Begonia kipandiensis S.Julia, 2015

Repin, Rimi, Sang, Julia, Kiew, Ruth & Mujih, Handry, 2015, Eleven new species of Begonia (Begoniaceae) from the Crocker Range, Sabah, Malaysia, Phytotaxa 208 (1), pp. 1-20 : 15-16

9. Begonia kipandiensis S.Julia , spec. nov. ( Figure 10 )

Sect. Petermannia

Similar to Begonia lazat in inflorescence form and short and reflexed fruit stalk, but differs in its smaller stature 60 cm tall (not 75–100 cm as in B. lazat ), larger ovate leaves, 15–15.7 × 7.5–10 cm, with a conspicuously toothed margin (not suborbicular leaves, 9.5–12 × 12–12.5 cm with a minutely serrulate margin) and smaller fruit, ca. 15 × 13 mm (not ca. 35 × 27.5 mm).

Type:— MALAYSIA. Borneo. Sabah. Penampang District: Crocker Range, Kipandi Butterfly Park , 26 Aug 2014, Julia & Kiew KNP 36814 (holotype SNP!; isotypes SAN!, SAR!) .

Cane-like begonia to 60 cm tall. Stem ca. 4 mm thick, with reddish brown pubescence, branched from the base, becoming woody, slightly swollen at the base, internodes 2.7–4 cm long. Stipules reddish brown pubescent, lanceolate, ca. 9 × 3 mm, margin entire, apex slightly setose, seta ca. 1.5 mm long, caducous. Leaves alternate, oblique, distant, held horizontally; petiole with reddish brown pubescence, 1.5–7 cm long, grooved above; lamina plain mid-green, fleshy when fresh, matt, ovate, asymmetric, 15–15.7 × 7.5–10 cm, broad side 5–5.5 cm wide, base broadly rounded, basal lobes 1.5–2.5 cm, margin scalloped with prominent triangular teeth 2–5 mm long at the vein endings, apex acuminate, acumen to 3 cm long; venation palmate-pinnate, veins red in the lower half of the lamina, 3 veins on each side of midrib, 1 pair at the base, 2–3 veins in the basal lobe, glabrous above, minutely pubescent below, prominent on both surfaces. Inflorescences protogynous, axillary in the upper leaf axils, erect in male phase, dichasium, rachis ca. 1.5 cm long on female phase, ca. 4 cm long on male phase, peduncle (both) to 1.5 cm long. Bracts green, strongly keeled, broadly lanceolate, ca. 15 × 12 mm, margin entire with dense fringe of long glandular hairs, apex setose, seta to 2 mm long, persistent; bracteoles green, lanceolate, 7–8 × 5–8 mm, margin entire with dense fringe of long glandular hairs, persistent. Female flower not seen. Male flower: pedicel white, 13–17 mm long; tepals 2, completely white, broadly oval, 6–8 × 5–6 mm, glabrous, margin entire, apex acute; stamens ca. 19, cluster conical, sessile; filaments pale yellow, 0.6–1 mm long; anthers pale yellow, obovate, ca. 0.8 × 0.5 mm, apex emarginate. Capsule axillary in the upper leaf axils; pendent on ca. 7 mm long pedicel; fruit ca. 1.5 × 1.3 cm, glabrous, locules 3, wings 3, equal, rounded proximally, slightly pointed distally, ca. 4 mm wide, thinly fibrous, dehiscing between locules and wings. Seed oblong, ca. 0.5 × 0.2 mm, columnar cells more than half of the length of seed.

Distribution:— MALAYSIA. Borneo. Sabah. Penampang District, Crocker Range, Kipandi. Endemic in the Kipandi area (Sg. Kelangan, Sg. Moyog and Sg. Mangkubilat).

Habitat:—Mossy slope above small stream or damp gullies, 300–500 m elevation.

Etymology:—Named for the locality where it occurs. It is apparently a narrow endemic known only from the Kipandi area.

Figures

FIGURE 10. Begonia kipandiensis. A. Habit; B. Male inflorescence with unopened flowers; C. Young male inflorescence with old fruit; D. Fruits.All photos from KNP 36814 by Julia Sang.