Begonia darthvaderiana

Begonia darthvaderiana

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Species	darthvaderiana
Publication Date	Phytotaxa 191 (1): 132-135
Origin	Borneo (Sarawak, Malaysia)
Region	Lubok Antu District
Growth Type	Terrestrial Herb / Shrub-like
Section	Petermannia
Chromosome Count

Species Information

Publication Date

2014

Origin

Endemic to Borneo (Sarawak, Malaysia).[2][10] Specifically recorded from the Batang Ai area in the Lubok Antu District.[4][6]

Growth Type

Perennial, erect, terrestrial herb.[2][3][5] It can exhibit a cane-like or shrubby habit, typically growing 25–70 cm tall.

Section

Section Petermannia[2][5][12]

Chromosome = 2n =

Description

Begonia darthvaderiana is distinguished by its striking dark foliage.[2][3][5][8][10][12] Stems: Erect, brownish to red-brown, slightly woody at the base, 25–70 cm tall, 5–10 mm thick.[2] Leaves: Alternate, simple, asymmetric with a cordate base. The blade is oblong-ovate, measuring 13–15 cm long (up to 22 cm in some descriptions) and 5–7 cm wide (up to 13 cm). The adaxial (upper) surface is dark olive-green or deep red to solid black, featuring a distinct, narrow silvery band (approx.[2] 0.2–0.4 mm) along the subentire margin.[2] The surface is slightly raised between the veins but not strongly bullate. The abaxial (lower) surface is dark maroon.[2] Flowers: The inflorescence is protogynous and bisexual.

• • Staminate (Male) Inflorescence: A terminal cymose panicle, up to 20 cm long.[3] Male flowers have 2 pink-red, elliptic tepals and 9–16 yellow stamens.
  • Pistillate (Female) Flowers: Have 5 pink-red tepals.

Fruit: A reddish-green capsule.

Distribution

Restricted to West Sarawak, Borneo, Malaysia.

Habitat

It grows in deep shade within lowland mixed dipterocarp forests at elevations of 130–200 meters.[2][6] It is typically found on steep soil slopes or at the base of cliffs near rivers and valleys.

Flower

Pink to red.[2][3]

Etymology

The specific epithet darthvaderiana refers to the fictional character Darth Vader from the Star Wars franchise.[2][3][4][5][10] The authors chose this name due to the plant's unique, deep dark appearance.[3][5]

Synonyms

No known synonyms; this is the accepted name.

Comparison to Similar Species

Begonia darthvaderiana is morphologically similar to Begonia daunhitam (found in West Kalimantan, Indonesia), as both possess dark olive-black leaves and pink flowers. However, they differ in the following characters:

Character	Begonia darthvaderiana	Begonia daunhitam
Plant Height	25–70 cm	15–25 cm
Leaf Surface	Slightly raised between veins (smooth to rugulose)	Strongly bullate (bubble-like)
Leaf Margin	Subentire (nearly smooth) with a silvery ring	Denticulate (toothed) without a silvery ring
Male Inflorescence	Terminal cymose panicle	Dichasial cyme (terminal or axillary)
Stamen Count	9–16	20–30

It is also noted to share some similarities with Begonia chlorosticta but differs in lacking the greenish spots and having a solid dark leaf color.[2]

Photos

(Refer to Figure 3 in the referenced PDF for habit and flower photos by C.W. Lin & C.-I Peng, or search external databases for images by the authors.)

Hybrids

Conservation status

Data Deficient (DD) or Vulnerable. While not formally assessed on the global IUCN Red List as of 2024, the species has a very restricted range in Sarawak and is highly sought after in the horticultural trade. The related species B. daunhitam is listed as Vulnerable (VUD2), and similar threats likely apply to B. darthvaderiana due to potential over-collection and habitat limitations.

External Links

Original Description in Phytotaxa

References

Lin, C.W., Chung, S.W.[5] & Peng, C.-I (2014).[4][5][6][7][8][11] Three new species of Begonia (sect.[5] Petermannia, Begoniaceae) from Sarawak, Borneo.[2][5] Phytotaxa 191(1): 129–140. Wang, W.G., Randi, A., Wang, C.X.L., Shen, J.Y., Ma, X.D., Shi, J.P., Xu, T. & Zhang, S.Z. (2020). Begonia daunhitam, a new species of Begonia (Begoniaceae) from West Kalimantan, Indonesia.[1] Taiwania 65(1): 27–32.

Categories

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