Begonia davisii
Encyclopedia
Begonia davisii is a plant
in the begonia
family, Begoniaceae
, which was used in the early days of breeding Begonia × tuberhybrida
cultivars.
It was discovered by the Victorian
plant collector
Walter Davis
(after whom it was named) near Arequipa
in Peru
and was first introduced to England in 1877.
leaves, which are glossy bluish-green above and purplish beneath, with a slightly lobed serrated margin; the flowers are rich orange-scarlet in colour, arranged in threes on erect red-coloured scape
s 6 inches (152.4 mm) to 8 inches (203.2 mm) high.
, who rapidly evolved several garden forms, including a dwarf race of hybrids suitable for summer-bedding which became popular in Victorian England.
The cultivar
, B. davisii Orangeade, which has double bright copper–orange flowers, is available commercially today.
Plant
Plants are living organisms belonging to the kingdom Plantae. Precise definitions of the kingdom vary, but as the term is used here, plants include familiar organisms such as trees, flowers, herbs, bushes, grasses, vines, ferns, mosses, and green algae. The group is also called green plants or...
in the begonia
Begonia
Begonia is a genus in the flowering plant family Begoniaceae and is a perennial. The only other members of the family Begoniaceae are Hillebrandia, a genus with a single species in the Hawaiian Islands, and the genus Symbegonia which more recently was included in Begonia...
family, Begoniaceae
Begoniaceae
Begoniaceae is a family of flowering plants with about 1400 species occurring in the subtropics and tropics of both the New World and Old World. All but one of the species are in the genus Begonia. The only other genus in the family, Hillebrandia, is endemic to the Hawaiian Islands and has a single...
, which was used in the early days of breeding Begonia × tuberhybrida
Begonia × tuberhybrida
Tuberous begonias are a group of Begonia cultivars, regarded as some of the most spectacular of the genus....
cultivars.
It was discovered by the Victorian
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
plant collector
Plant collecting
Plant collecting involves procuring live or dried plant specimens, for the purposes of research, cultivation or as a hobby.-Collection of live specimens:...
Walter Davis
Walter Davis (botanist)
Walter Davis was an English plant collector, who collected in South America for James Veitch & Sons of Chelsea, London.-Early life:Davis was born at Sarson Street, now part of Amport, near Andover, Hampshire...
(after whom it was named) near Arequipa
Arequipa
Arequipa is the capital city of the Arequipa Region in southern Peru. With a population of 836,859 it is the second most populous city of the country...
in Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
and was first introduced to England in 1877.
Description
The plant has a dwarf, tufted habit with broadly ovate–cordateLeaf shape
In botany, leaf shape is characterised with the following terms :* Acicular : Slender and pointed, needle-like* Acuminate : Tapering to a long point...
leaves, which are glossy bluish-green above and purplish beneath, with a slightly lobed serrated margin; the flowers are rich orange-scarlet in colour, arranged in threes on erect red-coloured scape
Scape (botany)
In botany, scapes are leafless flowering stems that rise from the ground. Scapes can have a single flower or many flowers, depending on the species....
s 6 inches (152.4 mm) to 8 inches (203.2 mm) high.
Hybridization
The dwarf habit and erect flowers characteristic of this species were taken advantage of by John SedenJohn Seden
John Seden was a famous hybridist and horticulturalist best known for the hybrids he created while in the employment of Veitch nurseries. He was trained in hybridizing by John Dominy in 1861. In 1873 he began hybridizing tuberous begonias which in turn formed the basis from which modern garden...
, who rapidly evolved several garden forms, including a dwarf race of hybrids suitable for summer-bedding which became popular in Victorian England.
The cultivar
Cultivar
A cultivar'Cultivar has two meanings as explained under Formal definition. When used in reference to a taxon, the word does not apply to an individual plant but to all those plants sharing the unique characteristics that define the cultivar. is a plant or group of plants selected for desirable...
, B. davisii Orangeade, which has double bright copper–orange flowers, is available commercially today.