The Florist and Horticultural Journal, Vol. II. No. 7, July, 1853 / A Monthly Magazine of Horticulture, Agriculture, Botany, Agricultural Chemistry, Entomology, &c.

BEGONIA XANTHINA.

Yellow-flowered Begonia.
Begoniaceæ.—Monœcia-Polandria.
CHARAC. GENER.—Flores monoici. Masc. Perigonii tetraphylli foliolis subrotundis, 4 exterioribus majoribus. Stamina plurima; filamentis brevissimis liberis v. basi-connatis, antheris extrorsis bilocularibus, loculis linearibus discretis, connectivi continui obtusi margini adnatis longitudinaliter dehiscentibus. Fem. Perigonii tubo triptero cum ovario connate, limbi superi 4-9-partiti persistentis lobis pluriseriatim imbricatis. Ovarium interum triloculare. Ovula in placentis e loculorum angulo centrali bilamellatis plurima anatropa. Styli 3 bifidi stigmatihus crassis flexuosis v. capitatis. Capsula membranaceo-trialata trilocularis loculicide trivalvis. Semina plurima minima striata. Embryo in axi albuminis carnosi orthotropus.
Herbæ in Asia et America tropica indigenæ, foliis alternis petiolatis integris v. palmatilobis basi saepecordatis inæquilateris integerrimis dentatis v. mucronatoserrutis stipulis lateralibus membranaceis deciduis , cymis axillaribus pedunculatis dichotomis floribus albis roseis v. rubincundis .
CHARACT. SPECIF.—B. acaulis, rhizomate brevi crasso subtus radicante, foliis amplis oblique cordato-ovatis brevi acuminatis sinuatis denticulatis subtus discoloribus (rubris) petiolis aggregatis crassis folium subaequantibus rubris stipulatis crinitis, setis patentibus interioribus reflexis, scapo petiolis duplo longiore, floribus nutantibus corymbosis flavis, masculis tetrasepalis, sepalis 5 oblongo-cuneatis unico majore rotundato magis concavo, foeminis triplo minoribus hexasepalis, sepalis æqualibus ovali-rotundatis, fructus alis duabus brevibus unica horizontaliter elongata striata. Hook.
Begonia xanthina , Hook, Bot. Mag. t. 4683.
Although many different species of this valuable genus have been discovered up to this time, we have had only those with white or red flowers. B. cinnabarina with its orange red flowers was an approach to what we now figure—the Begonia xanthina. But even the yellow of this is shaded with the red which prevails in a greater or less degree in the flowers or leaves, and stalks of all the genus.