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Begonia family
Begoniaceae
シュウカイドウ科
A family widely cultivated as ornamentals, including hardy begonia (Begonia grandis). Over 2,000 species in about 2 genera are known, widely distributed in tropical and subtropical regions. The most distinctive feature is the markedly asymmetric leaves.
Key Characteristics
- ●Leaves are markedly asymmetric (oblique leaves)
- ●Flowers are unisexual; female flowers have conspicuously winged ovaries
- ●Many species have succulent stems
- ●Stipules are well-developed
Morphological Traits
A family may include species with different trait values — multiple values indicate the range within the family.
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf type
Simple / Compound
Venation
Palmate
Leaf margin
Serrate / Entire / Crenate
Growth form
Shrub / Herb / Vine
Evergreen/Deciduous
Deciduous
Compound type
Palmate
Leaf dissection
Dissected / Undivided
Stipules
Present
Flower symmetry
Actinomorphic / Zygomorphic
Petal count
3 petals / 4 petals / 5 petals / Many
Ovary position
Inferior
Plant sex
Monoecious
Phylogenetic Position
Angiosperms > Eudicots > Core eudicots > Cucurbitales > Begoniaceae
Divergence Era
Late Cretaceous to Paleogene (from about 70 million years ago)
Representative Genera
Related Evolution Events
- ・Evolution of asymmetric leaves as a specialized morphology
- ・Adaptation to tropical forest floor environments
Plants in Begonia family on this site
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