Begonia velata L.B.Sm. & B.G.Schub.

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 : 199-202

48. Begonia velata L.B.Sm. & B.G.Schub.

Fig. 64

Publications of the Field Museum of Natural History, Botanical Series 13 (4/1): 201 ( Smith & Schubert 1941a).

– Type: PERU – Piura Region: Prov. Huancabamba • Above Palambla ; [5°22′ S, 79°34′ W]; 2700–2800 m a.s.l.; 1909–1914; A. Weberbauer 6021; holotype: GH [ GH00068297 ] ; isotypes: F [ V0042337F , V0042336F ], NY [ NY00118713 ], US [ US00115492 ].

León & Monsalve (2006: 170).

Etymology

From the Latin ‘ velatus ’, meaning ‘partially hidden from view’. This most likely refers to the large bracts of the species, which obscure the young inflorescence.

Specimens examined

PERU – Lambayeque Region: Prov. Lambayeque • Bosque Chiñama ; [6°06′ S, 79°26′ W]; 2500– 2600 m a.s.l.; 23 Aug. 1988; A. Cano 2087; US [ US00222347 ]. – Cajamarca Region: Prov. San Miguel de Pallaques • Dist. Agua Blanca, Caserío Agua Blanca , Bosque del Cerro Quillón ; 7°01′54″ S, 79°04′10″ W; 3100–3300 m a.s.l.; 11 May 2005; E. Rodríguez R., E. Alvítez I. & S. Orroyo A. 2720; E [ E01007287 ], HUT [ HUT41989 ], US [ US00951216 ]. – Prov. Cutervo • Carretera entre Llama y Huambos , Tunaspampa ; [6°31′ S, 79°05′ W]; 2600–2900 m a.s.l.; 21 Apr. 1988; C. Díaz & S. Baldeón M. 2880; F, MO [ MO-098016 ]). – Prov. San Miguel de Pallaques • Cerro Quillón ; [7°01′ S, 79°04′ W]; 3200 m a.s.l.; 5 Mar. 1986; J. Mostacero L., S. Leiva G., F. Mejla C. & F. Paláez P. 1258; HUT.

Description

Caulescent, tuberous herb, to 1 m high. Tuber ellipsoid, to 2 × 4 cm but likely much larger, with 1 growing point. Stem erect, unbranched; internodes to 14 cm long, to 10 mm thick, succulent, green to red, glabrous. Stipules deciduous, lanceolate to ovate, 4–12 × 4–8 mm, apex acute, translucent, colour unknown, glabrous, margin entire, aciliate. Leaves> 5, alternate, basifixed; petiole 2–13 cm long, pale brown to green, glabrous; blade transversely ovate, to 24 × 11 cm, membranaceous, apex acuminate, base cordate, basal lobes not overlapping, sinus to 40 mm deep, margin serrate, with 3–5 triangular lobes on the broad side of the leaf and often with one on the narrow side of the leaf, aciliate, upper surface green, glabrous, lower surface green, glabrous, veins palmate-pinnate, 6–8 veined from the base, with 3–5 secondary veins on the larger side, 2–4 secondary veins on the smaller side. Inflorescences 2–4 per stem, bisexual, axillary, erect, cymose, with up to 3 branches, bearing up to 8 staminate flowers and 4 pistillate flowers, protandrous; peduncle to 24 cm long, pale brown, glabrous to sparsely minute-glandular pilose at the apex, bracts deciduous, ovate, 15–28 × 9–22 mm, translucent, white, sparsely minute-glandular pilose, apex rounded to obtuse, margin entire, aciliate. Staminate flowers: pedicels to 45 mm long, sparsely minute-glandular pilose; tepals 4, spreading, outer 2 ovate, 22–45 × 16–30 mm, apex short-acuminate, white, sparsely minute-glandular pilose, margin entire to serrulate, aciliate, inner 2 obovate, 16–35 × 12–26 mm, apex rounded, white, sparsely minute-glandular pilose, margin entire, aciliate; stamens 45–50, spreading, yellow, filaments 2.5–4 mm long, free, anthers ovoid, 0.6–1 × 0.5 mm long, dehiscing via lateral slits, connectives extending to 0.2 mm, symmetrically basifixed. Pistillate flowers: pedicels to 40 mm long; bracteoles 2, positioned directly beneath the ovary, ovate, 18–20 × 12–18 mm, apex rounded, translucent, white, glabrous, margin entire to serrate, aciliate; tepals 5, subequal, persistence unknown, projecting, the largest broadly-lanceolate to ovate, 18–30 × 8–22 mm, apex acuminate, white, sparsely minute-glandular pilose, margin entire, aciliate, the smallest lanceolate to ovate, 12–14 × 6–12 mm, apex obtuse, white, glabrous, margin entire, aciliate; ovary body obovoid, 9–14 × 6–10 mm, colour unknown, glabrous, unequally 3-winged, wings triangular, largest 12–17 × 6–15 mm, smallest 8–15 × 3–12 mm; 3-locular, placentae branches divided, bearing ovules on both surfaces; styles 3, yellow, free, 4–6 mm long, once-divided, stigmatic papillae in a spirally-twisted band. Fruiting pedicel to 50 mm long. Fruit body ovoid, to 17 × 13 mm, drying brown, wings same shape as in ovary, largest expanding to 17 × 17 mm, smallest expanding to 15 × 13 mm.

Proposed conservation assessment

Assessed by León & Monsalve (2006) as Data Deficient (DD) and reassessed by Tebbitt (2016) as Vulnerable (VU D2). Known from five fragments of highly threatened northwest Peruvian relict montane forest on the western slopes of the Andes. The most distant sites are approximately 200 km apart and none of the five sites are protected. Given the species low EOO (ca 2500 km 2), its few known localities and fragmented distribution, and the threats to its habitat, we reassess B. velata as Endangered (EN B1ab(iii)).

Notes

Tebbitt (2017) speculated on a possible hybrid origin of B. velata , highlighting the possible role of B. acerifolia and B. ludwigii as parents. Tebbitt’s concept of B. velata was a misapplied name (see Notes under B. huancabambae Moonlight sp. nov.) and B. velata is clearly most closely related to B. piurensis . These two species are the only tuberous species of Andean Begonia with> 50 cm tall stems. These two species are both found in the Amotape-Huancabamba Region of northern Peru and southern Ecuador. The new species is found further south than B. piurensis , which is only found within Piura Region in Peru, and the two species appear to be ecologically distinct. Begonia piurensis is found to an elevation of 2000 m a.s.l. whereas B. velata has only been collected above 2600 m a.s.l. in cooler forest where most of the precipitation is from fog.

Identification notes

Begonia velata is most similar to B. piurensis , but is easy to distinguish when in flower or fruit by its larger bracts (15–28 × 9–22 mm vs 4–6 × 1.5–4 mm); its larger staminate flowers (44–90 mm wide vs 12–16 mm wide); its bracteolate pistillate flowers (vs ebracteolate); and its larger fruits bodies (to 17 × 12 mm vs 9 × 8 mm). When sterile, B. velata may be distinguished from B. piurensis by the cusps on the longest edge of its leaf, which give the blade an angular appearance.

Many specimens of B. velata have also been confused with the superficially similar B. acerifolia and B. huancabambae sp. nov.), which are both rhizomatous rather than tuberous herbs but have similarly shaped leaves. Within the range of B. velata , both species have a conspicuous indumentum on both sides of the leaf lamina.

Distribution and ecology

Endemic to Peru and known from Lambayeque and Cajamarca Regions ( Fig. 62B ), where it is found in northwest Peruvian montane forests at an elevation of 2500–3300 m a.s.l. Begonia velata is a tuberous species and dies back to its tuber in the dry season (June to November).

The acerifolia group of Begonia sect. Knesebeckia

The acerifolia group of Begonia sect. Knesebeckia was defined by Tebbitt (2016) to include ten Andean species of Begonia , though two of the original members are now considered synonyms ( Tebbitt et al. 2017). It includes relatively seasonally dry adapted members of the section that die back to above-ground stems in the dry season. Recent phylogenetic evidence demonstrates that this group is polyphyletic ( Moonlight et al. 2018) but we retain it here as it is a useful morphological grouping. Following Moonlight et al. (2018) we exclude B. urubambensis from the group, which differs in lacking an above ground-stem and is distantly related to other species in the group.

Of the seven currently recognised members of the acerifolia group, six are found in Peru and two are endemic.

Figures

Fig. 64. Begonia velata L.B.Sm. & B.G.Schub. A. Habit. B. Pistillate flower and bracteoles, side view. C. Stigma and styles drawn from a desiccated fruit, side view. Illustration by Anna Dorward from E. Rodríguez R., E. Alvítez I. & S. Orroyo A. 2720 (US).

Fig. 62. Distribution of Begonia sect. Knesebeckia in Peru. A. B. brandbygeana L.B.Sm. & Wassh. (red) and B. parcifolia (blue). B. B. piurensis L.B.Sm. & B.G.Schub. (red) and B. velata L.B.Sm. & B.G.Schub. (blue). Black lines indicate country borders, grey lines indicate major administrative divisions, blue lines indicate rivers, and shading indicates elevation.