Begonia cucullata
species of plant
Begonia cucullata, also known as clubbed begonia, is a species of the Begoniaceae that is native to South American countries of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay. A common garden plant and part of the section Begonia, it was described in 1805 by Carl Ludwig Willdenow (1765–1812). The specific epithet "cucullata" means "resembling a hood" or "hooded".
Description
The plant is an upright growing, herbaceous perennial that has almost symmetrical succulent pale green to pale reddish brown leaves that are ovate, glabrous 4–8 cm long and 6 cm wide, with edged, glossy and toothed crenation. Grown as a groundcover, the flowers of the plant are red, pink or white that bloom in the summer or year-round in warmer places, and the fruits have three wings.
Range
Native to South America, wax begonia is also found growing invasively in Florida, namely from the northern and central peninsula west to central panhandle, and also in Georgia. The plant may invade waysides, deforested areas, overgrazed pastureland, and wastelands.
Because they are such prolific seed producers, seeds are thought to be the primary way begonias spread when left unchecked. They can also root very easily, but this may not play much of a role under natural conditions.
Cultivation
Older varieties prefer shade, though newer varieties tolerate both full sun and shade.
Begin with the source’s own compact description: “Begonia cucullata” is species of plant. The dossier treats that line as a proposition to test through Begonia, cucullata and species, not as a finished interpretation.
Why this record matters
The phrase “species of plant” supplies a clear boundary for inquiry. It also exposes the unanswered questions: who defined that boundary, when it became stable and which sources sit outside it.
Datasets, specimens, observations and peer-reviewed methods provide the appropriate test for the technical claims summarized here. The source revision retrieved here is dated Aug 7, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q6395156. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference. The first chronological checks are 1805, 1765 and 1812.
A general summary may omit uncertainty, sample limits or methodological disagreement that is explicit in the technical record. The source lead contains qualifying language; that uncertainty should survive quotation, summary and reuse. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Check terminology, classification and the date of the cited evidence. Scientific names and technical consensus can change while older records retain historical value.
- Current terminology
- Classification context
- Finding cited technical literature
Primary datasets, specimen catalogues, standards bodies and the most recent peer-reviewed literature.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Begonia cucullata”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Begonia cucullata primary sources, Begonia cucullata archive and Begonia research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Begonia cucullata”?
- Is the terminology current, historical or disputed?
- Which observation, specimen, dataset or publication supports the account?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Begonia cucullata” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.