Species

B. rajah

Photos

5 photos

Identity

Genus: Begonia
Name: B. rajah
Author: Ridley, Gard. Chron. III
Publication Date: 1894
Date of Origin: 1894
Place: Trengganu, Sungai Selai in Johore and Gunung Bungkuk in Bengkulu, Sumatra
Country: Peninsular Malaysia
Region: Asia
Section: Jackia
Chr 2n: 30
Plant Type: Rhizomatous
Synonyms and Comments: Etymology: Sanskrit raja (king) after the regal appearance of the species; “The Rajah Begonia”;
Reference: Gard. Chron. III 16:213, pl. 31. 1894.—Rolfe, Bull. Misc. Inform. :327. 1914. —R. Kiew, Begonias of Peninsular Malaysia :216-17, pls. 2005; JGSL9/08;
Article References: Die Gartenwelt, Jahr 2, 1897; The Begonian (43) March 1976, p. 68-82.; Tebbitt, Begonias 5:198-200. 2005; Kiew, Begonias of P. Malaysia 3:216-7. 2005; Hughes M. et al., Asian Begonia 265, 2018;
Photo References: JBS, Begonias :60. 1980; Murotani, Begonia in Colour :152. 1983; Tebbitt, Begonias pl.161. 2005; Kiew, Begonias of P. Malaysia pls.3:216-7. 2005; Hughes M. et al., Asian Begonia 265, 2018’; The Begonian, Jan 1968; Exotica - Pictorial Encyclopedia of Indoor plants; Beg 91 p 18 Jan/Feb 2024; Beg 91 p 123 Jul/Aug 2024;

Plant

Description: Die Gartenwelt, Jahr 2, 1897 B. Rajah: In the warm greenhouse and conservatory this Begonia is a true pearl and it was very difficult to find, among the leafy types, one that was better suited for this purpose. The creeping, intertwined shoots develop a great many hand-sized leaves throughout the year, forming a low, round bush, whose fresh green is interspersed with brown, yellow, and bronze in various shades. By shape, the leaves are more round than crooked, they are also slightly oblique, which is the only similarity between this B. "Rajah" and the Rex begonias. The plants thrive mainly in good leaf mold and demand, for the full development of their beautiful colors, light and warm. In winter, careful care is also required. Propagation is done by head cuttings that rooted easily. Begonia "Rajah" comes from Singapore and was offered in 1896 by Sander & Co. for the first time. - G. 0., Enfield (England).; BEGONIA RAJAH RIDLEY by Mildred Thompson, Southampton, NY From the Twiglette - Hampton Branch Newsletter R. A. Ridley, a plant collector for the Singapore Botanic Gardens, discovered B. rajah in the Tringganu district of the Malay Peninsula. In 1892 this species was mentioned in the Annual Report of the Singapore Botanic Gardens as a very fine begonia. However, it was not described. Plants of B. rajah were sent to Europe and on August 14, 1894 it was exhibited by F. Sander & Co., of St. Albans, England, at the Royal Horticultural Society. It received a first class certificate. The first description of this species was brief. It appeared August 25, 1894 in the Gardener's Chronicle, a weekly illustrated journal of horticulture and allied subjects which was published in London, England. In 1900 B, rajah was once again mentioned in the Kew Bulletin, "Published Names of Plants Introduced to Cultivation: 1876 to 1896," along with 73 other species and hybrids of begonias. Once again the description is brief. It was not until 1914 that a full Latin description of this species was written when in 1914 it appeared in the Kew Bulletin, "Miscellaneous Information." Today this species is available to many begonia enthusiasts through the ABS. Seed Fund, branch sales and specialized commercial growers of begonias. However, this was not always the case because at times has been extremely rare. Mrs. Krauss, in her book, Begonias in American Homes and Gardens (1947), states that B. rajah is not presently in cultivation. In 1961 in the February issue of the Begonian the Seed Fund mentions that they had searched for five years for seeds of B. rajah and finally received a fair amount of seed from a collector of begonias in France. Again, in the January 1968 issue of the Begonian in the Seed Fund it states that the seed of B. rajah is very rare and this time the fund received the seed from - a botanist friend in Holland. This is the way many seeds of rare begonias are shared between enthusiasts and - collectors in this country and several foreign countries. In fact, my husband and I recently had the pleasure of being the first ones to send rhizome cuttings of B. rajah to two friends in Japan, Hikoich Arakawa and Isamu Misono. In return, they have sent us some lovely new Japanese hybrids. B. rajah is a strikingly beautiful species with slender creeping rhizomes. The medium sized leaves are orbicular (circular) with a cordate base and an acuminate apex. The leaf margins are denticulate (minutely toothed) and ciliate (fringed with hairs). The surface of the leaves is glossy, glabrous (free of hairs), and bullate (puckered). The coloring is a metallic green and reddish brown which forms a sort of network pattern. The lower side of the leaves is reddish brown with some hairs on the veins. Petioles are long and erect. The small flowers are pink. The inflorescences are few flowered and rise just slightly above the foliage. Our plant blooms intermittently throughout the year. The botanical classification places B. rajah in the section Reichenheima of the genus Begonia of the family BEGONIACEAE. In 1972 Dr. Fred Barkley in Begoniaceae: The Genera, Section and Known Species of Each lists 38 species in the section Reichenheimia. Several other well-known species are listed in this section: B. floccifera, B. goegoensis, B. laciniata, B. morelii, B. nurii, and B. sudjanae. Most species in this section of the genus come from India, Borneo, Burma, Sumatra, China, Malaya, Siam and/or Ceylon. The horticultural classification as it appears in the Thompson Begonia Guide is rhizomatous, distinctive foliage, unusual surface and/or unusual coloring, medium leaved (3" to 6" at maturity). Begonias in this group usually need additional humidity which sometimes necessitates growing them in contained atmospheres. Other begonias in this classification are as follows: B. crispula, B. ficicola, B. nurii, B. versicolor, B. 'Eagleshamm,' B. 'It,' B. 'Sansouci,' and B. 'Wanda.' B. rajah has been considered a difficult plant to grow. However, it is not too demanding provided its needs are satisfied. In our geographical area, it should be grown in a contained atmosphere. The potting mix which seems to be most suitable is 4 parts long fiber sphagnum moss mixed with one part perlite. Since there is no nutrition in this mix a constant feed fertilizer should be added to the water when watering is necessary. Care should be taken not to overwater because this will cause the rhizomes to rot. Water on the leaves should be avoided.