Begonia melinauensis S.Julia & 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 : 71

12. Begonia melinauensis S.Julia & Kiew

Phytotaxa 99(1) (2013) 19; Kiew et al., Guide to Begonias of Borneo (2015) 186. Type: — MALAYSIA. Borneo, Sarawak, Marudi District: Gunung Mulu NP, Clearwater Cave , 4 Oct 2007, Julia et al. S 99219 (holotype SAR!) .

Distribution: — MALAYSIA. Borneo. Sarawak. Endemic in Gunung Mulu NP where it is widespread.

Habitat: —Restricted to limestone habitats where it grows in lightly shaded areas at the base of vertical cliffs or on boulders at elevations to 200 m.

Additional specimens examined: — MALAYSIA. Borneo. Sarawak. Marudi District: Gunung Mulu NP – boardwalk to Deer Cave, Julia et al. S 99204 (SAR); Batu Pajang, Runi et al. S 63526 (SAR); South of Sungai Melinau Paku ca. 1.5 km from Base Camp, Hansen 1 (SAR); 2 km of Sungai Melinau Paku, Nielsen 5 (SAR); South of Camp 1, Hansen 313 (SAR); Gunung Buda NP – Gunung Buda, Burtt B 8329 (SAR).

Notes:—A shrubby cane-like species to 1.5 m tall that forms massive thickets with soft velvety hairs covering the stems, leaves and fruits. The petioles are 5–7 cm long. The leaves are held vertically and the laminas have a distinct sharply pointed acumen to 1.5–4 cm long, and are oblique and asymmetrical, broadly ovate, 12.5–16.5 × 12–17 cm, broad side 9–15.5 cm, are softly velvety on both sides and the venation is palmate. The racemose inflorescence, 4.5–9.5 cm long, is longer than the petiole.