Begonia rajah
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Begonia rajah |
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| Ridl. |
Begonia rajah is a rare species of begonia from Malaysia . It wasdiscoveredby Henry Nicholas Ridley in 1892. In 1894, when it was introduced to England, it received a first-class certificate from the Royal Horticultural Society . Because of its chocolate-brown spotted leaves, it was very popular with lovers and soon after its discovery itdisappearedin the Terra typica in Terengganu . While it became one of the most sought-after Malay begonias in cultivation, it was believed to be extinct in the wild until it wasrediscoveredin Johor in1989.
description
Begonia rajah is a perennial herbaceous plant and forms narrow, creeping rhizomes . The unmistakable foliage leaves are egg-shaped, heart-shaped at the base with an overlapping base. Ripe leaves reach a length of 10 centimeters. The leaves are deep chocolate or mahogany brown on both sides. Young leaves are almost red. The apple-green veins are characteristic. The area between the veins is curved. The unisexual flowers are light pink and appear in summer.
Individual evidence
- Ruth Kiew: Lost and found: Begonia eiromischa and B. rajah . Nature Malaysiana 14: 64-67 and front cover; 1989.
- Ruth Kiev: Begonias of Peninsular Malaysia . Kota Kinabalu: Natural History Publications (Borneo). 2005.
Web links
- Description of Begonia rajah ( Memento of January 8, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) (French; PDF file; 318 kB)
- Characteristics. (English; PDF file; 499 kB)