Begonia conipila Irmsch. ex Kiew (2001: 287)

Sang, Julia, Kiew, Ruth & Geri, Connie, 2013, Revision of Begonia (Begoniaceae) from the Melinau Limestone in Gunung Mulu National Park and Gunung Buda National Park, Sarawak, Borneo, including thirteen new species, Phytotaxa 99 (1), pp. 1-34 : 8-10

3. Begonia conipila Irmsch. ex Kiew (2001: 287) . Lectotype (designated by Kiew 2001):— MALAYSIA. Borneo. Sarawak. Marudi District: Gunung Mulu National Park [Mooloo], Low s.n. (K!). ( Figure 5 )

Sect. Petermannia

Creeping herb or low root climber, rooting at notes. Indumentum of stiff, white hairs, 2–5 mm long, each on a raised conical base, dense on young stem, petiole, on stipule margin, on lamina dense on the upper surface, margin and lower surface of veins, some on lower lamina surface. Leafy stem 15–25 cm long, 2–3(–4) mm diameter, little branched, internodes 2.5–5 cm long. Stipules lanceolate with a distinct midrib, 7–12 × 4–7 mm, margin entire, apex setose, persistent. Leaves alternate, distant. Petioles to 2–5 cm long in lower leaves. Lamina somewhat bullate, variegated, upper surface dark green to blackish purple, paler between veins, the lower surface reddish, rarely light green, in dried state thin and papery, conical hair bases giving a pustulate appearance above, asymmetrical, broadly ovate to reniform, 4–7 × 3.5–8.5 cm, broader side (2.25–) 3.5–5 cm wide, base rounded to cordate, lobes slightly overlapping, basal lobes rounded (0.75–)2.3.5 cm long, margin irregularly serrate, each tooth setose, apex cuspidate; venation palmate, main veins 3, equal-sized, branching about halfway to margin, with another 1–2 veins in basal lobes, impressed above and prominent beneath. Inflorescences axillary, whitish or light green, hispid, erect, longer than petioles, racemose, 3.5–9.5 cm long of which peduncle is 1.5–6 cm, protogynous with a single basal female flower and many male flowers distally on 2 short lateral branches 3–11 mm long and crowded in a terminal cluster. Bracts similar to stipules, 5–6 3 mm, persistent; uppermost bracts light green or whitish, broadly ovate, 0.75 × 0.25 mm, apex setose, persistent. Flowers with white, translucent tepals. Male flowers: pedicel 1–3 mm long, whitish or light green; tepals 2, sparsely hispid on upper half of outer surface, broadly elliptic, ca. 5 × 3.5–4.5 mm, margin entire, apex rounded; stamens yellow, 10–11, cluster 0.5–0.75 mm, filaments 0.25–1 mm, anthers bright yellow, narrowly obovate, 0.75–1 mm long, emarginate. Female flowers: pedicel 3–5 mm long, light green, finely hispid; ovary narrowly oblong, 7.5–11 × 3–5 mm, wings 3, subequal, locules 3, placental branches 2 per locule; tepals 5, narrowly lanceolate, 7–7.5 × 3–4 mm, margin entire, apex acute, sparsely hispid on outer surface, styles 3, free to base, ca. 5 mm long, bifurcating, stigma greenish, papillose forming a continuous twisted band. Fruit pedicel stiff, decurved, (2–)4–6(–8) mm long, capsule oblong, (11–)18–20 × 10–15 mm, sparsely hispid, locules 3 but one scarcely developed, wings thin, narrowed to base, truncate distally, two narrower wings, 3–5 mm wide, broader wing 5–7 mm wide, style not persistent. Seeds: barrel-shaped, ca. 0.5 × 0.2 mm, collar cells more than half of the seed length.

Distribution: — MALAYSIA. Borneo. Sarawak. Marudi District: Gunung Mulu National Park. Endemic to Melinau limestone, widespread, occurring on most of the limestone hills.

Habitat: —It grows from the base of limestone hills and on Gunung Api to 1170 m in lower montane limestone forest, usually on limestone boulders but also on steep screes in deeply shaded habitats.

Etymology: —Its name is derived from its prominent hairs that are raised on conical bases.

Additional specimens examined (paratypes): — MALAYSIA. Borneo. Sarawak. Marudi District: Gunung Mulu National Park – Trail to Deer Cave , Julia et al. S 99201 ( KEP, SAN, SAR); Ulu Mentawai , Nanga Assam Yii S 48326 ( K, L, SAR); Bukit Berar , Julia et al. S 99212 ( SAR); Path to Gunung Api , Chai S 35790 ( K, KEP, L, MO, SAR), Yii & Abu Talib S 58845 ( K, KEP, L, SAR), Nielsen 502 ( AAU, SAR), Stone 13693 ( SAR), Chai S 30054 ( K, L, SAR), Anderson S 4287 ( K, L, SAR), Sirukit & Mohd. Azam SFC 3003 ( K, KEP, L, SAR, SING); Gunung Api, Gua Batu, Anderson S 30732 ( A, E, K, L, SAR, SING); Base Camp, Hansen 102 ( SAN, SAR); Gunung Benarat, Burtt B 8354 ( E, SAR); Wind Cave , Stone 13598 ( SAR); Sungai Melinau, opposite Long Bala, Yii & Abu Talib S 58810 ( K, KEP, L, MO, SAN, SAR); Unspecified locality, Martin S 38257 ( SAR), Abang Mohtar et al. S 49606 ( AAH, K, KEP, L, MO, SAN, SAR); Gunung Benarat, Baie et al. SFC 2834 ( SAN, SAR), Serukit et al. SFC 2840 ( KEP, SAR), Julia et al. SFC 2802 ( K,, KEP, L, SAR, SING); Bukit Agung, Julia et al. SFC 2820 ( E, K, KEP, SAR); Close to Expedition Base Camp, Kiew B. H. RK 535 ( KEP), RK 537 ( KEP) .

Notes: —In its small variegated leaves and creeping habit, it is as Low noted on his specimen ‘a charming plant’. The fruit is interesting in that one locule is hardly developed (it is about a quarter the size of the other two). A similar situation is seen in B. amphioxus Sands (1990: 77) (Kiew 2001) .

Figures

FIGURE 5. Begonia conipila. A. habit showing variegated green leaves; B. plant with dark green leaves; C. Inflorescence with fruit and male flower buds; D. male flowers; E. close-up of the very hairy leaf. Photos A, C & E from SFC 2802; photos B & D from SFC 2820 by Julia Sang.