BEGONIACEAE 1. BEGONIA Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 2: 1056. 1753.

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BEGONIACEAE
● Forest understories, by streams in valleys; 600–1200 m. S Yunnan.
This species is similar to Begonia daweishanensis but can be distinguished
by its short, stout rhizome and the presence of cauline leaves.
44. Begonia duclouxii Gagnepain, Bull. Mus. Natl. Hist. Nat.
25: 198. 1919.
川 边 秋 海 棠 chuan bian qiu hai tang
Herbs. Rhizomes elongate, 5–7 mm in diam. Leaves basal;
stipules oblong, 8–10 mm, apex shortly cuspidate; petiole
(7–)8–14 cm, rusty villous; blade ovate, asymmetric, 6–8 × 5–6
cm, abaxially villous, adaxially hairy, hairs to 6 mm, venation
palmate, 5–7-veined, base deeply cordate, margin irregularly serrate,
apex acute or shortly acuminate. Inflorescences 9–18 cm
tall, glabrous; peduncle ca. 15 cm, glabrous; bracts oblong, ciliate.
Staminate flowers: pedicel 1.2–1.5 cm; tepals 4, outer 2
ovate-orbicular or broadly ovate, 11–15 × 8–12 mm, abaxially
hairy, inner 2 oblong, 8–10 × 2.5–5 mm; stamens numerous;
filaments 1–1.5 mm; anthers obovoid-ellipsoid, 1–1.3 mm, apex
emarginate. Pistillate flowers: pedicel 1–1.2 cm; ovary villous,
2-loculed; placentae axile, bilamellate; tepals 4 or 5, largest orbicular
or broadly ovate, 7–10 × 7–8.5 mm, outside pilose,
smallest oblong or obovate-oblong, 6–8 × 3–5 mm, glabrous;
styles 2, free or fused to halfway; stigmas 2-cleft, spiraled.
Capsule unequally 3-winged. Fl. Jun, fr. Aug.
● 1000–1400 m. NE Yunnan (Suijiang).
45. Begonia edulis H. Léveillé, Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg.
7: 20. 1909.
食 用 秋 海 棠 shi yong qiu hai tang
Herbs, 40–60 cm tall. Rhizomes elongate, 8–15 mm in
diam. Stems erect, glabrous or subglabrous. Leaves basal and
cauline; stipules triangular-lanceolate, 1.2–1.5 cm, membranous,
glabrous, apex acuminate; petiole 15–25 cm, subglabrous;
blade orbicular or oblate-orbicular, slightly asymmetric, 16–20
× 15–21 cm, abaxially subglabrous or sparsely hairy on veins,
adaxially sparsely hairy when young, venation palmate, 6–8-
veined, base cordate, margin remotely denticulate, shallowly
lobed, divided to ca. 1/3 of leaf length; lobes broadly triangular,
apex acuminate. Inflorescences 16–26 cm tall, subglabrous or
glabrous; peduncle 4–15 cm. Staminate flowers: pedicel 1.3–
2.8 cm; tepals 4, glabrous, outer 2 ovate-triangular, 1.2–1.5 ×
1.2–1.6 cm, inner 2 oblong, 11–15 × 7–10 mm; stamens 140–
200; filaments 1.3–5.9 mm, fused at base; anthers oblong, 0.8–
1.6 mm. Pistillate flowers: pedicel 1.5–2.5 cm; tepals 5 or 6,
glabrous, unequal, largest broadly obovate, 1.2–1.9 cm × 8–15
mm, smallest narrowly oblong, 11–20 × 5–14 mm; ovary glabrous,
2-loculed; placentae axile, bilamellate; styles 2, 4.7–5.9
mm; stigmas 2-cleft, spiraled. Capsule nodding, 1.5–1.8 cm;
unequally 3-winged; abaxial wing oblong to falcate, 1–1.8 cm;
lateral wings smaller. Fl. Jun–Sep, fr. Aug.
Forests; on shaded moist rocks or forest floor; 500–1500 m.
Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan [Vietnam].
This species is similar to Begonia palmata but differs by its glabrous
tepals and ovary.
46. Begonia emeiensis C. M. Hu ex C. Y. Wu & T. C. Ku, Acta
Phytotax. Sin. 33: 273. 1995.
峨 眉 秋 海 棠 e mei qiu hai tang
Herbs, perennial. Rhizome terete, oblique, stout, with numerous
slender fibrous roots. Stem short, 4(–20) cm tall or
stemless. Basal leaf 1 similar to cauline ones, with long petiole;
stipules caducous; petiole 17–27 cm, angular, glabrous;
blade abaxially pale green, adaxially deep green or browngreen,
ovate-oblong, 12–14 × 11–13 cm, abaxially subglabrous,
adaxially subglabrous or sparsely hispidulous, palmately 6-
veined, base deeply cordate, margin unequally shortly
triangularly toothed (teeth apically awned), apex caudateacuminate.
Scape 13–20 cm tall, angular, glabrous; flowers
pink, usually 2–4 in dichotomous cyme; peduncle 13–15 cm,
angular, glabrous; pedicel (0.8–)2–3 cm, glabrous; bracts
caducous. Staminate flower: tepals 4, outer 2 large, oblong,
1.3–1.8 × 0.8–1.5 cm, apex rounded; stamens numerous;
filaments 2–2.5 mm, free; anthers oblong, ca. 1 mm. Pistillate
flower: tepals 5 or 6, unequal, variable in shape, outer 2
broadly obovate, 1.2–2.1 × 1–1.3 cm, apex rounded,
innermost 1 obovate-lanceolate, ca. 1 × 5–6 mm, apex
rounded; ovary oblong or obovoid, ca. 10 × 5 mm, glabrous,
unequally 3-winged, 2-loculed, placentae bilamellate; styles 2,
short; stigma branched, spirally tortuous and papillose all
around. Mature fruit unknown. Fl. Jul–Aug, fr. Sep.
● In shrubs by stream banks; 900–1000 m. Sichuan (Emei Shan).
This species is similar to Begonia dielsiana but differs by its adaxially
hispidulous leaf blade.
47. Begonia fangii Y. M. Shui & C. I Peng, Bot. Bull. Acad.
Sin. 46: 83. 2005.
方 氏 秋 海 棠 fang shi qiu hai tang
Herbs, rhizomatous. Rhizomes elongate, 8–15 mm in diam.;
internodes to 8–15 cm, sparsely villous. Leaves palmately compound;
stipules triangular to narrowly so, 12–15 × 9–12 mm;
petiole 6–20 cm; leaflets 3–6, abaxially reddish brown, adaxially
dark green, lanceolate, 7–15 × 2.5–4.5 cm, subleathery,
abaxially sericeous on veins, apex acuminate. Inflorescences
axillary; peduncle to 22 cm, sparsely to moderately pubescent;
bracts caducous, oblong to ovate, 8–13 × 6–9 mm, abaxially
glabrous or subglabrous, apex acute to obtuse. Staminate flowers:
tepals 4, pinkish, outer 2 broadly ovate to orbicular, 1.6–2.2
× 2–2.2 cm, abaxially pilose; inner 2 oblanceolate to obtrullate;
stamens 25–55; filaments nearly free; anthers oblong, 1.5–1.7
mm. Pistillate flowers: tepals 3, pinkish, outer 2 broadly ovate
to orbicular, 1.3–1.5 × 1.4–1.6 cm, abaxially pilose; inner tepal
8–10 × ca. 5 mm; ovary subglabrous, 1-loculed with parietal
placentation; styles 3, fused at base. Capsule nodding, 12–15 ×
6–7 mm, abaxial wing 4–6 × 12–15 mm. Fl. Dec–Apr, fr. Feb–
Jun. 2n = 30*.
● On limestone rocks in forests; 400–700 m. Guangxi (Longzhou).
This species resembles Begonia hemsleyana by the palmately
compound leaves, but can be distinguished by the horizontal stem, pistillate
flower with 3 tepals, 3 stigmas, 1-loculed ovary, and parietal placentae.