Begonia bosuangiana S.Julia, 2015

Repin, Rimi, Sang, Julia, Kiew, Ruth & Mujih, Handry, 2015, Eleven new species of Begonia (Begoniaceae) from the Crocker Range, Sabah, Malaysia, Phytotaxa 208 (1), pp. 1-20 : 6-7

3. Begonia bosuangiana S.Julia , spec. nov. ( Figure 4 )

Sect. Petermannia

Like Begonia crockerensis Rimi in its creeping habit and small rounded leaves, it differs in being softly hairy with erect magenta hairs (not glabrous as in B. crockerensis ), the margin being minutely toothed (not wavy or shallowly crenate), and in its larger fruit, 5–6 × 9–12 mm, with unequal wings, one being significantly larger (not smaller fruits, 4–6 × 6–12 mm, with equal wings).

Type:— MALAYSIA. Borneo. Sabah. Penampang District: Crocker Range, Kipandi Butterfly Park, 26 Aug 2014, Julia & Kiew KNP 36813 (holotype SNP!).

Low herb, erect apex ca. 4 cm tall. Stem ca. 3 mm thick, magenta, hirsute covered with magenta hairs, slightly succulent; internodes 1–1.5 mm long. Stipules magenta, hispid outside and on the margin, broadly lanceolate, ca. 6 × 4 mm, margin ciliate, apex acute, persistent. Leaves alternate, slightly oblique, distant, held horizontally; petiole magenta, hirsute covered with magenta hairs, ca. 2.3 cm long, terete; lamina plain bronzy above, deep magenta beneath, hispid on upper surface, hairs magenta, hispid on the veins underneath, thinly fleshy when fresh, matt, broadly ovate, slightly asymmetric, ca. 5 × 5.3 cm, broad side ca. 3.2 cm wide, base rounded, basal lobes 4–5 mm long, not overlapping, margin serrate, apex acuminate, acumen ca. 4 mm long; venation palmate-pinnate, veins concolorous, 4 on each side of midrib, branched once or twice, glabrous on upper surface, hispid beneath, deeply impressed above, prominent beneath. Inflorescences protogynous, axillary, glabrous, reddish, erect, racemose, rachis ca. 7 cm long, peduncle ca. 3.5 cm long. Bracts pale green, ca. 3 × 2 mm, caducous; bracteoles translucent white, lanceolate, 1–2.5 × 1–2 mm, margin entire, caducous. Female flower: pedicel ca. 1 mm long, white, glabrous; ovary white, deltoid, ca. 2.5 × 2 mm, wings 3, equal, ca. 1.5 mm wide, locules 3, placenta bilamellate with many ovules on both surfaces; tepals 5, white, oval, outer tepals ca. 3 × 2 mm, inner tepals ca. 3 × 1.5 mm, margin entire, apex acute; styles 3, pale yellow, ca. 1.8 mm long, Y-shaped, divided to base; stigma pale yellow, papillose forming a continuous twisted band. Male flower: pedicel red, ca. 8 mm long; tepals 4, white, glabrous, margin entire, outer 2 tepals obovate, ca. 9 × 5 mm, apex rounded, inner 2 tepals oblanceolate, ca. 7 × 3 mm, apex rounded; stamens ca. 15, cluster subglobose, stalked ca. 0. 5 mm long; filament lemon yellow, ca. 1.5 mm long; anthers yellow, obovate, ca. 1 × 0.5 mm, apex emarginate. Capsule: pedicel pendent, 6–10 mm long; fruit 5–6 × 9–12 mm, glabrous, locules 3, wings 3, unequal, rounded at the apex, narrowed at the base, truncate distally, long wings 6–9 mm wide, shorter ones 5–6 mm wide, very thin, dehiscing between locules and wings. Seed: oblong, ca. 0.2 × 0.1 mm, columnar cells more than half the length of seed.

Distribution:— MALAYSIA, Borneo, Sabah, Penampang District. Endemic in Kipandi.

Habitat:—Lowland forest at 300 m elevation, growing at the edge of the stream on forest floor.

Etymology:—Named in honour of Dr Steven Bosuang, entomologist, whose Kipandi Butterfly Park, Moyog, Penampang District, showcases not only native butterflies and beetles but also a wide range of flora including begonias.

Notes:—This species is at present growing in the Kipandi Butterfly Park from which the type specimen was made. Further specimens for distribution need to be collected.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Begonia bosuangiana. A & B. Habit of green form plant with unopened flowers; C. Fruiting plant of the bronze form; D. Leaves with erect magenta hairs; E. Inflorescences; F. Male flower; G. Female flower. Photos A, C & D from KNP 36813 by Julia Sang; photos B, E–G by Yabainus Juhalin.