Family Begoniaceae
The plants we grow today are hybrids developed from species which originated in South America, such as the scarlet Begonia boliviensis from Bolivia the rose B. clarkei from Peru; the orange-scarlet B. davisii from Peru; the vermilion red B. veitchi from Peru; and the primrose yellow B. pearcei from Bolivia.
The botanist monk Plumier is credited with discovering the first plants towards the end of the seventeenth century. As the plant could not be placed in any known genus, he decided to name the plant himself, a practice which was quite common in those days, and he named it after a man he admired, Michel Begon (1638- 1710), a French botanist, who at one time was the Governor of Santa Domingo. The begonia was introduced into Great Britain in 1777, but it was many years before hybridists began to breed varieties on a large scale. At first only singleflowered hybrids were produced, but later semidouble and finally double-flowered varieties were achieved.
There have been many notable hybridists and nursery firms involved, and the raising of new cultivars has continued up to the present day, it will no doubt also continue for many years to come, for the very good reason that begonias are excellent greenhouse and bedding plants, as well as being very decorative house plants.
