Species

B. sanguinea

Photos

5 photos

Identity

Genus: Begonia
Name: B. sanguinea
Author: Raddi, Mem. Mat. Fis. Soc. Ital. Sci. Modena
Publication Date: 1820
Place: Rio de Janeiro
Country: Brazil
Region: America
Section: Pritzelia
Chr 2n: 56
Plant Type: Shrub-like
Reference: Mem. Mat. Fis. Soc. Ital. Sci. Modena 18:409. 1820.—Link & Otto, Icon. Pl. Rar. (3):25, pl. 13. 1828. —Graham, Bot. Mag. 63:pl. 3520. 1836; JGSL9/08;
Article References: Curtis's botanical magazine, v. 63 = ser. 2, v. 10, 1836; Tebbitt, Begonias 5:127. 2005.
Photo References: Murotani, Begonia in Colour :159. 1983; Exotica - Pictorial Encyclopedia of Indoor plants; Begonias, Misono 1974: 148 (251);

Plant

Description: The American flora: New York : Hull & Spencer, 1855. v. 4 http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/42545 Begonia sanguinea – The stems of this plants are several in number, all rising from the crown of the root, subligneous, red, with scattered, oblong, paler spots. The leaves are from 4 to 6” long, 2 ½ - 3” broad, subpeltate, inequally cordate, acuminate, the apex soon withering, leathery succulent, perfectly glabrous and shining on both sides, green above, blood red below, the edge crenulate and revolute all round; nerves about 10, radiating, the larger branched, the smaller subsimple; stipules intra-foliaceous, large, ovate, acute, keeled; peduncle about 10 inches long, terminal, becoming axillary, tapered, similar to the stem, but without spots, repeatedly dichotomous at the apex, the primary branches about 1 inch long, the others gradually shorter; bracts lanceolate elliptical at each division; flowers white, rather small, male flowers in the clefts of the cyme, or on the inner side, where the ultimate branches are reduced to two flowers (the outer one being the female), or occasionally, solitary on the ultimate branches; petals four, the two outer subrotund, slightly crenate, the two inner linear, elliptical, very narrow, entire, stamens numerous; filaments free, excepting at the Addisonia: New York v. 10 (1925) http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/26170 B sanguinea - One of the most extensive and at the same time distinctive genera of plant life is Begonia. Extending all around the world in warm regions and presenting nearly five hundred species, it affords a large field of research for botanists; to the collector of living plants it is also fascinating, having varied uses as a bedding plant, a florists' flower plant, a warm conservatory foliage plant, a house plant, or in warm countries a garden decoration. Its native habitat is varied. Dr. H. H. Rusby, in ''Tropical American plants at home,'' gives a most interesting account of these begonias as he saw them in the Andes. Of our present subject he says ''This species grows singly, and mostly in the shade of forest trees. When the sun strikes it fully, displaying here a shining green, there a blood-red leaf surface, the effect is peculiarly handsome. '' Begonia sanguinea is of the fibrous-rooted type which is easy to grow in a greenhouse and is of possible use as a house plant in a light window well ventilated. Propagation is easily effected by cuttings, if they are rooted in spring, and planted in soil consisting of one-part well-rooted manure, one-part clean sand, and three parts rich loam. The blood-red begonia has a fibrous, perennial root-system and smooth, greenish red, terete, succulent stems up to three feet long. The obliquely ovate leaves are three to four inches long by two inches wide, rather fleshy, and thickened at their margins. They are rich green above and deep blood-red below, acuminate, deeply cordate, and attached from the side to smooth red petioles which are subtended by ovate, acute, deciduous stipules. The flowers are numerous, in a dichotomous cyme, the male flower at the ends of the reddish, slender branches, the female in the forks. The former has four white petals, two round or broadly ovate and two narrower oblong or lanceolate, with a cluster of yellow stamens. The female flowers have reddish ovaries with three rounded wings, and four or five equal, round to oval petals. - KENNETH R. BOYNTON.; McGregor Bros. Co., catalogue Springfield, Ohio : 1912. http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/186265 SANGUINEA - Showy variety, with very large leaves, dainty flowers, light rose to white.; Curtis's botanical magazine, v. 63 = ser. 2, v. 10, 1836 B. sanguinea: This plant, more remarkable for the color and texture of its leaves than elegant in its form, was raised at the Botanic Garden of Berlin, from seed transmitted by M. Sello, from Brazil, in 1823, and communicated to the Botanic Garden in Edinburgh in 1832. It flowers in the stove in April. Description: Stems several from the crown of the root, subligneous, red, with scattered oblong paler spots. Leaves (four to six inches long, two and a half to three and a half inches broad) subpeltate, unequally cordate, acuminate, the apex soon withering, leathery-succulent, perfectly glabrous and shining on both sides, green above, blood-red below, the edge crenulate and revolute all round, nerves about ten, radiating, the larger branched, the smaller subsimple. Petioles of very unequal length, round, resembling the stem. Stipules intra-foliaceous, large, ovate., acute, keeled, marcescent. Peduncle (ten inches long) terminal, becoming axillary, tapered, like the stem but without spots, repeatedly dichotomous at the apex (primary branches about one inch long, the others gradually shorter). Bracts lanceolato-elliptical at each subdivision. Flowers white, rather small. Male flowers in the clefts of the cyme, or on the inner side, where the ultimate branches are reduced to two flowers (the outer being a female), or, occasionally, solitary on the ultimate branches. Petals four, the two other subrotund, slightly crenate, the two inner linear-elliptical, very narrow, entire. Stamens numerous; filaments free, excepting at the base, where they are monodelphous; anthers spathulate. Female flowers with five subequal petals, expanding later than the earlier of the males. Stigmas pale-rose colored. Germen with three subequal wings. I was at some pains to ascertain the relative position of the male and female flowers when only these two were found at the extremity of the ultimate branch. It seems to me that the normal form is the conversion of the last dichotomous ramification of the cyme into the pedicels of two female flowers, and that the male flower here, as elsewhere, is placed in the cleft; the loss of the inner female flower being an illustration of the opinion, that internal parts, from pressure, more frequently abort than those which are external. As the common support of these two flowers generally turns half round on its axis, their true position may not be obvious unless examined when they are very young. - Graham.
Stem Habit: Loosely branched from the base
Other Features: red stems