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''Begonia'' is a
genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...
of
perennial A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wide ...
flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...
s in the family
Begoniaceae Begoniaceae is a family of flowering plants with two genera and about 2040 species occurring in the subtropics and tropics of both the New World and Old World. All but one of the species are in the genus ''Begonia''. There have been many recent d ...
. The genus contains more than 2,000 different plant species. The Begonias are native to moist subtropical and tropical climates. Some species are commonly grown indoors as ornamental
houseplants A houseplant, sometimes known as a pot plant, potted plant, or an indoor plant, is an ornamental plant that is grown indoors. As such, they are found in places like residences and offices, mainly for decorative purposes. Common houseplants are us ...
in cooler climates. In cooler climates some species are cultivated outside in summertime for their bright colorful flowers, which have
sepal A sepal () is a part of the flower of angiosperms (flowering plants). Usually green, sepals typically function as protection for the flower in bud, and often as support for the petals when in bloom., p. 106 The term ''sepalum'' was coined b ...
s but no
petal Petals are modified Leaf, leaves that surround the reproductive parts of flowers. They are often advertising coloration, brightly colored or unusually shaped to attract pollinators. All of the petals of a flower are collectively known as the ''c ...
s.


Description

With 2,002 species, ''Begonia'' is one of the largest genera of flowering plants. The species are terrestrial (sometimes
epiphytic An epiphyte is an organism that grows on the surface of a plant and derives its moisture and nutrients from the air, rain, water (in marine environments) or from debris accumulating around it. The plants on which epiphytes grow are called phoroph ...
)
herb In general use, herbs are a widely distributed and widespread group of plants, excluding vegetables and other plants consumed for macronutrients, with savory or aromatic properties that are used for flavoring and garnishing food, for medicinal ...
s or undershrubs, and occur in subtropical and tropical moist climates, in
South South is one of the cardinal directions or Points of the compass, compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both east and west. Etymology The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Pro ...
and
Central America Central America ( es, América Central or ) is a subregion of the Americas. Its boundaries are defined as bordering the United States to the north, Colombia to the south, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. ...
,
Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...
, and southern
Asia Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an area ...
. Terrestrial species in the wild are commonly upright- stemmed,
rhizomatous In botany and dendrology, a rhizome (; , ) is a modified subterranean plant stem that sends out roots and shoots from its nodes. Rhizomes are also called creeping rootstalks or just rootstalks. Rhizomes develop from axillary buds and grow ho ...
, or
tuberous Tubers are a type of enlarged structure used as storage organs for nutrients in some plants. They are used for the plant's perennation (survival of the winter or dry months), to provide energy and nutrients for regrowth during the next growin ...
. The plants are
monoecious Monoecy (; adj. monoecious ) is a sexual system in seed plants where separate male and female cones or flowers are present on the same plant. It is a monomorphic sexual system alongside gynomonoecy, andromonoecy and trimonoecy. Monoecy is conne ...
, with unisexual male and female flowers occurring separately on the same plant; the male contains numerous
stamen The stamen (plural ''stamina'' or ''stamens'') is the pollen-producing reproductive organ of a flower. Collectively the stamens form the androecium., p. 10 Morphology and terminology A stamen typically consists of a stalk called the filame ...
s, and the female has a large inferior
ovary The ovary is an organ in the female reproductive system that produces an ovum. When released, this travels down the fallopian tube into the uterus, where it may become fertilized by a sperm. There is an ovary () found on each side of the body. ...
and two to four branched or twisted stigmas. In most species, the
fruit In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants that is formed from the ovary after flowering. Fruits are the means by which flowering plants (also known as angiosperms) disseminate their seeds. Edible fruits in particu ...
is a winged capsule containing numerous minute seeds, although
baccate In botany, a berry is a fleshy fruit without a stone (pit) produced from a single flower containing one ovary. Berries so defined include grapes, currants, and tomatoes, as well as cucumbers, eggplants (aubergines) and bananas, but exclu ...
fruits are also known. The
leaves A leaf (plural, : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant plant stem, stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", wh ...
, which are often large and variously marked or
variegated Variegation is the appearance of differently coloured zones in the leaves and sometimes the stems and fruit of plants. Species with variegated individuals are sometimes found in the understory of tropical rainforests, and this habitat is the s ...
, are usually asymmetric (unequal-sided). File:BegoniaBrevirimosa.jpg, ''Begonia brevirimosa'' File:B. aconitifolia JV 250x242.jpg, ''Begonia aconitifolia'' File:Begonia 1.jpg, A flowering begonia File:Yellow begonia.jpg, Begonia cultivars come in many different colors, such as yellow File:Begonia 'Parviflora' Leaf 3000px.jpg, A begonia leaf File:Begonia blossoms maleandfemale.jpg, A pair of blossoms, male and female File:Nautilus leaf begonia Surreybrooke farm 2012-07-1.jpg, A nautilus-leaf form of begonia File:Begonia 0.jpg, Begonia File:Begonia leaf.jpg, Begonia leaf File:Cracklin Rosie begonia 02.jpg, Cracklin Rosie begonia File:Cracklin Rosie begonia 03.jpg, Cracklin Rosie begonia File:鐵十字秋海棠 - 溪頭自然教育園區 Begonia masoniana - Xitou Nature Education Area, Taiwan 20220309210209 01.jpg, Leaf of ''
Begonia masoniana ''Begonia masoniana'', the iron cross begonia, is a species of plant in the family Begoniaceae, native to southern China and northern Vietnam. It was originally described from cultivated plants of unknown origin and was only much later rediscover ...
''


Taxonomy

The genus name ''Begonia'' was coined by
Charles Plumier Charles Plumier (; 20 April 1646 – 20 November 1704) was a French botanist after whom the frangipani genus ''Plumeria'' is named. Plumier is considered one of the most important of the botanical explorers of his time. He made three botanizing ...
, a French patron of
botany Botany, also called , plant biology or phytology, is the science of plant life and a branch of biology. A botanist, plant scientist or phytologist is a scientist who specialises in this field. The term "botany" comes from the Ancient Greek w ...
, and adopted by
Linnaeus Carl Linnaeus (; 23 May 1707 – 10 January 1778), also known after his ennoblement in 1761 as Carl von Linné Blunt (2004), p. 171. (), was a Swedish botanist, zoologist, taxonomist, and physician who formalised binomial nomenclature, the ...
in 1753, to honor Michel Bégon, a former governor of the French colony of
Saint-Domingue Saint-Domingue () was a French colony in the western portion of the Caribbean island of Hispaniola, in the area of modern-day Haiti, from 1659 to 1804. The name derives from the Spanish main city in the island, Santo Domingo, which came to refer ...
(now
Haiti Haiti (; ht, Ayiti ; French: ), officially the Republic of Haiti (); ) and formerly known as Hayti, is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean Sea, east of Cuba and Jamaica, and ...
).


Phylogeny

The following phylogenetic tree shows the relationships among
sections Section, Sectioning or Sectioned may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * Section (music), a complete, but not independent, musical idea * Section (typography), a subdivision, especially of a chapter, in books and documents ** Section sig ...
of the genus ''Begonia''.


Species

Selected species: * '' Begonia coccinea'' * '' Begonia foliosa'' * ''
Begonia grandis ''Begonia grandis'', the hardy begonia, is a species of flowering plant in the family Begoniaceae. This herbaceous perennial has alternate, simple leaves on arching stems. The flowers are pink or white, borne in dichotomously branching cymes ...
'' Dryand. * ''
Begonia obliqua ''Begonia obliqua'' is the type species of the genus ''Begonia''Linnaeus, Species Plantarum 2:1056. 1753 and the species to which Plumier first gave the name ''Begonia''. It is native to Martinique, Dominica, and Guadeloupe Guadeloupe (; ; ...
'' * '' Begonia cucullata''


Cultivation

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. Wax begonias are very attractive, they adapt well when brought inside the house for overwintering and can live up to 4-5 years. 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 A hardiness zone is a geographic area defined as having a certain average annual minimum temperature, a factor relevant to the survival of many plants. In some systems other statistics are included in the calculations. The original and most wide ...
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.


Horticultural nomenclature

The nomenclature of begonias can be very complex and confusing. The term 'picotee' refers to edging on the petals that is in contrast to the color of the main petal if the colors blend. If they do not, then the term 'marginata' is used, but sometimes these terms are used simultaneously. 'Non-Stop' refers to a camellia tuberous hybrid that under certain conditions will bloom 'non-stop' all year round.


Cultivar groups

Because of their sometimes showy flowers of white, pink, scarlet, or yellow color and often attractively marked leaves, many species and innumerable
hybrid Hybrid may refer to: Science * Hybrid (biology), an offspring resulting from cross-breeding ** Hybrid grape, grape varieties produced by cross-breeding two ''Vitis'' species ** Hybridity, the property of a hybrid plant which is a union of two dif ...
s and
cultivar A cultivar is a type of cultivated plant that people have selected for desired traits and when propagated retain those traits. Methods used to propagate cultivars include: division, root and stem cuttings, offsets, grafting, tissue culture, ...
s 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 begonia forms tough,
bamboo Bamboos are a diverse group of evergreen perennial flowering plants making up the subfamily Bambusoideae of the grass family Poaceae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family. The origin of the word "bamboo" is uncertain, bu ...
-like canes * shrub-like *
tuberous Tubers are a type of enlarged structure used as storage organs for nutrients in some plants. They are used for the plant's perennation (survival of the winter or dry months), to provide energy and nutrients for regrowth during the next growin ...
* 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.


AGM plants

The following is a selection from about 70 species, varieties and cultivars which currently hold the
Royal Horticultural Society The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), founded in 1804 as the Horticultural Society of London, is the UK's leading gardening charity. The RHS promotes horticulture through its five gardens at Wisley (Surrey), Hyde Hall (Essex), Harlow Carr (Nort ...
's
Award of Garden Merit The Award of Garden Merit (AGM) is a long-established annual award for plants by the British Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). It is based on assessment of the plants' performance under UK growing conditions. History The Award of Garden Merit ...
:- * ''Begonia'' 'Benitochiba' * ''Begonia dregei'' * ''Begonia foliosa'' var. ''miniata'' * ''Begonia'' 'Glowing Embers' * ''Begonia grandis'' subsp. ''evansiana'' * ''Begonia grandis'' subsp. ''evansiana'' var. ''alba'' * ''Begonia'' 'Green Gold' * ''Begonia listada'' * ''Begonia luxurians'' * ''Begonia masoniana'' * ''Begonia metallica'' * ''Begonia solananthera'' * ''Begonia soli-mutata'' * ''Begonia sutherlandii''


Culture

The cultivar '
Kimjongilia Kimjongilia is a flower named after the late North Korean leader Kim Jong-il. It is a hybrid cultivar of tuberous begonia, registered as ''Begonia'' × ''tuberhybrida'' 'Kimjongilhwa'. When Kim Jong-il died in December 2011, the flower was us ...
' is a floral emblem of
North Korea North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and shares borders with China and Russia to the north, at the Yalu River, Y ...
. 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 Oxalic acid is an organic acid with the systematic name ethanedioic acid and formula . It is the simplest dicarboxylic acid. It is a white crystalline solid that forms a colorless solution in water. Its name comes from the fact that early inve ...
in the tissues.Laferrière, Joseph E. 1990. On the edibility of begonias. Begonian 57:175.


References


External links

*
American Begonia Society

W. S. Hoover et al. 2004, Notes on the geography of South-East Asian Begonia and species diversity in montane forests

Phylogenetic Relationships of the Afro-Malagasy Members of the Large Genus ''Begonia'' Inferred from trnL Intron Sequences

A Phylogeny of ''Begonia'' Using Nuclear Ribosomal Sequence Data and Morphological CharactersBegonia L. Plants of the World OnlineAccepted species Plants of the World Online
{{Authority control Cucurbitales genera Garden plants