Photo credit: Irwan Gohor
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Begonia gemella is a species from sulawesi currently only found in 1 location in Sulawesi, Kajoewatoe in Minahasa regency. Its a trailing species that can be used as a hanging plant in tropical countries.
| Species | B. gemella |
|---|---|
| Region | South East Asia |
| Country | Indonesia |
| Year published | 1983 |
| Date of Origin | |
| Plant Type | Trailing |
| Section | • Petermannia |
| Chr 2n | - |
| Endangered Status | Critically Endangered (CR), B1ab(iii)+B2ab(iii) |
| 🌡️ | 24 to 30C |
| 💦 | Higher Humidity (>60%) |
| Care notes | Well draining substrate |
Photo credit: Irwan Gohor
Photo credit: Irwan Gohor
| Species / Cultivar | B. gemella |
|---|---|
| Form Varieties | |
| Author | Warb. ex L.B.Sm. & Wassh |
| Publication Date | 1983 |
| Date of Origin | |
| Place | Kajoewatoe, Minahasa regency |
| Habitat | This species grows on lowland limestone karst walls, in disturbed habitats, in half shade to full shade, at 20–250 m elevation. |
| Section | Pettermania |
| Chr 2n | - |
| Plant Type | Trailing |
| Synonyms and Comments | The name is derived from Latin gemellus (‘a twin’, ‘twin-born’), probably in reference to the few-flowered male inflorescences. |
| Reference | https://portal.cybertaxonomy.org/flora-malesiana-prospective/cdm_dataportal/taxon/741b20f4-71c6-4ccd-bd2b-ce365fbeb6a3 |
| Description | Perennial, monoecious herb, creeping up to c.1 m long. Stem creeping, internodes 1.5–4 cm long, brownish-greenish, glabrous except for microscopical glandular hairs. Leaves basifixed, alternate; stipules persistent, 5–8 × 4–5 mm, isophyllus, ovate, with an abaxially slightly prominent midrib, apex narrowed into a bristle projecting up to 1 mm, margin entire, white-pinkish, translucent, abaxially glabrous; petioles 7.5–11 cm long, terete, concolorous with the stem, glabrous except for microscopic glandular hairs and very sparse pilose hairs on the joint of the petiole and lamina; lamina 5–9.5 × 4.5–8 cm, asymmetrical, broadly ovate to suborbicular, base cordate and lobes sometimes slightly overlapping, apex acuminate, margin denticulate to shallowly lobed, adaxial surface green, with red line along the margin, glabrous, abaxial surface pale green, glabrous; venation palmate-pinnate, primary veins 6–8, actinodromous, secondary veins craspedodromous |
|---|---|
| Male Flower | Male flowers: pedicels 15–18 mm long, white-pinkish, glabrous; tepals 2, white to white tinged with pink or greenish, 8.5–16.5 × 11–13 mm, broadly ovate, base slightly cordate, apex rounded, outer surface glabrous; androecium of 75–77 stamens, yellow, filaments up to c.1.5 mm long, slightly fused at the very base, anthers up to c.1 mm long, oblong to narrowly obovate, dehiscing through unilaterally positioned slits that are c.1/2 as long as the anthers. |
| Female Flower | female inflorescences basal to male, single-flowered, peduncles 7–11 mm long, green-reddish, glabrous, bracts stipule-like, 5–6 × 3 mm, ovate, reddish, glabrous, translucent, bracteoles persistent, anisophyllus, ovate to broadly ovate, c.3 × 4 mm, reddish, glabrous, translucent; male inflorescence a thyrse composed of up to 3 monochasial partial inflorescences with shortly developed internodes, each with up to 4 flowers, primary peduncle 1.5–2 cm long, partial inflorescence peduncle 1.5–4 cm long, shorter towards the apex, bracts persistent, stipule-like, 3–5 × 2–3 mm, ovate, reddish, translucent, midrib slightly prominent projecting up to 0.5 mm at the apex, bracteoles persistent, minute, hair-like. |
| Plant Hardiness | Hardy |
| Sun Tolerance | Bright indirect light |
|---|---|
| Pests Diseases | |
| Temperature | 24 to 28C |
| Humidity | Medium Humidity (~50) |
| Propagation Method | |
| Comments |
| Offspring of: | NA |
|---|---|
| Female Parent Of | NA |
| Male Parent Of | NA |
| In Cultivation? | Yes |
References: https://portal.cybertaxonomy.org/flora-malesiana-prospective/cdm_dataportal/taxon/741b20f4-71c6-4ccd-bd2b-ce365fbeb6a3
Photo Credits: Irwan Gohor