Begonia dregei

9.9

A small flowering plant from South Africa with thick underground roots, slightly lobed oval leaves, and small white flowers

noun

Specialized

: begonia dregei

The Begonia dregei is prized by collectors for its distinctive foliage and delicate flowers.

Examples

Because of its tuberous roots, Begonia dregei requires well-draining soil to thrive.
With its shallowly lobed leaves, Begonia dregei adds a unique touch to any garden.
She grew a Begonia dregei in her greenhouse alongside other rare begonia species.
The Begonia dregei is a beautiful plant.
Many gardeners love Begonia dregei for its unique leaves.
In her collection, she proudly displayed a rare Begonia dregei, admired for its small white flowers.
Caring for a Begonia dregei involves providing it with bright, indirect light and regular watering.

Synonyms

grape-leaf begonia

vsBegonia dregei

South African

8.2

A South African flowering plant with rounded leaves that have shallow lobes and small white flowers

is the scientific species name for the same plant

maple-leaf begonia

vsBegonia dregei

South African

9.0

A flowering plant with shallow lobed leaves like a maple and white flowers

refers to the same species but does not stress maple likeness

Surface Forms

Begonia dregei singular

Begonia dregeis plural

Morphology

Begonia + dregei

This is a scientific binomial name where 'Begonia' identifies the genus and 'dregei' functions as a specific epithet (a label). A B1 learner who knows 'Begonia' and recognizes the second element as a proper name can transparently infer that the phrase refers to a particular type/species of begonia, even though the epithet itself has no independent lexical meaning.

Etymology

The plant Begonia dregei gets its name from two people: Begonia comes from Michel Bégon, a French plant lover, and dregei was added for the plant collector Drege who found it in South Africa. So the name tells you it is a begonia and 'honours' the person who discovered it.