Begoniaceae

The Begoniaceae family contains 3 genera :

• Hillebrandia (only 1 species from Hawaii)
• Symbegonia (12 species from New Guinea)
• Begonia, with about 1 000 species gathered in sections (Semibegoniella, Begoniella, etc…). they come from tropical and subtropical regions. The begonias are monoic dicotyledons, that is the same plant can produce male or female flowers. The asymmetrical leaves are one of this genus’ particularities.

Begonias were introduced in France in 1690 by the Reverend Father Charles Plumier, who brought back 6 species from St Domingue. So he created the genus Begonia, as an homage to his friend Michel Begon who was the governor of this isles. The genus was confirmed by Linne in 1753.

The arrival of the Begonia rex from Himalayas would mark the beginning of the hybridizations. The diversity of the shapes and colours of the leaves would make the fame of that plant in the 19^th century.

The family gathers annual, climbing, epiphytic, tuberous, rhizomous, tree-like or bamboo-shaped. In the Lyon Botanical Garden, the collection contains about 600 species and 100 hybrids. The blooms are numerous and allow a 100 species seeds bank.

The diversity of the species origins needs different cultivation methods : in open ground for the biggest plants (in particular those from Southern America), in aquarium for the smallest ones from New Guinea, Malaysia, China, in pots for the others.