm. diametro: floribus ♀: bracteis 6 mm. longis; pedicellis 5 mm. longis; tepalis 4, 2 majoribus ovatis obtusis 7 mm. longis, 2 minoribus lanceolatis 3-5 mm. longis: stylis 3 ad basim liberis, quove 2 mm. supra basim partito, brachiis circiter 2 mm. longis erectis subtortis papillosis; ovario 2 mm. longo; alis inaequalibus, 2 minoribus angustis 0.5 mm. latis rotundatis, una majore oblique desinente, margine superiore 4 mm. longa inferiore minute 2- vel 3-denticulata. Among the described Papuasian species, this suggests B. Warburgii Lauterb. & K. Schum. in the palmate-pinnatifid or bipinnatifid leaves; this character was so distinctive that Lauterbach & Schumann give only a brief description of the fruit: capsule broadly winged, red, 12- 13 mm. long. However, if the wings had been conspicuously unlike in size they would surely have mentioned it. Unfortunately, none of the plants belonging to the above cited numbers show mature or even partly mature fruits. The ovary has two wings more or less conforming to its contour and a third oblique and somewhat elongate wing projecting or directed upward against the larger tepals in the young flowers, its outer margin is uneven or minutely denticulate; the whole is very much like that found in B. Brassii. The immature flowers do not show papillose styles and sometimes they appear irregular in form, but at maturity they are similar to those of other species of Begonia.