Begonia brasiliensis

Kollmann, Ludovic Jean Charles, 2023, NOVELTIES IN BRAZILIAN BEGONIACEAE VI: Taxonomic notes, Phytotaxa 587 (1), pp. 66-70 : 68

4. Begonia brasiliensis hort. nom. nud.

Notes:— Everett (1939) stated that Begonia brasiliensis is a horticultural name applied to cultivated plants of what should be correctly known as Begonia acida A.DC. (1864, 364). Smith et al (1986) also considered B. brasiliensis a synonym of B. acida Vell (1831, pl.49).

However most of the cultivated material known as Begonia acida in the USA and eleswhere is actually Begonia neocomensium A.DC. (1859, 138) from Bahia state, Brazil. B. neocomensium is also misidentified in horticulture as Begonia paleata Schott ex. A.DC. (1859, 137), as B. neocomensium has trichomes on the petiole but also sometimes scales too, which could lead to confusion in identification. They can be distinguished as Begonia paleata is an erect plant up to 1.5 m tall, whereas B. neocomensium a smaller rhizomatous plant. Begonia brasiliensis refers to Begonia neocomensium A.DC.