Begonia

Begonia
Begonia obliqua
Scientific classification
Kingdom:Plantae
Clade:Angiosperms
Clade:Eudicots
Clade:Rosids
Order:Cucurbitales
Family:Begoniaceae
Genus:Begonia
L.
Type species
Begonia obliqua
L.
Species
Main article: List of Begonia species
Range of the genus Begonia
Synonyms
  • Begoniella Oliv.
  • Casparya Klotzsch
  • Diploclinium Lindl.
  • Gireoudia Klotzsch
  • Gurltia Klotzsch
  • Lepsia Klotzsch
  • Mezierea Gaudich.
  • Mitscherlichia Klotzsch
  • Pritzelia Klotzsch
  • Semibegoniella C. E. C. Fisch.
  • Symbegonia Warb.
  • Tittlebachia Klotzsch
  • Trendelenburgia Klotzsch
  • Wageneria Klotzsch

Begonia is a genus of perennial flowering plants in the family Begoniaceae. The genus contains more than 1,800 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 colourful flowers, which have sepals but no petals.

Pink flowering Begonia

Description

With 1,839 species, Begonia is the fifth-largest angiosperm genus.[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 (unequal-sided).

Taxonomy

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

Phylogeny

The following phylogenetic tree shows the relationships between different 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 Kollmannia

 
 

Begonia acetosa Clade

 
 
 

 

Section Donaldia

 
 

 

Section Stellandrae

 
 

Wagneria Clade

 
 
 
 
 

Core Pritzelia Clade

 
 
 
 
 
 

Asian Begonia

 

 

Socotran Begonia (SB)

Section Peltaugustia

 
 

 

Section Reichenheimia pro parte

 
 

Section Haagea

 
 
 
 

 

 

Begonia dioica

 
 

Section Reichenheimia pro parte

 
 
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

 

Section Coelocentrum

 
 

 

Begonia peltatifolia

 
 

 

Begonia amphioxus Clade

 
 

 

Section Ridleyella

 
 

 

Section Baryandra

 
 

 

Section Begonia olivacea

 
 

 

 

Section Jackia

 
 

Section Bracteibegonia

 
 
 

Ptermannia–Symbegonia Clade

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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

 
 

 

Begonia cremnophila Clade

 
 

Section Knesebeckia I + Section Barya

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

Section Australes

 
 

 

Section Knesebeckia III pro parte

 
 

 

Begonia froebelii

 
 

 

Section Knesebeckia III pro parte

 
 

 

Begonia lutea

 
 

 

Section Knesebeckia II

 
 

Section Gobenia

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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

 
 
 

 

Section Lepsia

 
 

 

Section Doratometra

 
 

 

Section Begonia

 
 

 

Begonia acutifolia Clade

 
 

 

Section Hydristyles

 
 

Section Cyathcnemis

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Species

Selected species:[4]

Cultivation

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

The different groups of begonias have different cultural 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. 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.

The following begonia hybrids have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit:-

  • 'Irene Nuss'[5] (cane-stem)
  • 'Burle Marx'[6] (rhizomatous)      
  • 'Marmaduke'[7] (rhizomatous)
  • 'Mikado'[8] (rex)
  • 'Munchkin'[9] (rhizomatous)
  • 'Orange Rubra'[10] (cane-stem)
  • 'Ricky Minter'[11] (rhizomatous)
  • 'Tiger Paws'[12] (rhizomatous)

Horticultural nomenclature

Plum Paisley Begonias in a greenhouse.

The nomenclature of begonias can be very complex and confusing. The term 'picotee' refers to an edging on the petals that is in contrast to the colour of the main petal, if the colours blend. If they do not, then the term 'marginata' is used, but sometimes these terms are used simultaneously.[13] '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 classifies begonias into several major groups:

  • cane-like
  • shrub-like
  • tuberous
  • rhizomatous
  • semperflorens (wax or fibrous rooted begonias)
  • Rex
  • trailing-scandent
  • thick-stemmed

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.

Cultivars and cultivar groups

  • Angel wing begonia (hybrid)
  • Begonia 'Immense'
  • Begonia × sedenii
  • Begonia × semperflorens-cultorum hort.
    • Begonia x benariensis (angel wing begonia x fibrous begonia F1 hybrids)[14]
  • Begonia × tuberhybrida Voss - tuberous begonias, sometimes considered a cultivar group, Begonia Tuberhybrida Group

Culture

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.[15]

References

  1. ↑ "Begonia - Welcome".
  2. ↑ David G. Frodin (2004). "History and concepts of big plant genera". Taxon. 53 (3): 753–776. doi:10.2307/4135449. JSTOR 4135449.
  3. ↑ Moonlight PW, Ardi WH, Padilla LA, Chung K-F, Fuller D, Girmansyah D, Hollands R, Jara-Muñoz A, Kiew R, Leong W-C, Liu Y, Mahardika A, Marasinghe LDK, O'Connor M, Peng C-I, Pérez ÁJ, Phutthai T, Pullan M, Rajbhandary S, Reynel C, Rubite RR, Sang J, Scherberich D, Shui Y-M, Tebbitt MC, Thomas DC, Wilson HP, Zaini NH, Hughes M. (2018). "Dividing and conquering the fastest-growing genus: Towards a natural sectional classification of the mega-diverse genus Begonia (Begoniaceae)". Taxon. 67 (2): 267–323. doi:10.12705/672.3.
  4. ↑ The Plant List
  5. ↑ "RHS Plant Selector - Begonia (Superba group) 'Irene Nuss'". Retrieved 12 June 2013.
  6. ↑ "RHS Plant Selector - Begonia 'Burle Marx'". Retrieved 12 June 2013.
  7. ↑ "RHS Plant Selector - Begonia 'Marmaduke'". Retrieved 12 June 2013.
  8. ↑ "RHS Plant Selector - Begonia 'Mikado'". Retrieved 12 June 2013.
  9. ↑ "RHS Plant Selector - Begonia 'Munchkin'". Retrieved 12 June 2013.
  10. ↑ "RHS Plant Selector - Begonia 'Orange Rubra'". Retrieved 12 June 2013.
  11. ↑ "RHS Plant Selector - Begonia 'Ricky Minter'". Retrieved 12 June 2013.
  12. ↑ "RHS Plant Selector - Begonia 'Tiger Paws'". Retrieved 12 June 2013.
  13. ↑ Perry, Leonard. "Begonia".
  14. ↑ "Begonia × benariensis BIG SERIES - Plant Finder".
  15. ↑ Laferrière, Joseph E. 1990. On the edibility of begonias. Begonian 57:175.
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