Herbaceous Plants
A division of the Camden Park catalogues that is poorly defined. Annuals and perennial herbs were included here. This is retained but Annuals are also separately identified.
Aquilegia vulgaris L.
Variable plant with flowers occurring in a range of colours in shades of blue and purple and also white. Hybridises readily with other species. To 60cm. [RHSD, Hortus]. See also Aquilegia atropurpurea Willd.
Aralia cachemirica Decne.
Herbaceous perennial with pinnate leaves and long panicles of white flowers. To 4.5m. [RHSD, Hortus].
Asclepias curassavica L.
Frost tender, evergreen sub-shrub, often grown as an annual, with upright branches and lance-shaped leaves, and axillary, umbel-like cymes of red or orange-red flowers, with orange-yellow hoods, from summer to autumn. To 1m. There is also a white-flowered form. [RHSE, Hortus].
Begonia albo-coccinea Hook.
It has a thickened rootstock, short, creeping stems, broadly ovate leaves, to 15cm long, and dense clusters of bright rose flowers, white inside. [RHSD].
Begonia coccinea Hook.
Large, sub-shrubby, cane-stemmed begonia with branching stems, ovate leaves, to 15cm long, reddish beneath and large coral-red flowers in drooping clusters. Parent of many hybrids and varieties. To 1m or more. [RHSE, Hortus].
Begonia cucullata Willd. var. hookeri (Sweet) L.B.Sm. & B.G.Schub.
Fibrous rooted begonia with green, creeping shoots, becoming erect, with small, round green leaves and ever-blooming white or pinkish flowers. Many cultivars exist, which are popular garden bedding and pot plants. To 45cm. Hookeri varies from the type in that the leaves are not curved at the base. There are many varieties, reflected in the extensive synonymy. [RHSD, Hortus, Krempin].
Begonia dipetala Graham
Thick-stemmed, upright, usually unbranched perennial, with medium, grass-green, toothed leaves with white spots, short hairs arising from the centre of some spots, red beneath, and axillary cymes of fragrant pale pinkish-white flowers in clusters on the stems from spring to summer. To 1.2m. [RHSD, Krempin].
Begonia fischeri Otto & A.Dietr.
This may be the plant referred to as Begonia Fischeri by Macarthur. It was reportedly grown largely for its very ornamental leaves, which are pinkish when young, with a silvery lustre which persists in the old leaves, which turn a delicate yellowish green. [BM t.3532/1836].
Begonia fischeri Schrank
Frost-tender, shrub-like perennial with a woody stem, small, smooth leaves, crimson beneath, and very small, bright pink flowers, usually in threes, in spring. A number of cultivars are available. To 90cm. [Krempin]. This is the plant referred to B. fischeri in Australia today.
Begonia fuschioides Hook.
Frost-tender, shrub-like fibrous-rooted begonia with slender stems and sickle-shaped, toothed leaves, with a reddish tinge when young, and elegant. drooping, fuchsia-like pink to red flowers in panicles in winter. To 75cm by 45cm. [RHSE, Hortus].
Begonia geraniifolia Hook.
Tuberous-rooted begonia with fleshy, purple-tinted stems, roundish, serrated to lobed, red-edged, green leaves and clusters of pinkish-white flowers. [Krempin].
Begonia hydrocotylifolia Otto ex Hook. var. hybrida
A pink-flowered hybrid. Begonia hydrocotylifolia, from Mexico, is a rhizomatous begonia with hairy leaves and small rose-pink flowers in open, long-stalked clusters. [RHSD, Hortus].
Begonia insignis Graham
Fibrous rooted begonia with an erect stem, swollen at the nodes and spotted, toothed, slender pointed leaves and abundant rose-coloured flowers. [RHSD, Hortus].
Begonia maculata Raddi
Frost-tender perennial with cane-like stems, long, smooth, oval, silver-spotted, wavy-edged green leaves, red beneath, and pink flowers from spring to autumn. A number of cultivars are available. To 1m. [RHSD, Hortus, Krempin, FC p.272/1846].
Begonia manicata Brongn.
Frost-tender, erect, rhizomatous begonia with medium, toothed, smooth, fresh green leaves with paler veins, red beneath, a collar of red bristles topping the leaf stem, and soft pink flowers in loose panicles held above the leaves, in winter and spring. A number of cultivars are available. To 60cm. [RHSE, Hortus, Krempin].
