Begonia smithiana T. T. Yu ex Irmsch.

Herbs. Rhizomes elongate, 5-10 mm in diam. Stems very short. Leaves mostly basal; stipules ovate, 3.5-5 × 2-3 mm, subglabrous, apex acuminate; petiole sometimes reddish, to 25 cm, sparsely to densely hairy; blade sometimes purple-red on veins, ovate to broadly ovate, rarely oblong-ovate, asymmetric, (3.5-)5-9(-12) × 3-5(-8) cm, abaxially hirsute, adaxially sparsely hispidulous, venation palmate, 6- or 7-veined, base oblique cordate, margin irregularly serrate, very shallowly lobed, apex caudate or acuminate. Inflorescences 12-20(-30) cm tall, subglabrous. Staminate flowers: pedicel 1.2-2.0 cm; tepals 4, pinkish, outer 2 broadly ovate, 1-1.4 × 0.8-1.6 cm, abaxially hairy, inner 2 oblong-ovate, 0.6-1.3 cm × 3-9 mm; stamens 68-81; filaments 1-3.9 mm, fused at base; anthers obovoid, 1-1.7 mm. Pistillate flowers: pedicel 1.2-1.5 cm; tepals 5, pinkish, largest broadly ovate, 8-14 × 7-13 mm, abaxially pilose, smallest narrowly elliptic to oblong-obovate, 4-14 × 2-10 mm; ovary sparsely hairy, 2-loculed; placentae axile, bilamellate; styles 2, fused to 2/3, ca. 4.7 mm; stigmas 2-cleft, spiraled. Capsule nodding, obovoid-globose, unequally 3-winged; abaxial wing subtriangular, ca. 1.5 cm, apex obtuse; lateral wings smaller. Fl. Aug, fr. Sep.

Guizhou, Hubei, Hunan, Sichuan.

● Forests or scrubby vegetation, on rocks in shaded moist environments along streams or in valleys; 700-1300 m.