Begonia lamolina 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 : 84-86

13. Begonia lamolina Moonlight

Figs 2E , 24D , 30

Phytotaxa 381 (1): 121 ( Moonlight & Reynel 2018).

– Type: PERU – Amazonas Region: Prov. Bongará • Dist. Yambrasbamba, road from Amazonas to Rioja ; 5°41′52″ S, 77°48′35″ W; 2301 m a.s.l.; 31 Jan. 2016; P.W. Moonlight & A. Daza 144; holotype: MOL; isotype: E [ E00934305 ] .

Etymology

This species was named for the staff at MOL herbarium of the Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina in Lima. The staff of this institute and in particular Carlos Reynel and Aniceto Daza have supported much of the recent work in Peruvian Begonia taxonomy.

Specimens examined

PERU – Amazonas Region: Prov. Bongará • Dist. Yambrasbamba, Road from Bagua to Rioja ; 5°41′16″ S, 77°47′10″ S, 2075 m a.s.l.; 3 Jul. 2018; P.W. Moonlight 1259; E, USM • Dist. Yambrasbamba, Road from Amazonas to Rioja ; 5°41′42″ S, 77°48′18″ W; 2261 m a.s.l.; 31 Jan. 2016; P.W. Moonlight & A. Daza 146; E [ E00959584 ], MOL • Límites con el departamento de San Martín , adelante de El Progreso, inmediaciones de la Reserva Abra Patricia, borde de carretera y entrandopor las quebradas; 5°41′58″ S, 77°48′02″ W; 2231 m a.s.l.; 12 Feb. 2017; A. Orejuela, M. Cueva & J. Castillo 2758; USM . – San Martín Region: Prov. Rioja • Dist. Pardo Miguel, Road from Pedro Ruiz to Rioja. Km 383 , 5°39′49″ S, 77°45′10″ S, 4 Jul. 2018; P.W. Moonlight 1268; E, USM • Dist. Pardo Miguel, Path through chacre from km 182 of road from Pedro Ruiz to Rioja , ca 500 m from trail head; 5°40′01″ S, 77°45′13″ S; 1801 m a.s.l.; 4 Jul. 2018; P.W. Moonlight 1266; E, USM . – Cultivated • Grown in the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh from P.W. Moonlight & A. Daza 146 , RBGE Living Accession 20180174; 5 Mar. 2018; P.W. Moonlight 1142; E .

Description

Caulescent herb, to 30 cm high. Stem erect, occasionally branching; internodes to 7.5 cm long, to 5 mm thick, succulent, green to red, glabrous to sparsely pilose. Stipules deciduous, lanceolate, 11–5 × 3–9 mm, apex acute translucent, light green, glabrous, margin entire, aciliate, base surrounded by pilose hairs. Leaves> 5, alternate, basifixed; petiole 2.5–8 cm long, green to pale, densely pilose; blade asymmetric, ovate, to 12 × 8.5 cm, subsucculent, apex obtuse to rounded, base cordate, basal lobes not overlapping, sinus to 7 mm deep, margin irregularly-dentate, ciliate, upper surface green with red veins, glabrous to densely pilose, lower surface pale green, sparsely to densely pilose, veins palmate but with 1 primary vein, 7–9 veined from the base, with 1–3 primary veins on the larger side, 1–2 on the smaller side. Inflorescences 1–3, bisexual, axillary, erect, cymose, with 4 branches, bearing up to 8 staminate flowers and 4 pistillate flowers, protandrous; peduncle to 6.5 cm long, green to red, sparsely pilose, bracts deciduous, lanceolate, ca 4 × 2 mm, translucent, white, glabrous, apex acute, margin entre, aciliate. Staminate flowers: pedicels to 8 mm long, glabrous; tepals 2, spreading, ovate, ca 4 × 4 mm, apex rounded, white, glabrous, margin entire, aciliate; stamens 35–40, spreading, yellow, filaments 0.5–1 mm long, free, anthers linear, 1.5–2 × 0.4 mm, dehiscing via lateral slits, connectives extended to 0.2 mm, symmetrically basifixed. Pistillate flowers: pedicels to 5 mm long; bracteoles 3, positioned directly beneath the ovary, ovate, 2–4 × 2–3 mm, apex rounded, translucent, white, glabrous, margin entire, aciliate; tepals 2, equal, deciduous in fruit, spreading, ovate, ca 8 × 4 mm, apex obtuse, white, glabrous, margin entire, aciliate; ovary body ovoid, ca 4 × 3 mm, pale green, glabrous, unequally 3-winged, wings triangular, the largest notched at the apex, 4 × 2 mm, the smallest 4 × 0.5 mm; 3-locular, placentae branches divided, bearing ovules on both surfaces; styles 3, yellow, free, 2–2.5 mm long, once-divided, stigmatic papillae in a spirally-twisted band. Fruiting pedicel to 10 mm long. Fruit body ovoid, to 8 × 4 mm, drying brown, wings same shape as in ovary, the largest expanding to 12 × 12 mm, the smallest expanding to 8 × 7 mm.

Proposed conservation assessment

Recently assessed by Moonlight & Reynel (2018) as Data Deficient (DD).

Identification notes

Begonia lamolina is most likely to be confused with B. lophoptera . It differs in its deciduous, lanceolate stipules (vs persistent, reniform to ovate stipules), acuspidate leaves (vs cuspidate leaves), and its glabrous tepals on both the staminate and pistillate flowers (vs pilose on the outer surface of the tepals in both the staminate and pistillate flowers).

Distribution and ecology

Endemic to Peru and known from Amazonas and San Martín Regions ( Fig. 24D ). Found within middle montane forest at an elevation of 1800–2260 m a.s.l. Begonia lamolina is typically found at low densities in the understory of dense, humid montane forest but has also been collected on more exposed banks (e.g., P.W. Moonlight 1268). It has been collected in flower and fruit from January to July.

Figures

Fig. 2. Venation in Peruvian Begonia. A. Pinnate venation (B. yaracuyensis Moonlight). B. Pinnate venation, 3-veined from the base (B. glabra Aubl.). C. Palmate-pinnate venation (B. obtecticaulis Irmsch.). D. Palmate venation with one primary vein (B. stenotepalaL.B.Sm. & B.G.Schub.).E. Palmate venation (B. lamolina Moonlight). F. Peltate venation with one primary vein (B. acerifolia Kunth.). G. Peltate venation (B. joshii Moonlight). Primary veins are shown in white, secondary veins from the petiole insertion in blue, and secondary veins from the primary veins in green. Photographs taken by D.A. Purvis & P.W. Moonlight in the living collections of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh.

Fig. 24. Distribution ofBegonia sect.Cyathocnemis (Klotzsch)A.DC. in Peru and surrounding countries. A. B. amoeboides Moonlight (red) andB. imbrexiformis Moonlight sp. nov. (blue).B. B. bracteosaA.DC. (red) and B. longinqua Moonlight (blue). C. B. cyathophora Poepp. & Endl. (red), B. serratistipula Moonlight sp. nov. (blue) and C. vargasii Moonlight sp. nov. (green). D. B. lamolina Moonlight (red), B. lophoptera Rolfe (blue) and B. obtecticaulis Irmsch. (green). Black lines indicate country borders, grey lines indicate major administrative divisions, blue lines indicate rivers, and shading indicates elevation.

Fig. 30. Begonia lamolina Moonlight. A. Habit. B. Leaf, abaxial surface. C. Inflorescence. D. Pistillate flower, side view. E. Pistillate flower, front view. F. Staminate flower, front view. Illustration by Peter Moonlight from photographs of P.W. Moonlight & A. Daza 146 (A) and 1142 (B–F); all scale bars estimated.