Begonia longgangensis

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B. longgangensis)

Quick Species Info

Species	longgangensis
Region	Guangxi Zhuangzu Autonomous Region, China
Country
Year published	N/A
Date of Origin	N/A
Plant Type	Monoecious Herb, Rhizomatous Initially and Becoming Stoloniferous
Section
Chr 2n	30, 45

Species Information

Description

- **Growth Habit:** Monoecious herb, rhizomatous initially and becoming stoloniferous. - **Rhizomes:** 1–2 cm thick, sending out stolons to 150 cm or longer, 0.5-0.7 cm thick, villous, with internodes 8-13(−17) cm long. - **Stipules:** Eventually deciduous, ovate-triangular, 1–1.8 cm long, 1–1.2 cm wide, with margin entire, strongly keeled, abaxially hairy along midrib, and an apex aristate, with an arista of 0.4-0.7 cm long. - **Leaves:** Alternate, petioles terete, (6-)9-18(−25) cm long, 0.7 cm thick, initially green or reddish, white villous when young, turning brown tomentose and glabrescent. Leaf blade is asymmetric, broadly ovate to suborbicular, (10-)14.5-20 cm long, (7-)10.5-15 cm wide, with an acuminate apex and a strongly obliquely cordate base. The margin is initially serrulate and shortly ciliate, becoming repand when mature. Leaves are subcoriaceous, adaxially green, with a sparsely reddish-scabridulous surface and minute processes. Abaxially, leaves are pale and tomentose on veins. Juvenile leaves may be smaller. - **Inflorescences:** Axillary, arising directly from rhizome or stolons, with dichasial cymes branched 3–4 times. Peduncles are 9–14 cm long and glabrous. Bracts are caducous. - **Staminate Flower:** Pedicel is 1.2-1.5 cm long. Tepals number 4, with outer 2 broadly ovate and pinkish (1–1.4 cm long, 1.2-1.4 cm wide), and inner 2 elliptic and white (0.8-1.2 cm long, 0.4-0.5 cm wide). Androecium is actinomorphic and spherical, measuring about 0.5 cm across, with 40–60 stamens. Filaments are fused into a column about 0.2 cm long, and anthers are 2-locular, obovate, and have an obtuse apex. - **Carpellate Flower:** Pedicel is 1.4-1.9 cm long. Tepals number 3, with outer 2 broadly ovate to suborbicular and pinkish (0.7-1.2 cm long, 0.8-1.2 cm wide), and inner 1 elliptic and white (0.6-1 cm long, 0.3-0.5 cm wide). The ovary is trigonous-ellipsoid, measuring 0.7-1.1 cm long and 0.3-0.5 cm across (wings excluded), reddish and glabrous, with 3 unequal wings. Lateral wings are narrower and measure 0.2-0.3 cm tall, and an abaxial wing is crescent-shaped and measures 0.3-0.5 cm tall. Styles number 3, fused at the base, and are about 0.5 cm long, with a stigma that is spirally twisted. - **Capsules:** Nodding, 0.9-1.3 cm long and 0.5 cm across (wings excluded), with an apex having persistent tepals. Wings are unequal, with lateral wings measuring 0.3 cm tall and an abaxial wing that is crescent-shaped and measures 0.3-0.6 cm tall. Seeds may be plump or abortive.

Distribution and Ecology

This stoloniferous herb grows on jagged limestone rocks in evergreen broadleaf forest. It is known only from the type locality in Longzhou County, Longgang Nature Reserve, Guangxi, China.

Phenology

Flowering occurs from March to June, and fruiting occurs from May to August.

Etymology

The specific epithet "longgangensis" is derived from the type locality, Longgang Nature Reserve, Guangxi.

Notes

Begonia longgangensis shares some similarities with B. liuyanii but can be distinguished by various characteristics, including stolon formation, smaller leaves, and different leaf surfaces and inflorescence characteristics. A detailed comparison is provided in Table 1.

References

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Photos

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