I am a newbie to begonia. Is there a difference between a rex begonia and a beefsteak begonia. Is beefsteak a cultivar name? It seems like in the plant files I can find beefsteak under rex and rhizomatous begonias.
Rex versus beefsteak begonia-a nomenclature question
Rex is a rhizomatous begonia but not all rhizomatous begonias are rex (like cactus and succulents). Rexes are noted for their colorful leaves and get their genes from the orignal rex species found in India.
A beefsteak begonia is a common name but the latin name is a mouthful - B. 'Erythrophylla' and is not a rex. Similarly the lettuce leaf begonia is B. 'Bunchii'.
Plant files have all kinds of mistakes in them so use at your own risk.