Clubbed begonia

Begonia cucullata, commonly known as the wax begonia or clubbed begonia, is a herbaceous succulent plant in the family Begoniaceae native to South America, particularly southern Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina. It is one of the most widely cultivated ornamental plants globally, grown as bedding, container, and houseplants in temperate regions worldwide. Plants produce fleshy, waxy green or bronze leaves that are asymmetric at the base, a characteristic feature of the genus Begonia. Flowers are white to pink or red, borne in cymose inflorescences, with male and female flowers produced on the same plant. In its native range, B. cucullata grows along stream banks, in forest margins, and in rocky areas with adequate moisture. The species is day-neutral for flowering, tolerating a wide range of light conditions, and is used extensively in horticultural hybridization to produce the many cultivated wax begonia varieties sold worldwide. As a diploid species with a relatively small genome, B. cucullata has also served as a model organism in studies of begonia genetics and evolution. It is naturalized across many tropical and subtropical regions outside its native South American range.