Begonia is a genus of perennial flowering plants in the family Begoniaceae, containing more than 2000 species. In China, 288 species (including subspecies, varieties and natural hybrid species) have been recognized.
During a field survey of Pingxiang, Guangxi in November 2020, researchers from Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden (XTBG) collected an unknown Begonia species with relatively small leaves on a limestone mountain, and brought it into cultivation in the garden.
After consultation of herbarium specimens and review of relevant literature, the researchers confirmed that the species was new to science. They named it as Begonia pingxiangensis to refer to the type locality in Pingxiang City, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China.
The new species was published in Taiwania.
Begonia pingxiangensis is a perennial herb to 20 cm tall. It resembles Begonia daxinensis in the leaf and flower, but can be distinguished by its leaf blade shape (ovate to broadly ovate vs obliquely ovate to suborbicular), size (4–8 × 3–7 cm vs 10–24 × 10–17 cm), flower color (white vs white or pinkish), smaller
staminate flower and pistillate flower (outer two tepals 7–8 × 8–10 mm; inner one 3–4 × 2 mm vs outer two tepals 10–15 × 10–12 mm; inner one 5–7.5 × 2–5 mm) sizes.
The new species is endemic to Guangxi, China, and currently only known from Puzhai Community, Youyi Town, Pingxiang City. It grows on rock surface under the forest of karst mountains at an elevation of 320 meters.
Begonia pingxiangensis is only known from the type locality with 5 small subpopulations of less than 60 mature individuals in nearly 2 km2. The researchers thus assessed its conservation status as Endangered (EN), based on the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria.
Begonia pingxiangensis (Image by XI Houcheng)
Begonia pingxiangensis (Image by XI Houcheng)
Contact
WANG Wenguang
Department of Gardening and Horticulture, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Mengla, Yunnan 666303, China
E-mail: wangwenguang@xtbg.ac.cn
Published : 01 January 2025
