Begonia neoharlingii L.B.Sm. & Wassh.

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 : 155-158

33. Begonia neoharlingii L.B.Sm. & Wassh.

Figs 48B , 51

Begonian 52: 11 ( Smith & Wasshausen 1985).

– Type: ECUADOR – Prov. Loja • Between Cariamanga and Pozoranga ; [4°19′ S, 79°39′ W]; 2000 m a.s.l.; 12 Nov. 1982; G. Harling, J.-E. Bohlin, M. Lindström & S. Roth 20648; holotype: GB [ GB0058016 ]; isotype: US [ US00221785 ].

Smith & Wasshausen (1986: 55); Quintana & León-Yáñez (2011: 200).

Begonia geraniifolia auct. non Hook.: R.Vásquez et al., Arnaldoa 12 (1–2): 112–125 ( Vásquez et al. 2005).

Etymology

The epithet refers to Gunnar Wilhelm Harling, the Swedish botanist who collected the type specimen of the species. The epithet harlingii was unavailable following the 1979 publication of B. harlingii L.B.Sm. & Wassh. thus the authors added the suffix ‘ neo ’ meaning ‘new’.

Specimens examined

PERU – Piura Region: Prov. Ayabaca • Dist. Ayabaca, road to Ayabaca ; 4°52′26″ S, 79°47′39″ W; 2051 m a.s.l.; 27 May 2015; M.C. Tebbitt & A. Daza 840; E, MOL. – Prov. Huancabamba • above Canchaque on the Huancabamba Pass ; 5°22′08″ S, 79°34′26″ W; 1835 m a.s.l.; 26 Jan. 2016; P.W. Moonlight & A. Daza 109; E [ E00885872 ], MOL • ibid.; 5°22′34″ S, 79°34′33″ W; 2122 m a.s.l.; 27 Jan. 2016; P.W. Moonlight & A. Daza 116; E [ E00885881 ], MOL. – Cajamarca Region: Prov. San Miguel • Alrededores Distrito San Gregorio ; [7°03′ S, 79°06′ W]; 1750 m a.s.l.; 14 Feb. 2000; E. Alvítez I., E. Rodríguez R. & S. Leiva G. 1119; HUT. – Prov. Cajamarca • ca 22 km S of Cajamarca on road to Chilete ; [7°17′ S, 78°31′ W]; ca 2740 m a.s.l.; 19 Jan. 1983; M.O. Dillon, U. Molau & P. Matekaitis 3025; F, GB [ GB0058013 ], NY, USM • Entre San Juan y Paso El Galiván , abajo de Chotén; [7°17′ S, 78°31′ W]; 2700 m a.s.l.; 15 Feb. 1985; I. Sánchez Vega 3696; CPUN. – Prov. Contumazá • Quebrada de Canrra, (Contumazá-Toledo) ; [7°15′ S, 78°51′ W]; 2200 m a.s.l.; 5 Apr. 1985; M. Guzman, S. Leiva G. & C. Tellez 12654; HUT, MO [ MO-098205 ] • Entrada al Bosque Cachil ; [7°24′ S, 78°47′ W]; 2500 m a.s.l.; 16 Feb. 1995; A. Sagástegui A. & S. Leiva G. 15518; CPUN, F, MO [ MO-1642685 ], NY • ca 20 km S of Contumazá, 2160–2210 m a.s.l.; 7°25′ S, 78°25′ W; 2160–2210 m a.s.l.; 14 Apr. 1986; M.O. Dillon, D. Dillon & A. Sagástegui A. 4529; F, US [ US00446634 ]. – La Libertad Region: Prov. Otuzco • Llacmón, Siniscap ; [7°51′ S, 78°46′ W]; 2500 m a.s.l.; 21 Feb. 1953; M. Vargas 1; US [2: US00222141 , US00222143 ] • 60 km from Trujillo, 7°56′ S, 78°36′ W; 2040 m a.s.l.; 12 Feb. 1983; D.N. Smith & R. Vásquez 3237; MO [ MO-098021 ], USM • Arriba de Plazapampa ( El Revolcadero ); [7°59′ S, 78°39′ W]; 2260 m a.s.l.; 4 Mar. 1999; S. Leiva G. 2260; HUT. – Prov. Trujillo • km 62 entre Agaypampa y Samne; [8°00′ S, 78°40′ W]; 2100–2200 m a.s.l.; 17 Mar. 1948; R. Ferreyra 3083; USM. – Huánuco Region: Prov. Huánuco or Pachitea • 1900–3700 m a.s.l.; R.M. Bird 1469; MO [ MO-2228063 ]. – Prov. Pachitea • Panao ; 2700–2800 m a.s.l.; [9°54′ S, 76°03′ W]; 3 May 1947; R. Ferreyra 1764; USM. – Cusco Region: Prov. Urubamba • Phuyupatamarca ; [13°12′ S, 72°32′ W]; 2200–3800 m a.s.l.; 29 Feb. 1942; J.C. Vargas Calderón 2772; MO [ MO-2218601 , mixed collection]. – Apurimac Region: Prov. Cotabambas • Cotabambas ; [13°45′ S, 72°22′ W]; 3500 m a.s.l.; 27 Nov. 1984; I. Carlier 281; USM.

Description

Caulescent, rhizomatous herb, to 40 cm high. Rhizome ellipsoid, 2–4 × 1–2 cm, with 1–3 growing points. Stem erect, rarely branching; internodes to 22 cm long, to 10 mm thick, succulent, red, glabrous or rarely villous. Stipules deciduous, triangular, ca 4 × 3 mm, apex acute, opaque, pale green, glabrous, margin entire, aciliate. Leaves 2–4, alternate, basifixed or rarely peltate (P.W. Moonlight & A. Daza 109 and 106); petiole 1.5–10 cm long, red, glabrous or rarely villous; blade subsymmetric, ovate, to 7 × 7 cm, succulent, apex indistinct and rounded to acute, base cordate, basal lobes not overlapping or overlapping, sinus to 2 mm deep, margin crenate to dentate, aciliate, rarely with up to 3 irregular, triangular lobes, upper surface green, glabrous, lower surface red, glabrous or rarely villous on the veins, veins peltate or palmate, 6–8 veined from the base. Inflorescences 1–2 per stem, bisexual, axillary, erect, cymose, with 6 branches, bearing up to 4 staminate flowers and 2 pistillate flowers, protandrous; peduncle to 27 cm long, red, glabrous, bracts late-deciduous, ovate, 4–12 × 2–5 mm, translucent, pale green, glabrous, apex acute, margin entire, aciliate. Staminate flowers: pedicels to 3.5 mm long, glabrous; tepals 4, spreading, outer 2 ovate, 10–30 × 9–12 mm, apex acute to obtuse, white to pink, glabrous, margin entire, aciliate, inner 2 obovate, 10–25 × 9–20 mm, apex truncate, often with two rounded apical lobes, pink, glabrous, margin entire, aciliate; stamens 10–15, spreading, yellow, filaments 1–3 mm long, fused at the base, anthers broadly ovate, ca 0.5 × 0.5 mm long, dehiscing via lateral slits, connectives not extending, symmetrically basifixed. Pistillate flowers: pedicels to 20 mm long; bracteoles 2, positioned directly beneath the ovary, ovate, 2–3 × 1–2 mm, translucent, pale green, apex acute, margin entire, aciliate; tepals 5, subequal, persistent in fruit, spreading, the largest obovoid, 4–15 × 3–10 mm, apex truncate, often with two rounded lobes, white to pink, glabrous, margin entire, aciliate, the smallest oblanceolate, 4–15 × 2–6 mm, apex acute, white to pink, glabrous, margin entire, aciliate; ovary body cuboid, 2.5–4 × 2.5–4 mm, green flushed red, glabrous, sub-equally 3-winged, wings narrow-triangular, 8–12 × 2–4 mm; 3-locular, placentae branches divided, bearing ovules on both surfaces; styles 3, yellow, free, 3–7 mm long, 4–6 times divided, stigmatic papillae in a spirally twisted band. Fruiting pedicel to 45 mm long. Fruit body cuboid, to 4 × 8 mm, drying brown, wings same shape as in ovary, expanding to 6 × 12 mm.

Proposed conservation assessment

Widespread but rarely collected in the Peruvian and southern Ecuadorian Andes. This may reflect rarity, but we consider it more likely that it is frequently overlooked. Most botanical collecting is carried out in the dry season when B. neoharlingii is dormant. For example, the first Begonia collections were made on the Huancabamba pass above Canchaque in 1939 and this locality has been regularly visited since. The first collections of B. neoharlingii were made above Canchaque in 2016, and we estimate there were> 100 000 individuals along a 10 km section of road. Given the species’ large EOO (> 130 000 km 2), we assess B. neoharlingii as Least Concern (LC).

Notes

There is a large disjunction in the distribution of B. neoharlingii between a northern population found from Ecuador to Huánuco Region and a southern population found in Cusco and Apurimac Regions. There are clear morphological differences between these populations. The southern population differs in its villous (vs glabrous) indumentum and its leaves with a serrate margin and triangular lobes (vs a usually crenate margin and rarely lobed leaves). These differences may be sufficient to merit taxonomic recognition but, given the little material available for the southern population (two collections), we prefer to wait for genetic data before recommending taxonomic changes.

Identification notes

Begonia neoharlingii is most similar to B. geraniifolia (see Identification notes for B. geraniifolia ) but in the south of its range could be confused with B. veitchii . Both species grow at high elevations in Cuzco and Apurimac Regions and, considering the collection J.C. Vargas Calderón 2772 is a mixed collection of the two species, may live sympatrically. When in flower, they are simple to distinguish. The styles of the pistillate flower of B. neoharlingii are multifid (vs bifid) and the inner two tepals of the staminate flower have an emarginate apex, with two rounded lobes (vs with a rounded apex). When sterile, B. neoharlingii is best distinguished by its large, aerial stem with internodes reaching 22 cm in length, and usually at least 5 cm long. In contrast, B. veitchii often has subterranean stems and, when it does have an aerial stem, the internodes only reach 1.5 cm in length.

Distribution and ecology

Known from Ecuador and Peru. Within Peru, collected in Piura, Cajamarca, La Libertad, Huánuco, Cuzco, and Apurimac Regions ( Fig. 48B ). Found within northwest Peruvian relict montane forest and middle and upper montane forest at an elevation of 1750–3500(– 3800 m a.s.l.). Begonia neoharlingii lives in relatively seasonal areas within these vegetation types, most of which derive their moisture from wind driven fog in the rainy season. It survives the dry season by dying back entirely to its geophytic root stock.

Figures

Fig. 48. Distribution of Begonia sect. Eupetalum (Lindl.) A.DC. in Peru and surrounding countries. A. B. geraniifolia Hook. (red) and B. joshii Moonlight (blue). B. B. neoharlingii L.B.Sm. & Wassh. (red) and B. weberbaueri Irmsch. (blue). Black lines indicate country borders, grey lines indicate major administrative divisions, blue lines indicate rivers, and shading indicates elevation.

Fig. 51. Begonia neoharlingii L.B.Sm. & Wassh. A. Habitat. B. Habit. C. Staminate flower, front view. D. Pistillate flower, side view. All photographs taken by P.W. Moonlight from P.W. Moonlight & A. Daza 109 (C) and 116 (A, B, D) in Huancabamba Province, Piura Region.