Begonia
Tuberous begonias ( Begonia tuberhybrida )
Begonias ( Begonia ), also called skew blade, are a genus of the family of skew -leaved plants ( Begoniaceae ). A total of about 1400 to 1500 species of this genus are assigned so that it is among the most species-rich plant genera. The genus name honors Michel Begon, a traveling companion of the botanist Charles Plumier.
Many species and varieties of the genus Begonia ( Begonia ) are maintained as ornamental plants in rooms or as bedding and balcony plants for their colorful foliage or their impressive flowers.
Description
Begonia species rarely grow as annuals, mostly as a perennial herbaceous plants and rare as subshrubs to shrubs that reach heights of growth of only a few centimeters to 3 meters. Many species are more or less succulent. Many species form from rhizomes or tubers. The stems may be upright, creeping or hanging; sometimes they are also very short and the leaves are more or less in basal rosettes. They rarely climb with adventitious roots or stolons form from.
The stipules envelop petiole and stem. The change-constant and spirally or two lines, basal, or distributed on the stem arranged leaves are petiolate and often break easily. They usually have asymmetrical leaf blades, which are usually simple, rarely composed. The leaf margin may be irregular sawn or sometimes smooth. The leaf blades are pinnately.
Begonias are monoecious getrenntgeschlechtig ( monoecious ), so there are male and female flowers on a plant. The flowers are fünfzählig. The bloom are alike, so not in calyx and corolla separated ( tepals ). In the male flowers only two or four bracts are (the outer two are significantly larger than the inner ones ) and usually many stamens present. In the female flowers are two to five ( or ten ) bloom yet. Two to five ( rarely up to seven) carpels are fused into a winged, inferior ovary.
They usually form capsule fruits that are often winged asymmetrical and contain very many, very small seeds. The fine seeds are dispersed by the wind. Some species produce berry-like fruits that are eaten by animals.
Dissemination
Begonia species of this genus can be found in humid tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. Most species are native to South America. Only one species Begonia grandis thrives in temperate latitudes in the Western Hills near Peking and is hardy in Central Europe in sheltered places.
System
The genus name Begonia was already in 1753 by Carl Linnaeus in Species Plantarum 2: 1056 published.
For the classification of begonias see there. The species-rich genus Begonia ( Begonia ) is divided into 66 sections. There are about 1400 to 1500 Begonia species.
Hybrids
Widely used as ornamental plants are different groups of hybrids:
- Begonia Semperflorens hybrids or Eisbegonien called
- Elatior begonias ( Begonia × hiemalis Fotsch, Syn: Begonia × elatior hort, Begonia elatior hybrids. )
- Tuberous begonias ( Begonia tuberhybrida )
- Lorraine begonias ( Begonia Lorraine hybrids) were earlier offered more often, hard to find today,
- Rex begonias ( Begonia rex hybrids).
Pictures
Begonias, which are used as houseplants:
Shrub Begonia ( Begonia Corallina hybrids 'President Carnot ', habit and inflorescence)
From this begonias hybrids there is the most varieties and is the most commonly kept rooms Begonia Begonia elatior hybrids.
Leaf begonias, ie species which are mainly used for their decorative leaves as ornamental plants:
Begonia pustulata
Begonia rex
Begonia exotica
Begonias, which are used as bedding and balcony plants:
Tuberous begonias ( Begonia tuberhybrida )
Diversity of flowers of a Hängebegonie ( Begonia pendula), filled and unfilled flowers with partly yellow stamp