Part 51

=BEETLES= (_Coleoptera_). Beetles form one of the most extensive orders of insects, there being upwards of 3000 known British species. They vary much in appearance, but a Beetle is readily recognised by its front wings, or elytra; these form a tough horny sheath or case, which lies over the real wings, and protects them when the insect is not flying. Sometimes, the elytra are very short (see Fig. 225); the mouth is fitted with jaws for cutting. The metamorphosis is complete, _i.e._, the larva or grub is very unlike either the quiescent pupa or the perfect insect. The period that elapses before Beetles arrive at their perfect state varies from a few weeks to two or three years, but is usually rather longer than in Butterflies or Bees. Various Beetles attack growing plants and roots. Thus, _Otiorhynchus sulcatus_ and _O. picipes_ attack Vines, Roses, and other plants, gnawing off the bark. Some species of Beetles attack Mushrooms, while others bore into the wood of old trees, or eat leaves (_e.g._ Turnip Fly), or burrow in the leaves, or form galls on roots (Cabbage-gall Weevil). Of some kinds, the beetles are hurtful; of others, the larvæ. Many kinds, however, are beneficial, such, for instance, as the common Ground Beetle (_Carabus_, Fig. 224), and the Devil's Coach Horse (_Ocypus olens_, Fig. 225). These live upon other insects and snails. One kind of Beetle--the Ladybird (see Figs. 226 and 227)--is very beneficial in a garden, as it preys upon the aphides, or plant lice. For instructions in dealing with the noxious kinds, _see_ =Asparagus Beetle=, =Bean Beetle=, =Beet Carrion Beetle=, =Click Beetle=, =Cockchafer=, =Lily Beetle=, =Rosechafer=, and =Turnip Fly=.

=BEET= or =MANGOLD FLY= (_Anthomyia betæ_). The maggots of this fly do considerable damage by feeding on the pulp of the Beet or Mangold leaves. The eggs are small, white, and oval, and are laid in small patches beneath the leaves; the maggots are about 1/3in. long, legless, cylindrical, and yellowish-white. As it is of such recent appearance in this country, specifics for its eradication are by no means numerous; but, according to Miss Ormerod, "the best treatment appears to be to nip it in the bud, where such treatment is possible, by destroying the infested plants, but generally by all means of good cultivation, or by special applications of artificial manure, to ensure a hearty growth, which may run the plants on past the power of average attacks to weaken the leafage to a serious extent."

=BEFARIA= (named in honour of Bejar, a Spanish botanist). ORD. _Ericareæ_. SYN. _Bejaria_. An elegant genus of greenhouse evergreen shrubs, closely allied to _Rhododendron_. Flowers bracteate; corolla very deeply seven-cleft, spreading. Leaves racemose or corymbose, crowded, quite entire, coriaceous. They thrive in a compost of peat and loam. Propagated by cuttings, made of the young wood, and placed in sandy soil, in gentle heat.

=B. æstuans= (glowing).* _fl._ purple; corymbs terminal, simple; peduncles, pedicels, rachi, calyces, and branchlets clothed with clammy glandular hairs. _l._ elliptic, rather glabrous above, but downy and glaucous beneath, while young clothed with rusty tomentum. Plant much branched; branchlets sub-verticillate. _h._ 10ft. to 15ft. Peru, 1846. SYN. _Acunna oblonga_. (G. C. 1848, 119.)

=B. cinnamomea= (cinnamon-coloured). _fl._ purple; panicles close, terminal; peduncles woolly, hispid. _l._ slightly downy above, rusty tomentose beneath. Branches downy, hispid. _h._ 4ft. Peru, 1847.

=B. coarctata= (close-headed). _fl._ purple; corymbs terminal, simple; peduncles, pedicels, rachi, and calyces clothed with rusty tomentum. _l._ oblong, glabrous, glaucous beneath. Shrub much branched. _h._ 4ft. to 5ft. Peru, 1847. (G. C. 1848, 175.)

=B. glauca= (glaucous).* _fl._ flesh-coloured; racemes terminal and axillary; pedicels somewhat fastigiate. June. _l._ oblong, obtuse, glaucous beneath. Shrub much branched; branchlets angular. _h._ 3ft. to 6ft. South America, 1826.

=B. ledifolia= (Ledum-leaved).* _fl._ purple; racemes terminal; peduncles, pedicels, rachi, branchlets, and calyces clothed with clammy glandular hairs. _l._ oblong, somewhat mucronate, with revolute edges, glaucous beneath, glandular. Shrub much branched; branches purplish. _h._ 3ft. to 4ft. South America, 1847. (F. d. S. 3, 195.)

=B. racemosa= (racemed). _fl._ purple, disposed in racemose terminal panicles. July. _l._ ovate-lanceolate, glabrous; branchlets smooth or hispid. _h._ 3ft. to 5ft. Georgia, 1810.

=BEGONIA= (named after M. Begon, a French patron of botany). ORD. _Begoniaceæ_. A large genus of succulent herbs or undershrubs (a few climbers), in many of which the stem is reduced to a tuberous rhizome, whilst some are distinctly tuberous. Flowers usually showy and large, white, rose, scarlet, or yellow, unisexual; perianth segments petaloid, four to five divisions, rarely two. Stamens numerous, filaments free or united at the base. Ovary inferior, styles two to four, free, sometimes connate, stigmas brandied or twisted. Fruit capsular, rarely succulent, often winged. Seeds numerous, minute. Leaves alternate, more or less unequal-sided, entire, or lobed, or toothed. Flower-stalks axillary, cymose. Distribution: Species about 350, in all tropical moist countries, especially South America and India; not known in Australia. Cultivated species (exclusive of garden hybrids and varieties) about 150. A large number of genera, or what were considered as such are now merged in Begonia--viz., _Barya_, _Baryandra_, _Casparya_, _Pritzelia_, &c. The rich colours and beautiful form of the flowers of Begonias, their prettily-marked foliage, and free-growing, free-blooming nature, have long marked them out as favourite garden plants. Within the last twenty years a new race, characterised by a tuberous root-stock, annual herbaceous stem, and large handsome flowers, has been introduced from the Andes of South America, from which, by means of careful cross-fertilisation and selection, a large number of beautiful and almost hardy kinds have been raised. The size, substance, and rich colours of the flowers of the majority of the plants of this race of Begonias are witness to what may be done by skilful cultivation and careful cross-breeding among plants. In the same way the large-leaved, stemless section, of which _B. Rex_ may be taken as the type and principal progenitor, have been improved both in the size and the coloration of their foliage, and countless forms are now in cultivation, both as garden plants and for the decoration of rooms, &c. The propagation of Begonias may be accomplished by means of seeds, which are freely produced by almost all the cultivated kinds, by cuttings, by division of the rhizomes, and--in the case of the large-leaved kinds--by leaf-cuttings. For the first of these methods it is necessary that the seeds should be well ripened before they are gathered, and kept dry until sown. Where it is desired to increase any particular kind of garden origin, seeds are useless, none of the hybrid or seedling forms perpetuating themselves through their seeds, although equally beautiful sorts may be raised from them. The characters of all true species are, however, reproduced in their seedlings. For the successful raising of Begonia seeds it is necessary to sow them on pans or pots of well-drained, light, sandy soil, which should be well watered before the seeds are sown. The seeds should not be covered with soil, or they will fail to germinate. Over the pans a pane of glass should be placed, and they should then be stood in warm house or a frame where a temperature of about 65deg. can be maintained, and shaded from sunshine. As soon as the plantlets are large enough to be safely manipulated, they should be pricked off into pans of light leaf-mould soil, in which they may remain until large enough to be placed singly in pots. Cuttings: These strike freely if planted in small pots, in sand and leaf mould, and placed on a bottom heat of 70deg. Where large quantities are required, a bed of cocoa nut-fibre in a stove or propagating frame may be used, and in this the cuttings may be planted and remain until well rooted. Leaf cuttings succeed best when laid on sand or cocoa-nut fibre, and shaded from bright sunlight. In preparing the leaves, old, well-matured ones should be selected, and incisions made with a sharp knife across the principal nerves on the underside. They should then be placed on the sand or fibre and held down by means of a few pieces of crock. Under this treatment, bulbils will form on the lower ends of the nerves of each section of the leaf, and these, when large enough, may be removed from the bed and potted. With the exception of _B. Evansiana_ (_discolor_), an almost hardy species from North China, all the shrubby species require a warm or intermediate house for their cultivation, although during the summer months a frame or sheltered bed answers for most of them, provided they are removed into their warm winter quarters on the approach of cold weather. Some of the species, such as _B. Dregei_, _B. semperflorens_, _B. nitida_, _B. fuchsioides_, _B. Lindleyana_, _B. Richardsiana_, along with the hybrids _Ascotensis_, _Knowsleyana_, _Weltoniensis_, and _Ingramii_, are grown in pots out of doors all the summer, and under liberal treatment they form large handsome specimens, which are of great value as flowering plants for the conservatory in winter. The tuberous-rooted herbaceous kinds should be started in heat in February, and, when vigorous growth has commenced, be gradually hardened off, for use either as bedding plants or as pot specimens for flowering in the greenhouse. A mixture of loam and leaf mould with a little sand and rotten cow-dung is suitable for the cultivation of these plants in pots. Liberal supplies of water should be given during the growing season. As the growth decays, water should be withheld until finally the tubers may be shaken out of the soil and placed in dry sand or cocoa-nut fibre, in a house or shed where a temperature above freezing can be maintained. _B. gracilis_ and its varieties, _diversifolia_ and _Martiana_, are beautiful greenhouse plants, which thrive well if treated as advised for the other tuberous-rooted kinds, with the addition of a few more degrees of heat.

The _Rex_ section requires a light rich soil, plenty of moisture, and a shaded position in a warm greenhouse. These kinds are often employed with good effect for clothing peat-covered walls in ferneries, or as an undergrowth in large tropical houses. Large specimens have been grown under the stage in a warm house, the shade and moisture of such a position being exactly what they best delight in.

_B. socotrana_, an interesting species from the island of Socotra, is somewhat singular in its requirements. The stem is herbaceous and annual, and about its base a cluster of bulbils are formed, from every one of which a plant will be developed the following year. The growing season for this species is from September to March, after which it goes to rest for the whole summer. A tropical temperature and all the light possible, are essential to the well-doing of this plant.

It is interesting to note the apparent impossibility to cross any of the shrubby Begonias with the distinctly tuberous-rooted species; and even the species of the shrubby section, whose stems are semi-tuberous, have hitherto refused to commingle with the South American tuberous kinds, of which _B. Veitchii_, _B. rosæflora_, and _B. boliviensis_ may be said to be typical. The infusion of the blood of these large, handsome-flowered kinds into the tall, shrubby species, would almost certainly result in the production of a race of splendid winter-flowering greenhouse plants, and it is therefore in every way desirable that no pains should be spared to break through the obstacle to the union of the two races.

Explanation of contractions: T, tuberous-rooted; S, shrubby.

=B. acerifolia= (Acer-leaved). S. A tall-growing, thick, succulent-stemmed species, with green, lobed, serrated foliage, and large branching cymes of small white flowers; sepals of male flowers hairy; styles three, two-horned. Capsule triangular, with one of the angles prolonged into an obtuse wing. Spring. Quito, 1829.

=B. acuminata= (taper-pointed-leaved). S. A low shrubby species, having semi-cordate, oblong, pointed leaves, with toothed margins, and the nerves on the under side and the petiole pilose. _fl._ white, in cymes, nearly 1in. across. Capsule wings, two short, the third 1/2in. long. Spring. Jamaica, 1798. (B. M. 4025.)

=B. acutifolia= (acute-leaved). S. A smooth-stemmed, semi-erect species, 3ft. to 4ft. high, with cordate-oblong leaves, both sides and petiole glabrous, the margins denticulate. _fl._ in cymes, white and red, about 1in. in diameter. Capsule winged, one wing twice as long as the others. Spring. Jamaica, 1816. SYN. _B. purpurea_.

=B. acutiloba= (acute-lobed).* A species with thick fleshy rhizomes, and palmate cordate leaves which are divided into five to seven lobes, with toothed margins and pointed apices, under side thinly covered with brown hairs. Flower-stalk tall, hairy, surmounted by a branching head of rather large white flowers. Summer. Mexico.

=B. albo-coccinea= (white and red).* Stemless, with a thick root-stock. _l._ broadly ovate, peltate, entire, 3in. to 4in. long; petiole 3in. to 6in., pubescent. Flower-scape 6in. to 9in. long. _fl._ in dense cluster, bright rose on the outside, white within. Capsule regularly triangular, with short wings. Summer. India, 1844. SYN. _B. Grahamiana_. (B. M. 4172.)

=B. alchemilloides= (Alchemilla-like). Stem fleshy, creeping. _l._ rotundate, with toothed, undulate, ciliated margins and short stalks. Flower-stem slender, few-flowered. _fl._ small, rose-coloured. Summer. Brazil.

=B. amabilis= (lovely).* Stem creeping, fleshy, short. _l._ ovate, crenulate, acuminate, about 6in. long, tomentose, dark green, blotched with white, under side purple-red. Flower-stalk 9in. long. _fl._ rose or white, in clustering cymes. Capsule irregular. Summer. Assam, 1859. The foliage sometimes comes wholly green, but, under good treatment, it is handsomely variegated.

=B. amœna= (pleasing).* Rhizome tuberous. Stem none, or very short. _l._ 3in. by 2in.; leafstalk 3in. Flower-stem 6in. long, few-flowered. _fl._ medium sized, pale rose. Capsule wings small, nearly equal. Summer. North India, 1878. SYN. _B. erosa_.

=B. ampla= (large). S. Stem 1ft. to 2ft. high, very stout, woody. _l._ long-stalked, 8in. to 10in. in diameter, broadly ovate, cordate, pointed, when young densely covered with rusty stellate down. _fl._ on short petioles, rose-coloured, 2in. wide. Fruit a succulent berry, small. Summer. Guinea.

=B. aptera= (wingless). Stem herbaceous. _l._ heart-shaped, pointed, shining green. _fl._ in short axillary cymes, white, small. Capsule four-angled. Spring. Celebes, 1878.

=B. arborescens= (tree-like). S. A large growing species, sometimes forming a bush 8ft. to 10ft. in height. _l._ pale green, ear-shaped, 6in. long. _fl._ in large cymose clusters, white, small. Summer. Brazil.

=B. argyrostigma= (silvery-spotted). Synonymous with _B. maculata_.

=B. Arnottiana= (Arnott's). Synonymous with _B. cordifolia_.

=B. asplenifolia= (Asplenium-leaved). S. A slender-stemmed, beautifully cut-leaved species, the foliage of which is pinnatisect, giving the plant the appearance of a Thalictrum rather than a Begonia. _fl._ very small, white. Guinea.

=B. assamica= (Assam). Stem short, fleshy. _fl._ pinkish flesh-colour. _l._ oblique ovate, olive-green, marbled with silvery blotches above, and of a pale purplish-pink beneath; petioles pale green, softly hairy. Assam, 1883.

=B. attenuata= (attenuated). Synonymous with _B. herbacea_.

=B. aucubæfolia= (Aucuba-leaved). Synonymous with _B. incarnata_.

=B. auriformis= (ear-formed). Synonymous with _B. incana_.

=B. barbata= (bearded). S. Stem short, hairy. _l._ toothed, oval-shaped, pointed, hispid beneath, 4in. long. _fl._ medium-sized, white or pink; flower-stalk hairy. Capsule equal-winged. Summer. India.

=B. Berkeleyi= (Berkeley's).* T. A garden hybrid, with thick, fleshy stems, and long ear-shaped foliage. _fl._ in erect panicles, rose-coloured. A useful winter-flowering kind.

=B. bipetala= (two-petaled). Synonymous with _B. dipetala_.

=B. biserrata= (doubly-serrated). S. Stem erect, branched, 2ft. to 3ft. high. _l._ 6in. long, 2in. to 3in. wide, deeply lobed, toothed, pale green. _fl._ in loose cymes, drooping, rose-coloured, 1-1/2in. wide, serrated edges. Capsule pilose, two short and one long wings. Summer. Guatemala, 1847. (B. M. 4746.)

=B. boliviensis= (Bolivian).* T. Stem herbaceous, succulent, 2ft. high, branching. _l._ lanceolate, pointed, serrate, 3in. to 5in. long. _fl._ in drooping panicles, large, scarlet, males twice as large as females. Capsule three-winged. Summer. Bolivia, 1857. (B. M. 5657.)

=B. Bowringiana= (Bowring's). Synonymous with _B. laciniata_. (B. M. 5657.)

=B. braziliana= (Brazilian). S. Stem erect, tall, succulent. _l._ oblique, ovate, toothed, slightly pubescent; principal nerves brownish; stalk hairy. _fl._ white or rose, small, in short, few-flowered cymes. Capsule wing 1/2in. long. Summer. Brazil.

=B. Bruantii= (Bruant's).* B. A garden hybrid between _B. Schmidti_ and _B. semperflorens_. _l._ green, with a brownish tint. _fl._ white or rose, in erect panicles. Summer, 1883. Used as a bedding plant in summer.

=B. bulbifera= (bulb-bearing). Most likely a form of _B. gracilis_.

=B. caffra= (Kaffrarian). A variety of _B. Dregei_.

=B. carolineæfolia= (Carolinea-leaved). S. Stem erect, thick, fleshy. _l._ palmate, curiously divided into six to eight long ovate segments, each 6in. long. _fl._ in a dichotomous cyme, on long stalk, rose-coloured, small. Capsule small, wings one longer than others. Winter. Mexico, 1876. A singular-leaved species. (R. G. 1-25.)

=B. Cathcartii= (Cathcart's). S. Caulescent. _l._ heart-shaped, acute, glabrous; stalks of flowers and leaves hairy; flowers and fruit as in _B. barbata_. Summer. India. SYN. _B. nemophila_. (C. H. P. 13.)

=B. Chelsoni= (Chelsea).* T. A garden hybrid between _B. Sedeni_ and _B. boliviensis_. Stem fleshy, 2ft. high. _l._ oblique, lance-shaped, irregularly lobed. _fl._ large, orange-red, drooping. Summer, 1874.

=B. cinnabarina= (vermilion).* S. Stem erect, short, herbaceous. _l._ 2in. to 4in. long, oblique, toothed; peduncles 6in. long, few-flowered. _fl._ (male), medium, red; female flowers very small. Summer. Capsule irregularly-winged. Bolivia, 1848. (B. M. 4483.)

=B. cinnabarina= (vermilion). A variety of _B. fuchsioides_.

=B. Clarkii= (Clarke's).* T. Stem purplish, fleshy, stout. _l._ oblique-cordate, serrate. _fl._ in pendulous racemes, abundant, large, bright red, very handsome, nearly related to _B. Veitchii_. Summer. Peru and Bolivia, 1867. (B. M. 5675.)

=B. coccinea= (red).* S. Habit suffruticose. Stem sub-erect, 1ft. to 2ft. high, thick at the base. _l._ ovate-oblong, pointed; margins undulate and toothed. _fl._ in pendulous racemes, medium-sized; flowers and peduncles red. Capsule nearly regular; wings short. Summer. Brazil, 1842. (B. M. 3990.)

=B. conchæfolia= (shell-leaved). Stem creeping, rhizomatous, thick. _l._ peltate, ovate, 3in. to 5in. long, edges almost entire; under side, along with leaf and flower-stalks, covered with ferruginous hairs; scape 9in. long, erect, surmounted by corymb of small whitish fragrant flowers. Capsule wings, one long, two short. Autumn and winter. South America, 1852. SYNS. _B. scutellata_, _B. Warscewiczii_. (R. B. 246.)

=B. corallina= (coral-flowered). S. Stem woody, branching, sub-erect, brownish when matured. _l._ ovate-oblong, pointed, undulate, smooth, dull green, under side purple. _fl._ in long pendent racemes, numerous, medium-sized, bright coral-red. Summer. Brazil (?), 1875. A rare species, and one of the handsomest of the shrubby kinds, most likely closely related to _B. maculata_.

=B. cordifolia= (heart-shaped). T. Stemless; root-stock fleshy. _l._ cordate, orbicular, toothed, 3in. wide, pilose above, pubescent below; flower-scape 6in. long, dichotomous. _fl._ numerous, medium-sized. Capsule with three narrow wings. Winter. Ceylon and India. SYN. _B. Arnottiana_.

=B. coriacea= (leathery).* T. Stem 6in. high, herbaceous. _l._ reniform, 5in. wide by 3in. long, smooth above, pilose below. _fl._ rose-coloured, large, in twos or threes on the end of an erect scape, 8in. to 10in. long. Wings of capsule short, red. Summer. Bolivia.

=B. coriacea= (leathery). Synonymous with _B. peltata_.

=B. crassicaulis= (thick-stemmed). Stem short, thick, articulated, succulent. _l._ palmate; segments acuminate, toothed, under side clothed with rusty down. _fl._ in many-flowered cymes, dipetalous, white or rose-coloured, medium-sized. Capsule wings unequal. Near to _B. heracleifolia_. Spring. Guatemala, 1841. (B. R. 28, 44.)

=B. crinita= (hairy).* S. Stem 1ft. high, fleshy, bright red, more or less hairy. _l._ ovate-cordate; margins toothed, dark green; petiole red and hairy, like the stems. _fl._ in lax, branching cymes, rose-coloured, 1-1/2in. in diameter. Fruit three-winged, one long and acute, two short and rounded. Spring. Bolivia, 1870. (B. M. 5897.)

=B. cucullata= (hooded). A variety of _B. semperflorens_.

=B. dædalea= (adorned).* Stem short, thick, succulent. _l._ large, green, thickly covered with a close network of russet-brown, scarlet when young; edges pilose. _fl._ white and rose, in loose panicles. Mexico, 1860. A handsome foliaged plant. (I. H. 1861, 269.)

=B. Daveauana.= _See_ =Pellionia Daveauana=.

=B. Davisii= (Davis's).* T. stemless, _l._ springing directly from root-stock, ovate-cordate, shining green, slightly hairy, underside red; petiole short, fleshy. Flower-scapes, pedicels, and flowers bright red; scape 4in. high, bearing half a dozen flowers in umbel. Capsule three-winged, one long, two very short. Summer. Peru, 1876. A handsome tuberous-rooted species, dwarf. See Fig. 228, for which we are indebted to Messrs. Veitch and Sons. (B. M. 6252.)

=B. dichotoma= (branching). S. Stem tall, stout, fleshy. _l._ 5in. long by 4in. wide, lobed, dull green. _fl._ white, on long axillary scapes, numerous. Winter. 1860.

=B. Digswelliana= (Digswell's). Stem short, semi-decumbent, large, green; margins red. _fl._ on long, erect scapes, pale pink, small, numerous. Useful for winter flowering purposes. A garden hybrid. (F. M. 236.)

=B. dipetala= (two-petaled). Stems springing from a fleshy root-stock, erect, 18in. high, brown. _l._ half heart-shaped; margins toothed, upper surface thickly spotted with white, under side red. _fl._ in loose axillary cymes, two-petaled, large, pink. Capsule equal-winged. Spring. India, 1828. A handsome species. (B. M. 2849.) SYN. _B. bipetala_.

=B. discolor= (two-coloured). Synonymous with _B. Evansiana_.

=B. diversifolia= (diverse-leaved). A variety of _B. gracilis_.