Begonia brevibracteata Kupicha

Begoniaceae, F. K. Kupicha. Flora Zambesiaca 4. 1978

Morphology General Habit

Plants perennial, 30–90 cm. tall.

Morphology Stem

Stem glabrous, sparingly branched, arising from a tuber.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves glabrous, petiolate; laminae (3)5–12 cm. long, ovate-acute to-acuminate, the margins distinctly serrate; petioles 1·5–10 cm. long; stipules c. 1 cm. long, linear to lanceolate, membranous, deciduous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers in terminal and axillary dichasial cymes with 1–2 dichasia; peduncles 5–9 cm. long; primary dichasial branches 0·5–3 cm. long. Male flowers: tepals 2 + 2, white or palest pink; outer pair 13–26 × 10–18 mm., elliptic to suborbicular, inner pair 11–20 × 6–10 mm., elliptic; filaments c. 1·5 mm. long. Female flowers: tepals 5, coloured as in the male; outer pair 17 × 8 mm., oblong-acute; inner pair 12 × 6 mm., elliptic-acute; innermost one 10 × 5 mm., elliptic-acute; styles divided to c. 1/2 their length, the branches stigmatic and spirally twisted; ovary 7 × 2 mm., linear-oblong, with 3 narrow wings; placentae entire.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts

Bracts 5–9 × 2–5 mm., ovate, membranous.

sex Male

Male flowers: tepals 2 + 2, white or palest pink; outer pair 13–26 × 10–18 mm., elliptic to suborbicular, inner pair 11–20 × 6–10 mm., elliptic; filaments c. 1·5 mm. long.

sex Female

Female flowers: tepals 5, coloured as in the male; outer pair 17 × 8 mm., oblong-acute; inner pair 12 × 6 mm., elliptic-acute; innermost one 10 × 5 mm., elliptic-acute; styles divided to c. 1/2 their length, the branches stigmatic and spirally twisted; ovary 7 × 2 mm., linear-oblong, with 3 narrow wings; placentae entire.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsule 11–18 × 5–9 mm., ellipsoid, the wings triangular, unequal: the largest 7–13 mm. wide, the next 4–10 mm., the third 2–4 mm.