Begonia xiphophylloides Kiew

Sang, Julia, Kiew, Ruth & Yiing, Ling Chea, 2018, The Begonia flora of Gunung Mulu and Gunung Buda National Parks, Sarawak, Borneo, including five new species, Phytotaxa 381 (1), pp. 58-79 : 76-77

19. Begonia xiphophylloides Kiew ( Figure 10 )

Phytotaxa 99(1) (2013) 31. Type: — MALAYSIA. Borneo. Sarawak. Marudi District : Gunung Mulu NP, Sungai Melinau , 16 April 1978, Kiew RK 267 (holotype KEP!; isotype K!) .

Distribution: — MALAYSIA. Borneo. Sarawak. Endemic in Gunung Mulu NP.

Habitat: —Common in riparian forest at ca. 70 m elevation, on sandy banks or on limestone rocks.

Additional specimens examined: — MALAYSIA.Borneo. Sarawak. Marudi District: Gunung Mulu NP – Melinau Gorge, Abang Mohtar S 49655 (SAR); Sungai Melinau below Melinau Gorge, Kiew 299 (KEP), 321 (KEP), Julia et al. SFC 6681 (SAR), Julia et al. SFC 6682 (SAR); sub-camp 5, Melinau Gorge, Lewis 308 (SAR), Lewis 329 (SAR); Bukit Pantu, Julaihi et al. S 74882 (SAR), Abang Mohtar & Othman S 49749 (SAR); trail from Camp 5 to Kuala Litut, Julia et al. SFC 6696 (SAR).

Notes: —A bushy much-branched, erect plant to 30 cm tall. It is distinctive in its slightly asymmetric but nonoblique, narrow leaves about four or more times longer than wide, its sessile inflorescence with one or two female flowers from the leaf axis and a raceme of very small male flowers above.

Figures

FIGURE 10. Begonia xiphophylloides Kiew. A. Habit; B. Stipule; C–E. Inflorescence showing male flowers; F & G. Female flower; H. Fruit; I. Transverse section of fruit. Photos A–H by S. Julia and Photo I by C.Y. Ling (all photos from SFC 6681).