Begonia nelumbiifolia Schltdl. & Cham., Begoniaceae

Click on an image for links to BIGGER PICTURES

Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  High risk; score: 10 (Hawaii-Pacific Weed Risk Assessment for Begonia nelumbiifolia)

Other Latin names:  (no synonyms in GRIN); Begonia caudilimba C. DC.; Begonia derycxiana Lem.; Begonia hernandiifolia Klotzsch; Begonia peltata Sessé & Moc.; Gireoudia nelumbiifolia (Cham. & Schltdl.) Klotzsch

Common name(s): [more details]

English: lily-pad begonia, lily-pad begonia, lotus begonia, pond-lily begonia

Spanish: begonia

Habit:  herb

Description:  "Deciduous herb; rhiz thick, ascending. Lf peti 6-18" long, hairy; blades peltate, broadly ovate to nearly circular, to 18" long, 12" wide, both sides green, base rounded, symmetrical, margins finely serrate, ciliate, apex shortly pointed. Infl of forking, cymose clusters, stalk taller than lvs. Flws white or pink-tinged, to 0.5" ⌀. . . . The lily-pad or lotus begonia [Begonia nelumbiifolia] has large, peltate leaves like those of its namesake water plants." (A Tropical Garden Flora, p. 177)

"Herbaceous; rhizome repent, short, 15 mm. thick, setose, internodes extremely short; stipules persistent, lanceolate, over 2 cm. long, entire, rather firm, pilose; petioles 15-45 cm. long, 8 mm. thick, parsely rufous-hirsute, soon glabrous; leafblades peltate, obliquely very broadly ovate or subelliptic, 7-9-nerved, evenly rounded except for the abruptly acuminate apex or slightly produced at the ends of the nerves, remotely denticulate, soon glabrous, the margin ciliate and sometimes purple, 17-40 cm. long, 10-28 cm. wide, thin; peduncle usually exceeding the leaves, to 66 cm. long, 6 mm. thick, soon glabrous; cymes regular, much branched, diffuse, 2-5 dm. broad; bracts deciduous, ovate, obtuse; pedicels slender, 9-22 mm. long; staminate tepals 2, suborbicular, 6-8 mm. long, white or pale pink; stamens few, anthers narrowly obovate, equaling or longer than the filaments; pistillate flowers ebracteolate; pistillate tepals 2, like the staminate; ovary 3-celled, placentae bifid, ovuliferous on all sides, styles connate at base, distinctly divided, the stigmatic surface linear, spiral, continuous; capsule erect or somewhat nutant, broadly ovoid, 6-10 mm. long, wings very unequal, the largest ovate or deltoid, obtuse, to 15 mm. wide, seeds ellipsoid, blunt." (Flora of Guatemala)

Habitat/ecology:  "Damp thickets and forests, alt. 1-1,650 meters...." (Flora of Guatemala)

"After going briefly dormant in the fall, this attractive plant blooms from winter through spring in response to rains, which stimulate new growth. The plant prefers partial shade." (A Tropical Garden Flora, p. 177)

Propagation:  Propagation (horticultural): dividing the rootball; dividing rhizomes, tubers, corms or bulbs (including offsets); leaf cuttings; herbaceous stem cuttings; by seed (allow seedheads to dry on plants; remove and collect seeds); winter sow in vented containers, coldframe, or unheated greenhouse; or simple layering. (Dave's Garden)

Native range:  Mexico (CABI Invasive Species Compendium); Central America and Colombia (Hortipedia)

"southern Mexico southward to Colombia" (A Tropical Garden Flora, p. 177)

"Southern Mexico to Colombia." (Flora of Guatemala)

Impacts and invaded habitats:  If you know of other invaded habitats or impacts, please let us know.

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Cook Islands Cook Islands	Cook Islands		GBIF (year unknown) accessed 20180929
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced	Parker, J. L./Parsons, B. (2016) (p. 19) new naturalized record 15 April 2007; document accessed 20171220 naturalized
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	cultivated	Dave's Garden (year unknown) accessed 20180929
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced	Parker, J. L./Parsons, B. (2016) (p. 19) new naturalized record 09 March 2007; document accessed 20171220 naturalized

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Costa Rica (Republic of)		GBIF (year unknown) accessed 20180929
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	El Salvador (Republic of)		GBIF (year unknown) accessed 20180929
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Guatemala (Republic of)		GBIF (year unknown) accessed 20180929
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Panama (Republic of)		GBIF (year unknown) accessed 20180929
Central America Central America (non-Pacific rim)	Belize		GBIF (year unknown) accessed 20180929
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)	native	Skinner, D. (2014) accessed 20180929
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)		GBIF (year unknown) accessed 20180929
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Colombia		GBIF (year unknown) accessed 20180929
United States (west coast) United States (west coast states)	USA (California)		Dave's Garden (year unknown) accessed 20180929

Also reported from
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Caribbean Islands Caribbean Islands	Cuba	introduced invasive	Skinner, D. (2014) accessed 20180929, citing Oviedo Prieto R; Herrera Oliver P; Caluff MG, et al. , 2012. National list of invasive and potentially invasive plants in the Republic of Cuba - 2011. (Lista nacional de especies de plantas invasoras y potencialmente invasoras en la República de Cuba - 2011). Bissea: Boletín sobre Conservación de Plantas del Jardín Botánico Nacional de Cuba, 6(Special Issue 1):22-96.
Caribbean Islands Caribbean Islands	Cuba		GBIF (year unknown) accessed 20180929
Caribbean Islands Caribbean Islands	Puerto Rico	introduced	USDA/NRCS (year unknown) accessed 20180929
Caribbean Islands Caribbean Islands	Puerto Rico		GBIF (year unknown) accessed 20180929
Caribbean Islands Caribbean Islands	Puerto Rico	invasive cultivated	Randall, Rod (year unknown) accessed 20180929, "cultivation escape, weed"
Europe Europe	Belgium	cultivated	GBIF (year unknown) accessed 20180929
Europe Europe	Sweden		GBIF (year unknown) accessed 20180929
South America (non-Pacific rim) South America (non-Pacific rim)	Brazil		GBIF (year unknown) accessed 20180929
United States of America United States	United States		GBIF (year unknown) accessed 20180929
United States of America United States	United States	introduced invasive	Randall, Rod (year unknown) accessed 20180929, "naturalised"
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	United States (other states)		Dave's Garden (year unknown) accessed 20180929
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	USA (Florida)		Dave's Garden (year unknown) accessed 20180929
Venezuela Venezuela	Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)		GBIF (year unknown) accessed 20180929

Comments:  in Hawaii [implied by inclusion in book] (A Tropical Garden Flora, p. 177)

Control:  If you know of control methods for Begonia nelumbiifolia, please let us know.