Begonia wattii C.B.Clarke, 1890

Camfield, Rebecca & Hughes, Mark, 2018, A revision and one new species of Begonia L. (Begoniaceae, Cucurbitales) in Northeast India, European Journal of Taxonomy 396, pp. 1-116 : 97-100

Begonia wattii C.B.Clarke [sect. Parvibegonia]

Figs 61–62

Journal of the Linnean Society, Botany 25: 26 ( Clarke 1890). – Type: India, Nagaland, Naga Hills, Nichuguard, 1885, Clarke 40859 (lecto-: K000761474, here designated; isolecto-: BM).

Citations in other publications

Fischer (1938: 98), Deb (1961: 285), Chauhan (2000: 427), Kumar (2002: 655), Uddin (2007: 595).

Other material

INDIA: Manipur: North Munipur, Moa, 27 Oct. 1880, Clarke 41414A ( K); ibid., 27 Oct. 1880, Clarke 41414C ( BM); Haitook Mokeng, 25 Nov. 1885, Clarke 42124 ( K). Mizoram: Lawngtalai-Kawlchaw, Singh 92853 (n.v.). Nagaland: Cheswezumi, 24 Nov. 1935, Ward 12543 ( BM); Naga Hills, Kohima, 2 Sep. 1950, Koelz 26212 ( MICH); ibid., 2 Sep. 1950, Koelz 26231 ( MICH); Naga Hills, Nichuguard, 17 Oct. 1885, Clarke 40873 (syn K); ibid., Clarke 40873B ( BM); Naga Hills, Themoketsa, 19 Sep. 1955, Bor 6176 ( K).

Description

Tuberous, monoecious herb, up to 20 cm high. Stipules: lanceolate, ca 7 × 2 mm, villose, caduceus. Leaves: petiole 5–11 cm long, densely to sparsely pale villose; lamina ovate to broadly ovate, basifixed, base cordate with lobes not overlapping, 3–15.5 × 2–11.5 cm, slightly asymmetric, upper surface green, or green with red markings following the veins, strigose to hirsute all over, underside green with red about veins, villose all over, denser on main veins, venation palmate, midrib 2–14 cm long; margin denticulate with larger teeth at end of main veins, with long hairs; apex short acuminate. Inflorescence: cymose, terminal, few to many; peduncle sparsely pilose, branching 2–3 times, primary 3–7 cm, secondary 1–2 cm, tertiary 5–10 mm, with 2– 4 female and 4– 6 male flowers; bracts lanceolate, 3–4 × 1–2 mm, villose, margin entire, with long hairs, persistent. Male flower: pedicel 9–15 mm long, villose; tepals 4; outer tepals ovate to orbicular, 7–13 × 5–9 mm, white to pale pink, pilose on reverse, denser near base, margin finely denticulate to entire; inner tepals obovate, 6–10 × 4–6 mm, white to pale pink, glabrous; androecium with 20–30 stamens, symmetric; filaments 0.5–1.5 mm long, unequal, fused at base into a short column; anther oblong-obovate to elliptic, 1 mm long, dehiscing through short slits near the tip, not hooded, connective not extended. Female flower: pedicel 4–12 mm long, densely pilose; bracteoles absent; tepals 5, equal, ovate, 7–9 × 4–6 mm, white to pink, sparsely pilose on reverse or glabrous, margin entire, inner tepals similar yet smaller and glabrous; ovary 2-locular, placentae bifid, capsule turbinate, 4–5 × 2–3 mm, sparsely pilose, with one long triangular wing and two very small oblongtriangular wings; styles 2, convoluted with ends twisted once, persistent. Fruit: pendulous; capsule narrowly ellipsoid to turbinate, 8–15 × 3–5 mm, sparsely pilose to glabrous; wings extending along the pedicel slightly, unequal, triangular; longest wing broad triangle, 9–20 × 8–14 mm; shortest wing oblong or triangular-oblong, 1–3 × 2–10 mm.

Distribution and phenology

Endemic to the hills bordering Northeast India and Myanmar; 150–1650 m. Flowering: September to October; fruiting: September to November.

Conservation status

Data Deficient. Due to habitat loss around Kohima more recent data is required for the distribution of B. watti . Data is also required on the distribution of this species in the Arakan Mountains.

Remarks

The peduncle can easily double in length between flowering and fruiting; due to this elongation it appears almost glabrous. The closest ally to B. wattii in the study area is B. brevicaulis ; see notes under that species for distinguishing characters. Due to the patterned leaves it could potentially be confused with B. picta but this species has larger fruit with longer denser hairs and outer tepals that have a serrated margin.

Clarke 40859 was chosen as the lectotype as it has both flowers and fruit present on the specimen and the fruit resemble the drawing from the protologue (see Fig. 62 ).

Nichuguard is now part of the growing town Chumukedima near Dimapur and the type locality is most likely lost for this species.

Figures

Fig. 62. Illustration of B. watti C.B.Clarke by J. Allen (Clarke 1890). a. Fruit dissection. b. Diagram of fruit cross-section. Image courtesy of RBGE library and Lynsey Wilson.