Taxon:  Begonia cucullata Willd.



Summary
Genus:
Begonia
Section:
Begonia
Family:
Begoniaceae
Nomen number:
6643
Place of publication:
Sp. pl. 4(1):414.  1805
Verified:
11/13/2002 ARS Systematic Botanists.
Accessions:
13 (13  active, 7  available) in National Plant Germplasm System.  (Map it)
Other conspecific taxa
Begonia cucullata Willd. var. arenosicola (C. DC.) L. B. Sm. & B. G. Schub. (0 active accession[s])
Begonia cucullata Willd. var. cucullata (3 active accession[s])
Begonia cucullata Willd. var. spatulata (Lodd. et al.) Golding (0 active accession[s])
Autonyms (not in current use), synonyms and invalid designations
No images


Conservation Status

Reference(s)
  1. University of Georgia Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health
  2. Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)
  3. APHIS. Agricultural Risk Management System United States Department of Agriculture.
  4. Brako, L. & J. L. Zarucchi. 1993. Catalogue of the flowering plants and gymnosperms of Peru. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 45
  5. Cabrera, A. L., ed. 1965-1970. Flora de la provincia de Buenos Aires.
  6. Doorenbos, J. et al. 1998. The sections of Begonia. Agric. Univ. Wageningen Pap. 98-2:234.
  7. Dubs, B. 1998. Prodromus florae matogrossensis. Botany of Mato Grosso, series B, no. 3.
  8. Encke, F. et al. 1993. Zander: Handwörterbuch der Pflanzennamen, 14. Auflage
  9. Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
  10. Frohlich, D. & A. Lau. 2014. New plant records for the Hawaiian Islands 2012–2013. Bishop Mus. Occas. Pap. 115:8.
  11. Golding, J. & D. C. Wasshausen. 2002. Begoniaceae, edition 2. Part 1: annotated species list. Part II: illustrated key, abridgement and supplement. Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 43:37.
  12. Golding, J. 1982. Begonia nomenclature notes, 6. Begonia cucullata Willdenow and included species. Phytologia 50:330-356.
  13. Huxley, A., ed. 1992. The new Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening
  14. Hvoslef-Eide, A. K. & C. Munster. 2007. Chapter 9. Begonia. History & breeding. In: Anderson, N. O., Flower breeding and genetics. Issues, challenges and opportunities for the 21st Century. 241-275. Note: as Begonia semperflorens
  15. Jardín Botánico Nacional. 1998-. Flora de la República de Cuba
  16. Kiew, R. 2005. Begonias of peninsular Malaysia 286-288.
  17. Lehmann, N. L. & R. Sattler. 1996. Staminate floral development in Begonia cucullata var. hookeri and three double-flowering begonia cultivas, examples of homeosis. Canad. J. Bot. 74:1729-1741. Note: as Begonia cucullata var. hookeri and B. semperflorens
  18. Lim, T. K. 2014. Begonia cucullata var. cucullata. In: Lim, T. K., Edible medicinal and non-medicinal plants. Six volumes 7:551-555. Note: Springer Science+Business Media B
  19. Reitz, R., ed. 1965-. Flora ilustrada catarinense. Note: with three varieties
  20. Zuloaga, F. O. & O. Morrone, eds. 1996, 1999. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares de la República Argentina. I. Pteridophyta, Gymnospermae y Angiospermae (Monocotyledonae), II. Dicotyledonae. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 60, 74.
Common names
LanguageNameAlternate namenoteseqCitation
Englishwax begonia  1Hvoslef-Eide, A. K. & C. Munster. 2007. Chapter 9. Begonia. History & breeding. In: Anderson, N. O., Flower breeding and genetics. Issues, challenges and opportunities for the 21st Century. 241-275. Note: it recognizes Begonia cucullata s.l. (as Begonia semperflorens) as progenitor of ornamental hybrid cultivars
Portuguesebegônia-do-brejo  2Reitz, R., ed. 1965-. Flora ilustrada catarinense. Note: with three varieties
Spanishflor de nácar  2Cabrera, A. L., ed. 1965-1970. Flora de la provincia de Buenos Aires.
Swedishpärlemorbegonia  2Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)
Distribution
order_codeStatusContinentSubcontinentCountryStateNoteReference
1NativeSouthern AmericaBrazilBrazilBahia Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
1NativeSouthern AmericaBrazilBrazilEspírito Santo Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
1NativeSouthern AmericaBrazilBrazilGoiás Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
1NativeSouthern AmericaBrazilBrazilMato Grosso do Sul Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
1NativeSouthern AmericaBrazilBrazilParaná Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
1NativeSouthern AmericaBrazilBrazilRio de Janeiro Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
1NativeSouthern AmericaBrazilBrazilRio Grande do Sul Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
1NativeSouthern AmericaBrazilBrazilSanta Catarina Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
1NativeSouthern AmericaSouthern South AmericaArgentinaBuenos Aires Zuloaga, F. O. & O. Morrone, eds. 1996, 1999. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares de la República Argentina. I. Pteridophyta, Gymnospermae y Angiospermae (Monocotyledonae), II. Dicotyledonae. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 60, 74.
1NativeSouthern AmericaSouthern South AmericaArgentinaChaco Zuloaga, F. O. & O. Morrone, eds. 1996, 1999. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares de la República Argentina. I. Pteridophyta, Gymnospermae y Angiospermae (Monocotyledonae), II. Dicotyledonae. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 60, 74.
1NativeSouthern AmericaSouthern South AmericaArgentinaCorrientes Zuloaga, F. O. & O. Morrone, eds. 1996, 1999. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares de la República Argentina. I. Pteridophyta, Gymnospermae y Angiospermae (Monocotyledonae), II. Dicotyledonae. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 60, 74.
1NativeSouthern AmericaSouthern South AmericaArgentinaEntre Ríos Zuloaga, F. O. & O. Morrone, eds. 1996, 1999. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares de la República Argentina. I. Pteridophyta, Gymnospermae y Angiospermae (Monocotyledonae), II. Dicotyledonae. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 60, 74.
1NativeSouthern AmericaSouthern South AmericaArgentinaFormosa Zuloaga, F. O. & O. Morrone, eds. 1996, 1999. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares de la República Argentina. I. Pteridophyta, Gymnospermae y Angiospermae (Monocotyledonae), II. Dicotyledonae. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 60, 74.
1NativeSouthern AmericaSouthern South AmericaArgentinaJujuy Zuloaga, F. O. & O. Morrone, eds. 1996, 1999. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares de la República Argentina. I. Pteridophyta, Gymnospermae y Angiospermae (Monocotyledonae), II. Dicotyledonae. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 60, 74.
1NativeSouthern AmericaSouthern South AmericaArgentinaMisiones Zuloaga, F. O. & O. Morrone, eds. 1996, 1999. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares de la República Argentina. I. Pteridophyta, Gymnospermae y Angiospermae (Monocotyledonae), II. Dicotyledonae. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 60, 74.
1NativeSouthern AmericaSouthern South AmericaArgentinaSalta Zuloaga, F. O. & O. Morrone, eds. 1996, 1999. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares de la República Argentina. I. Pteridophyta, Gymnospermae y Angiospermae (Monocotyledonae), II. Dicotyledonae. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 60, 74.
1NativeSouthern AmericaSouthern South AmericaArgentinaSanta Fe Zuloaga, F. O. & O. Morrone, eds. 1996, 1999. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares de la República Argentina. I. Pteridophyta, Gymnospermae y Angiospermae (Monocotyledonae), II. Dicotyledonae. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 60, 74.
1NativeSouthern AmericaSouthern South AmericaArgentinaTucumán Zuloaga, F. O. & O. Morrone, eds. 1996, 1999. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares de la República Argentina. I. Pteridophyta, Gymnospermae y Angiospermae (Monocotyledonae), II. Dicotyledonae. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 60, 74.
1NativeSouthern AmericaSouthern South AmericaParaguay   
1NativeSouthern AmericaSouthern South AmericaUruguay  Zuloaga, F. O. & O. Morrone, eds. 1996, 1999. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares de la República Argentina. I. Pteridophyta, Gymnospermae y Angiospermae (Monocotyledonae), II. Dicotyledonae. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 60, 74.
2Cultivated    also cult. 
4Naturalized    natzd. elsewhere in tropics 
4NaturalizedPacificNorth-Central PacificUnited StatesHawaii Frohlich, D. & A. Lau. 2014. New plant records for the Hawaiian Islands 2012–2013. Bishop Mus. Occas. Pap. 115:8.
Native
Southern America
  • BRAZIL: Brazil [Bahia, Espírito Santo, Goiás, Mato Grosso do Sul, Paraná, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina]
  • SOUTHERN SOUTH AMERICA: Argentina [Buenos Aires, Chaco, Corrientes, Entre Ríos, Formosa, Jujuy, Misiones, Salta, Santa Fe, Tucumán], Paraguay, Uruguay
Cultivated (also cult.)
Naturalized

  • REGION:
Pacific
  • NORTH-CENTRAL PACIFIC: United States [Hawaii]

Reference(s)
  1. Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
  2. Frohlich, D. & A. Lau. 2014. New plant records for the Hawaiian Islands 2012–2013. Bishop Mus. Occas. Pap. 115:8.
  3. Zuloaga, F. O. & O. Morrone, eds. 1996, 1999. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares de la República Argentina. I. Pteridophyta, Gymnospermae y Angiospermae (Monocotyledonae), II. Dicotyledonae. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 60, 74.
Economic Uses
UsageTypeNoteReference
Environmentalornamental Reitz, R., ed. 1965-. Flora ilustrada catarinense. Note: with three varieties
Environmentalornamental Huxley, A., ed. 1992. The new Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening
Human foodvegetablepotentialLim, T. K. 2014. Begonia cucullata var. cucullata. In: Lim, T. K., Edible medicinal and non-medicinal plants. Six volumes 7:551-555. Note: this review mentions this taxon as a stoloniferous herb native to South America but invasive in Hawaii and La Reunion; all parts can be consumed either fresh or cooked; as an ornamental it has single or double number of sepaloid and petaloid appendages
Cite as: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2026. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
URL: https://npgstest.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=6643. Accessed 15 April 2026.