Begonia erythrothrix Tebbitt & Moonlight

Moonlight, Peter. W., Jara-Muñoz, Orlando A., Purvis, David A., Delves, Jay, Allen, Josh P. & Reynel, Carlos, 2023, The genus Begonia (Begoniaceae) in Peru, European Journal of Taxonomy 881, pp. 1-334 : 292-293

72. Begonia erythrothrix Tebbitt & Moonlight

Fig. 90A

Edinburgh Journal of Botany 74 (2): 116 ( Moonlight & Tebbitt 2016).

– Type: PERU – Cusco Region: Prov. La Convención • Dist. Echarate, E río Apurimac , NE Pueblo Libre, up mountain of Anchihuay & Bellavista, south Cordillera Vilcabamba ; 12°51′ S, 73°30′ W; 2445 m a.s.l.; 3 Aug. 1998; P. Nuñez, R. de la Colina & S. Udvardy 23400; holotype: CUZ; isotypes: US [ US00625233 ], USM.

Etymology

The epithet derives from the Greek words ‘ erythro ’ and ‘ thrix ’, meaning the ‘red haired’ Begonia .

Specimen examined

PERU – Cusco Region: Prov. La Convención • Knox’s cascade , ca 2 km NW of camp 2½; 12°38′ S, 73°03′ W; 29 Jun. 1968; T.R. Dudley 10618; US [ US01925935 ].

Description

Acaulescent, rhizomatous herb, to 15 cm high. Rhizome ellipsoid, 0.1–0.8 × 4 cm, with numerous growing points. Stipules persistent, ovate, 0.3–1 × 0.2–0.4 mm, apex acute, opaque, brown, glabrous, margin entire, aciliate. Leaves 1–4, alternate, basifixed; petiole 1.2–10.5 cm long, colour unknown, densely hispid, hairs red; blade asymmetrical, ovate, to 11 × 6 cm, succulent, apex acuminate, base cordate, basal lobes not overlapping, sinus to 10 mm deep, margin serrate, ciliate, upper surface yellow-green, pink to red on the veins, sparsely pubescent, lower surface red-purple maculate, sparsely to moderately pubescent, veins palmate, ca 6 veined from the base. Inflorescences 1–3, bisexual, axillary, erect, an asymmetrical cyme, with 4 branches, bearing up to 4 staminate flowers and 4 pistillate flowers, protandrous; peduncle to 11.5 cm long, colour unknown, moderately glandular hispid, bracts late deciduous, ovate, ca 3 × 1–2 mm, opaque, colour unknown, glabrous, apex acute, apiculate, margin entire, aciliate. Staminate flowers: pedicels to 18 mm long, glabrous; tepals 4, spreading, outer 2 elliptic, 0.6–2 × 0.3–1 mm, apex obtuse, white tinged pink or red, glabrous, margin entire, aciliate, inner 2 obovate, 0.6–2.2 × 0.3–1.2 mm, apex obtuse, white, glabrous, margin entire, aciliate; stamens 15–30, projecting, yellow, filaments 1–2 mm long, fused into a 2–3 mm long column, anthers sub-globose, 0.5–0.75 × 0.5 mm long, dehiscing via lateral slits, connectives not projecting, symmetrically basifixed. Pistillate flowers: pedicels to 1.8 mm long; bracteoles lacking; tepals 5, subequal, deciduouss in fruit, spreading, the largest ovate to elliptic, 6.5–13 × 4–7 mm, apex subacute, white, glabrous, margin entire, aciliate, the smallest elliptic, 6.5–1.3 × 0.6–9.5 mm, apex obtuse, white, glabrous, margin entire, aciliate; ovary body broadly ellipsoid, 3–10 × 2–5 mm, colour unknown, glabrous, unequally 3-winged, wings subtriangular, largest 3–10 × 2–7 mm, smallest 3–10 × 2–4 mm; 3-locular, placentae unknown; styles 3, yellow, fused at the base, 2.5–4 mm long, 2-lobed, stigmatic papillae in a spiral band. Fruiting pedicel to 22 mm long. Fruit body ovoid, to 10 × 10 mm, drying brown, wings same shape and size as in ovary.

Proposed conservation assessment

Assessed by Moonlight & Tebbitt (2016) as Data Deficient (DD).

Identification notes

Begonia erythrothrix is the only Begonia species in Peru with a creeping, aboveground rhizome; four tepals on the staminate flower; and an indumentum of red, hispid hairs.

Distribution and ecology

Endemic to Peru and Cusco Region ( Fig. 90A ) where it is found in middle and possibly lower montane Forest at an elevation of ca 1150–2445 m a.s.l. Begonia erythrothrix is rhizomatous and may die back to its rhizome at some point of the year. The species has been collected in flower and fruit in June and July.

Figures

Fig. 90. Distribution of the Begonia sect. Ignota in Peru and surrounding countries. A. B. bifurcata L.B.Sm. & B.G.Schub. (red), B. erythrothrix Tebbitt & Moonlight (red), and B. occultata J.P.Allen & Moonlight sp. nov. (green). B. B. speculum Moonlight & Tebbitt (red), B. thyrsoidea Irmsch., and B. urubambensis Tebbitt (green). Black lines indicate country borders, grey lines indicate major administrative divisions, blue lines indicate rivers, and shading indicates elevation.