Begonia cucullata Willd. var. cucullata

Begonia cucullata var. hookeri (A.DC.) L.B.Sm. & Schub., Begonia cucullifolia Hassk., Begonia dispar Rchb., Begonia hookeri Sweet, Begonia nervosa Kunth (Inval.), Begonia paludicola C. DC., Begonia sellowii Klotzsch, Begonia semperflorens Hook. (illeg.), Begonia semperflorens Link & Otto, Begonia semperflorens Link & Otto var. hookeri (Sweet) A.DC., Begonia semperflorens f. flavescens C.DC., Begonia semperflorens var. sellowii (Klotzsch) C. DC., Begonia setaria Graham

Begoniaceae

Bedding Begonia, Begonia, Club Begonia, Clubed Begonia, Fibrous Begonia, Paraguayan Begonia, Perpetual Begonia, Semperflorens Begonia, Wax Begonia

The species is native to South America—Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay (Golding 1982; Smith et al. 1986; Golding and Wasshausen 2002) It has naturalized elsewhere in the tropics and subtropics. In Hawaii and in La Réunion, where the species has naturalized, it has become invasive in natural and seminatural environments.

The natural habitat of many begonias including this species consists of moist, cool forests and tropical rainforests from 0–1,000 m altitude in its native range. Elsewhere the species has naturalized in planted forests, ruderal/disturbed and urban areas. It is tolerant of hot and humid summers but is sensitive to low temperature below 12 °C, dying back in frost and resprouting from underground rootstocks in spring in subtemperate areas. It abhors water-logged conditions and is tolerant of short dry periods due to their thick and waxy leaves which help minimize water loss. The species does best in dappled shade but will grow in full sun or considerable shade but is less floriferous under the latter. Reddish-coloured or bronze-leaved varieties are more tolerant of full sun than green-leaved varieties. The species thrives best in moist, well-drained, acidic (pH 5.5–6.5) sandy loams or loamy soils rich in organic matter.

Begonia semperflorens (B. cucullata) and Begonia elatior have potential to be cultivated as edible flowers with an acceptable taste (Friedman et al. 2007). The fleshy leaves and flowers are edible raw or cooked and can have a slight bitter after taste (Laferriere 1990, 1992; Deane 2007–2012). Sauteed alligator meat with Begonia sauce represents a musty challenge to the palate. Chopped begonia petals are mixed into a food processor or mixer with soft cream cheese, strawberry, or other jelly or jam and some juice or liquid to prepare Begonia spread (Deane 2007–2012). In Paraguay the leaves of the B. cucullata are eaten fried or in soup or salads, while the sap is used to treat sore throats (Gonzfilez-Torres 1980).

A glabrous, caulescent, stoloniferous, monoecious herb, 30–80 cm high with green or reddish succulent stems. Leaves are alternate, simple, weakly asymmetric, broadly ovate with truncate, usually incurved base, 8–12 cm long by 6–9 cm wide, 6–7 palmately nerved, margin undulating or weakly crenate-serrate, reddish at times, glossy dark green adaxially, paler green abaxially; some varieties have bronzed, reddish, or variegated leaves (Plates 1, 2 and 3). Stipules oblong, 1.5–3 by 1.5–2.5 cm, persistent. Flowers are either staminate (male) or pistillate (female) occurring in few-flowered axillary cymes on 3–5 cm long peduncles, bracts, ovate and serrulate. Male flowers with four white, red, or pink tepals in decussate arrangement, outer tepals sub-orbicular 10–15 mm across, inner ones smaller and narrowly obovate 10–12 mm long by 6–8 mm wide, stamens yellow, free, numerous, filaments short, anthers linear. Female flowers 4–5; obovate tepals; white, red, or pink, styles 3; bifid; the stigmatic tissue linear; spiral; continuous; ovary inferior with three fused carpels; placentae bilamellate (Plates 1, 2, 3 and 4). Fruit a dehiscent capsule, unequally 3-winged, the largest deltoid. Seeds tiny and acute.