Begonia albomaculata C.DC.

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 : 224-228

56. Begonia albomaculata C.DC.

Figs 7E , 71A , 72

Boletim do Museo Goeldi de Historia Natural e Ethnographia, Belem 4: 593 ( de Candolle 1906).

– Type: PERU – Loreto Region • Colinas in the Pampa del Sacramento between the río Ucayali and río Huallaga; [8°00′ S, 76°50′ W]; 26 Nov. 1898; J.E. Huber 1518; lectotype: G, designated by Moonlight et al. (2017a: 181); isolectotype: MG [ MG001518 ].

Brako & Zarucchi (1993: 191).

Begonia mayasiana L.B.Sm. & B.G.Schub., Publicaciones del Museo de Historia Natural Javier Prado, Serie B, Botánica 17: 7, pl. 3 ( Smith & Schubert 1964) .

– Type: PERU – Amazonas Region: Prov. Bagua • rainforest along Quebrada Mirana (above Km. 227 of Marañón road), valley of río Marañón above Cascadas de Mayasi ; [5°18′ S, 78°25′ W]; 450–500 m a.s.l.; 8 Sep. 1962; J.J. Wurdack 1902; holotype: US [ US00115384 ]; isotypes: A [ A00068252 ], K [ K000536780 ], F [ V0042322F ], NY [ NY00118629 ], S [ S04-748 ], UC [ UC1289796 ], USM [ USM000211 ].

Brako & Zarucchi (1993: 193); León & Monsalve (2006: 167); Moonlight et al. (2017b: 181).

Begonia obtecticaulis Irmsch. pro parte in Brako & Zarucchi, Monographs in Systematic Botany from the Missouri Botanical Garden 45: 194 ( Brako & Zarucchi 1993).

Begonia obtecticaulis Irmsch. pro parte in León & Monsalve, Revista Peruana de Biología 13 (2): 167 ( León & Monsalve 2006).

Etymology

The species is named for the small white flecks that occur on the upper side of the leaves of some populations.

Selected specimens examined

PERU – Amazonas Region: Prov. Bagua • Dist. Imaza, río Cenepa Region , región nor oriental del Marañón , comunidad Samaria ; 4°51′ S, 78°08′ W; 300 m a.s.l.; Jan. 1995; V. Hodges & J. Gorham 235; MO [ MO-286144 ] • Dist. Aramango, road from Bagua towards Santa María del Nieva , ca 30 minutes by car N. of El Muyo; 5°17′ S, 78°25′ W; 420 m a.s.l.; 30 Jan. 2016; P.W. Moonlight & A. Daza 126; E [ E00885564 ], MOL • ca 1 km NE of Quebrada Chinganza (0 km NE of Mayo) on bank of río Marañón; 05°25′ S, 78°28′ W; 450 m a.s.l.; 11 Jun. 1986; S. Knapp & P. Alcorn 7724; MO [ MO-1643518 ], USM. – Loreto Region: Prov. Coronel Portillo • Boquerón ; [9°04′ S, 75°41′ W]; 460–480 m a.s.l.; 8 Nov. 1964; R. Ferreyra 16068; MO [ MO-1642401 ], USM. – San Martín Region: Prov. Moyobamba • Dist. Jepelacio, centro poblado Nuevo San Miguel , subiendo por el río que pasa cerca a la entrada hacia la catarata de Paccha; 6°13′17″ S, 76°55′13″ W; 1237 m a.s.l.; 13 Feb. 2017; A. Orejuela, M. Cueva & J. Castillo 2783; E [2: E01053111 , E01053112 ], USM. – Prov. Lamas • Dist. Caynarachi, route from Tarapoto to Yurimaguas ; 6°22′41″ S, 76°17′03″ W; 421 m a.s.l.; 4 Feb. 2016; P.W Moonlight & A. Daza 174; E [ E00885591 ], MOL. – Prov. San Martín • Dist. Tarapoto, kilómetro 39-40 entre la vía Tarapoto-Yurimaguas , orilla del río Cashiyaco y bosques alrededor ; 6°25′45″ S, 76°15′13″ W; 15 Feb. 2017; A. Orejuela, M. Cueva & J. Castillo 2799; USM • Achinamiza, lowland rainforest along río Huallaga ; [6°29′ S, 75°54′ W]; 220 m a.s.l.; 15 May 1979; D.C. Wasshausen & F. Encarnación 1070; K, MO [ MO-1835963 ], NY, US [ US01286804 ], USM • Cerro de la Escalera , between Tarapoto and Shapaja; [6°32′ S, 76°17′ W]; 320 m a.s.l.; 1 Feb. 1987; D.C. Wasshausen & F. Encarnación 1352; US [ US01944379 ]. – Huánuco Region • Huánuco carretera Pucallpa ; Aug. 1943; C.A. Ridoutt 13847; USM • Along steep cliffs W of río Huallaga above bridge over río Huallaga on road to airport ; 09°14′ S, 78°00′ W; 675 m a.s.l.; 5 Apr. 1984; T. B. Croat 57965; MO [ MO-2154627 ], USM. – Prov. Leoncio Prado • Valley of río Huallaga , along steep banks of río Monzón, near bridge over río Patay Rondos on road from Tingo María to Monzón; 09°17′ S, 76°05′ W; 650 m a.s.l.; 2 Jun. 1998; T. B. Croat & M. Sizemore 81610; F, MO [ MO-2228055 ], US [ US00672878 ], USM • Dist. Rupa Rupa, Camino a Jacintillo , (Al oeste de Tingo María); [9°19′ S, 76°01′ W]; 672 m a.s.l.; 2 Nov. 1971, J. Schunke V. 5107; COL, G, NY, US [ US00222360 ] • Cayumba entre Huánuco y Tingo María; [9°30′ S, 75°57′ W]; 800–900 m a.s.l.; 15 Jul. 1948; R. Ferreyra 4224; MO [ MO-1643422 ], MOL, USM. – Prov. Huánuco • Dist. Chinchao, route from Tingo María to Carpish ; 9°30′47″ S, 75°56′23″ W; 772 m a.s.l.; 10 Feb. 2016; P.W. Moonlight & A. Daza 213; E [ E00885563 ], MOL. – Prov. Pachitea • Dist. Honoria, Bosque Nacional de Iparía , region de “bosque seco tropical” a lo largo de rio Pachitea cerca del campamento Miel de Abeja (1 km arriba del pueblo de Tournavista o unos 20 km. Arriba de la confluencia con el rio Ucayali); [9°02′ S, 74°42′ W]; 300–400 m a.s.l.; 26 Oct. 1967; J. Schunke V. 2279; NY . – Ucayali Region: Prov. Padre Abad • Dist. Padre Abad, Cuenca del río Aguaytía , Quebrada el Velo de la Novia , margen derecha del río Yurmac; 9°03′ S, 75°48′ W; 350–400 m a.s.l.; 30 Jun. 2004; J. Schunke V. & J.G. Graham 15771; F [ V0088037F ], G, MOL • Dist. Padre Abad, ca 2 km N of Boquerón de Padre Abad; 9°04′55″ S, 72°42′59″ W; 478 m a.s.l.; 8 Feb. 2016; P.W. Moonlight & A. Daza 204; E [ E00885606 ], MOL • Dist. Padre Abad, Cumbre de la Divisoria , entre Ucayali y Huánuco, cabecera del río Yurac, afluente del río Aguaytía; 9°11′ S, 75°47′ W; 1500–1600 m a.s.l.; 3 Jul. 2007; J.G. Graham & J. Schunke V. 4156; MOL, US [ US01008609 ].

Description

Caulescent herb, to 60 cm high. Stem erect, branching or rarely branching near the base; internodes to 6 cm long, to 8 mm thick, succulent, green, sometimes flushed red, glabrous. Stipules persistent, lanceolate, 12–35 × 4–8 mm, apex acuminate, mucronate, translucent, pale green to brown, glabrous, margin entire, aciliate. Leaves 2–5, alternate, basifixed; petiole 8–22 cm long, pale green, glabrous; blade asymmetrical, elliptic to ovate, to 30 × 17 cm, succulent, apex acuminate, base rounded on the larger side of the blade, cuneate on the narrow side, basal lobes, margin irregularly dentate, ciliate, upper surface green to dark green, rarely flecked white, glabrous, lower surface pale green to dark red, glabrous, veins palmate-pinnate, 6–9 veined from the base, with 3–5 secondary veins on the larger side, 3–5 secondary veins on the smaller side. Inflorescences 1–3, bisexual, axillary, erect, cymose, with 3 branches, bearing up to 16 staminate flowers and 8 pistillate flowers, protandrous; peduncle to 8.5 cm long, white to pale green, glabrous, bracts late deciduous, lanceolate, 3–9 × 1–4 mm, translucent, white to pale green, glabrous, apex acute, mucronate, margin entire, aciliate. Staminate flowers: pedicels to 20 mm long, glabrous; tepals 4, spreading, outer 2 broadly ovate to orbicular, 7–22 × 4–18 mm, apex obtuse to rounded, white, glabrous, margin entire, aciliate, inner 2 narrowly-oblanceolate, 8–12 × 2–4 mm, apex acute, white, glabrous, margin entire, aciliate; stamens ca 40, spreading, yellow, filaments 1–4 mm long, fused into a 1–2 mm long column, anthers broadly obovoid, ca 0.5 × 0.5 mm, dehiscing via lateral slits, connectives not extending, symmetrically basifixed. Pistillate flowers: pedicels to 22 mm long; bracteoles lacking; tepals 5, subequal, deciduous in fruit, spreading, lanceolate to ovate, 4–9 × 3–6 mm, apex obtuse to acute, white, glabrous, margin entire, aciliate; ovary body ellipsoid, 8–15 × 4–8 mm, white to pale green, glabrous, unequally 3-winged, wings triangular, largest 13–18 × 7–15 mm, smallest two 13–18 × 5–8 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 40 mm long. Fruit body ellipsoid to ovoid, to 20 × 10 mm, drying brown, wings same shape as in ovary, the largest expanding to 30 × 16 mm, the smallest expanding to 28 × 10 mm.

Proposed conservation assessment

Assessed as Least Concern (LC) by Moonlight et al. (2017b).

Identification notes

Begonia albomaculata is most like B. chemillenensis Moonlight , and flowering individuals can be distinguished by their larger staminate flowers (up to 44 mm across vs up to 24 mm across) with around twice as many stamens (ca 40 vs ca 20). Sterile identification is more difficult but B. albomaculata can be distinguished by its generally larger leaves (up to 30 × 17 cm vs up to 25 × 10 cm), which are thicker and more succulent (those of B. chemillenensis are membranaceous).

Distribution and ecology

Known from Ecuador, Peru, and Brazil. Within Peru, it has been collected in Amazonas, Huánuco, Loreto, San Martín, and Ucayali Regions ( Fig. 71A ). Found in Amazonian and lower montane forest at an elevation of 220–1250 m a.s.l. Begonia albomaculata is locally common on rocky slopes by streams in humid forest.

Figures

Fig. 7. Placentation in Peruvian Begonia. A–D. Axillary placentation with undivided branches. E–H. Axillary placentation with divided branches. A. B. buddleiifolia A.DC. B. B. foliosa Kunth. C. B. glabra Aubl. D. B. joshii Moonlight. E. B. albomaculata C.DC. F. B. rossmanniae A.DC. G. B. bracteosa A.DC. H. B. pleiopetala A.DC. Photographs taken by D.A. Purvis & P.W. Moonlight in the living collections of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh.

Fig. 71. Distribution of the maynensis group of Begonia sect. Knesebeckia (Klotzsch) A.DC. in Peru and surrounding countries. A. B. albomaculata C.DC. (red), B. chemillenensis Moonlight (blue) and B. scorpiocaulisMoonlight & Tebbitt (green). B. B. maynensis A.DC. (red). Black lines indicate country borders, grey lines indicate major administrative divisions, blue lines indicate rivers, and shading indicates elevation.

Fig. 72. Begonia albomaculata C.DC. A. Habit. B. Stipule. C. Leaf, abaxial surface. D. Bract. E. Staminate flower, side view. F. Staminate flower, front view. G. Cross section of ovary. H. Pistillate flower, side view. I. Pistillate flower, front view. All photographs taken by P.W. Moonlight in the living collections of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh.