Begonia is one of the largest and fastest-growing genera of flowering plants. Yunnan province of China and its adjacent countries (Vietnam, Laos, and Myanmar) are recognized as one of the richest areas for Begonia diversity. 

During the botanical surveys in 2022 of the China–Myanmar transboundary region in Yunnan, researchers from Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden (XTBG) collected an unknown Begonia species from the Nangunhe National Nature Reserve of Cangyuan Va Autonomous County. The tuberous habit with stolons between tubers revealed that the novel species is a member of Begonia sect. Stolonifera. 

After careful taxonomic studies of the genus and comparison of the unknown species with similar species, the researchers confirmed it as a new species of Begonia. They named it as Begonia cangyuanensis to refer to the distribution of the new species in Cangyuan Va Autonomous County, Yunnan province and published it in Nordic Journal of Botany.  

Begonia cangyuanensis is a tuberous and creeping herb. It is stoloniferous, deciduous,about 5-20 cm tall. The new species is similar to B. dioica in its tuberous habit with red stolons between tubers, but significantly differs in having two bracteoles under the ovary (versus absent) and four tepals of the female flower (versus three tepals). It is also similar to B. yui in having two bracteoles under the ovary, but it is clearly distinguished by its tuberous habit with red stolons between tubers (versus absent) and four tepals of the female flower (versus five tepals). 

The new species is endemic to Cangyuan, Yunnan. It was found growing in moist moss surfaces on steep rocky slopes. Due to insufficient field surveys, the natural distribution and population status of B. cangyuanensis is not clear. The researchers thus asses the conservation status of the new species as data deficient (DD) according to the IUCN red list categories. 

Contact 

TAN Yunhong  Principal Investigator         

Center for Integrative Conservation, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Mengla, Yunnan 666303, China              

E-mail: tyh@xtbg.org.cn 

Begonia cangyuanensis. (Image by DING Hongbo) 

Begonia cangyuanensis. (Image by DING Hongbo) 

Begonia cangyuanensis. (Image by DING Hongbo) 

Begonia cangyuanensis. (Image by DING Hongbo) 

First published: 27 April 2023