Begonia orchidiflora Griff.

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 : 106

Begonia orchidiflora Griff. [sect. unknown]

Posthumous Papers bequeathed to the Honorable, the East India Company, and printed by order of the government of Bengal. Vol. 2: 38 ( Griffith 1848). – Type: India: Assam, Khasia mountains, Mamloo (1837) Griffith 627 (n.v.).

Taxonomic remarks

The type locality of Mamloo (Mawmluh) of this species is in the study area but the type or any other specimens could not be located, and the description is too brief to permit accurate application of the name. The flowers of B. labordei and allied species in sect. Diploclinium have a slight asymmetry and hence a passing resemblance to the outline of an orchid flower. It is important to note that the itinerary number given in the protologue (627) will differ to the East Indian Company’s Herbarium number, usually listed or cited with Griffith specimens.