Begonia condorensis Jara & Moonlight, 2023

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 : 50-53

6. Begonia condorensis Jara & Moonlight sp. nov.

urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:77323287-1

Figs 20 , 21A

Diagnosis

Begonia condorensis sp. nov. is most similar to B. valvata L.B.Sm. & B.G.Schub. but differs in its number of stamens (4–6 vs 4); the apices of the tepals of the staminate flowers (rounded to truncate vs retuse); the shape of its leaf laminae (lanceolate to oblanceolate vs oblong); and the indumentum on the underside of the leaves (sparsely pilose vs densely villous).

Etymology

Begonia condorensis sp. nov. is endemic to the Cordillera del Cóndor, which spans the borders of Peru and Ecuador. It is named for this mountain range.

Type

PERU – Cajamarca Region: Prov. San Ignacio • Dist. Huarango, Cordillera Huarango (prolongación al sur de la Cordillera del Cóndor), Sector El Romerillo ; 5°16′17″ S, 78°40′13″ W; 2060 m a.s.l.; 24 Apr. 2006; E. Rodríguez, S. Orroyo, J. Nuñez & L. Campos 2996; holotype: HUT [ HUT44721 ]; isotypes: HUT [ HUT44721 ], MO [ MO-2194463 ], US [ US00951218 ], QCNE [ QCNE0220802 ].

Specimens examined

ECUADOR – Prov. Santiago -Zamora • Dist. Palanda, Región de la Cordillera del Cóndor , sector Sur , Parroquia San Francisco de Vergel , Margen izqueirdo del río Vergel , pantano; 4°43′01″ S, 78°57′47″ W; 1800 m a.s.l.; 13 Mar. 2005; W. Quizhpe, B. Medina, C. Aguirre & M. Prado 1013; HUT [ HUT45696 ], MO [ MO-2135430 ].

PERU – Cajamarca Region: Prov. San Ignacio • Dist. Huarango, Nuevo Mundo , Caserío Pisaguas , a 2 horas del poblado y al norte, margen derecha quebrada Santa Rosa; 5°10′ S, 78°32′ W; 1700 m a.s.l.; E. Rodríguez R. 1900; HUT, MO [ MO-1100939 ], US [ US00843967 ] • Dist. Huarango, Cordillera Huarango (El Romerillo) , Base cordillera en el lado oriental; 5°16′17.1″ S, 78°40′13.5″ W; 2062 m a.s.l.; S. Arroyo A. & E. Rodríguez R. 171; HUT.

Description

Caulescent herb, to 50 cm high. Stem erect, branching; internodes to 5.5 cm long, to 3 mm thick, succulent, green, sparsely to densely pilose. Stipules deciduous, lanceolate to elliptic, 5–20 × 1–5 mm, apex acute, mucronate, translucent, brown, glabrous, margin entire, aciliate. Leaves 5–10 per stem, alternate, basifixed; petiole 0.2–1.5 cm long, green, sparsely to densely villous; blade subsymmetric, lanceolate to oblanceolate, to 13 × 4.5 cm, membranaceous, apex acuminate, base dimidiate, the largest side rounded, the narrow side cuneate and up to 5 mm further along the petiole, margin serrate, ciliate, upper surface green, sparsely pilose, lower surface green, glabrous to sparsely pilose, sparsely pilose on the veins, veins pinnate, with 6–10 secondary veins on the larger side, 5–7 secondary veins on the smaller side. Inflorescences 1 per stem, bisexual, axillary, erect, cymose, with 4 branches, bearing up to 4 staminate flowers and 1 pistillate flower, protandrous; peduncle to 3.5 cm long, sparsely villous, bracts deciduous, elliptic to ovate, 3–10 × 1–4 mm, translucent, red to orange, glabrous, apex rounded, margin entire to serrate at the apex, aciliate to ciliate at the apex. Staminate flowers: pedicels to 17 mm long, densely villous; tepals 4, projecting, outer 2 ovate, 8–13 × 4–10 mm, apex rounded to truncate, orange to red, glabrous, margin entire, aciliate, inner 2 elliptic, 7–17 × 3–6 mm, apex acute to truncate, orange to red, glabrous, margin entire, aciliate; stamens 4–6, projecting, white, filaments 2–4 mm long, free, anthers ellipsoid, ca 3 × 0.5 mm, dehiscing via lateral slits, connectives extended to 0.2 mm, symmetrically basifixed. Pistillate flowers: pedicels to 8 mm long; bracteoles lacking; tepals 5, subequal, persistence unknown, projecting, the largest ovate, 9–17 × 4–10 mm, apex acute rounded, orange to red, glabrous, margin entire, aciliate, the smallest elliptic to ovate, 9–14 × 1.5–5 mm, apex acute to rounded, orange to red, glabrous, margin entire, aciliate; ovary body obdeltoid, 3–5 × 4–6 mm, orange to red, sparsely villous, equally 3-winged, wings horn-shaped, ca 2 × 8 mm; 3-locular, placentae unknown; styles 3, orange to red, fused at the base, 7–8 mm long, irregularly 5 times divided, stigmatic papillae in a spirally-twisted band. Fruiting pedicel unknown. Fruit unknown.

Proposed conservation assessment

Known from three localities in the Cordillera del Cóndor and with an EOO of 720 km 2. The Cordillera is partially deforested on its Western flank in Peru and Ecuador, but extensive forest remains elsewhere. It is likely that B. condorensis sp. nov. is found in much of this habitat. We were unable to locate the species at its type locality during fieldwork in 2016 but this is likely because it is common only in specific microhabitats. Given its small range, few known localities, and the deforestation on the west of the Cordillera del Cóndor, we assess B. condorensis sp. nov. as Vulnerable (VU B2ab(iii)).

Identification notes

Within Peru, B. condorensis sp. nov. is the only species with pinnately veined leaves and <10 stamens. It superficially resembles B. urticae , especially relatively glabrous individuals with relatively membranaceous leaves, B. urticae differs in its much smaller staminate (up to 8 mm long vs up to 17 mm long) and pistillate tepals (up to 6 mm long versus up to 17 mm long).

Notes

The fruits of B. condorensis sp. nov. remain unknown. A single duplicate of the specimen E. Rodríguez R. 1900 (MO [MO-1100939]) has a relatively mature pistillate flower with a well-developed ovary. This suggests that the fruit is similar to that of B. valvata , which is a large, three-horned capsule with a large apical column. In contrast to the fruits of B. valvata , the horns of B. condorensis sp. nov. are most likely projecting rather than reflexed.

Distribution and ecology

Known from Ecuador and Peru and collected in the Ecuadorian Province of Santiago-Zamora and the border of Cajamarca and Amazonas Regions in Peru ( Fig. 21A ). Found within lower and middle montane forest at an elevation of 1700–2062 m a.s.l. Like other species in B. sect. Casparya , B. condorensis sp. nov. is found in shaded humid microhabitats, including around waterfalls, and its horned fruits appear adapted for dispersal by water drops.

Figures

Fig. 20. Begonia condorensis Jara & Moonlight sp. nov. A. Habit. B. Staminate flower, front view. C. Staminate flower, side. D. Pistillate flower, front view. E. Style and stigma. Illustration by Anna Dorward from E. Rodríguez 2996 (US).

Fig. 21. Distribution of Begonia sect. Casparya (Klotzsch) Warb. in Peru and surrounding countries. A. B. condorensis Jara & Moonlight sp. nov. (red) and B. hirta (Klotzsch) L.B.Sm. & B.G.Schub. (blue). B. B. urticae L.f. (red). Black lines indicate country borders, grey lines indicate major administrative divisions, blue lines indicate rivers, and shading indicates elevation.