Begonia bifurcata 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 : 288-290

71. Begonia bifurcata L.B.Sm. & B.G.Schub.

Figs 90A , 91

Journal of the Washington Academy of Sciences 45 (4): 113, fig.1 ( Smith & Schubert 1955).

– Type: PERU – Piura Region: Prov. Huancabamba • Above Canchaque ; [5°22′ S, 79°36′ W]; 1500–1600 m a.s.l.; 22 Mar. 1948; R. Ferreyra 3103; holotype: US [ US00115253 ]; isotypes: GH [ GH00068216 ], USM [ USM000210 ].

Brako & Zarucchi (1993: 191); León & Monsalve (2006: 165).

Etymology

The species is named for its bifurcating styles, which are unusual among tuberous Peruvian Begonia species.

Specimens examined

PERU – Piura Region: Prov. Huancabamba • Carretera entre Canchaque y Huancabamba, km 16 al 25 desde Canchaque ; [5°22′ S, 79°36′ W]; 1900–2200 m a.s.l.; 17 Apr. 1987; C. Díaz & S. Baldeón M. 2419; F, MO [ MO-098024 ] • ibid.; 5°23′03″ S, 79°35′47″ W; 1626 m a.s.l.; 26 Jan. 2016; P.W. Moonlight & A. Daza 105; MOL • ibid.; 5°22′08″ S, 79°34′26″ W; 1835 m a.s.l.; 26 Jan. 2016; P.W. Moonlight & A. Daza 110; E [ E00885543 ], G, MO, MOL • ibid.; 5°22′34″ S, 79°34′33″ W; 2122 m a.s.l.; 27 Jan. 2016; P.W. Moonlight & A. Daza 117; E [ E00885886 ], MO, MOL, HUT • Arriba de Canchaque ; [5°22′ S, 79°36′ W]; 1400–1600 m a.s.l.; 22 May 1948; R. Ferreyra 3100; USM • ibid.; 22 May 1948; R. Ferreyra 3132; USM • Dist. Canchaque, Chorro Blanco ; [5°20′ S, 79°36′ W]; 1500–1900 m a.s.l.; 18 Apr. 1987; C. Díaz & S. Baldeón M. 2473; F, MO [ MO-098023 ], USM • ibid.; C. Díaz & S. Baldeón M. 2480; MO [ MO-098022 ] • Entre Palamba y Turmalina , ruta a Huancabamba ; [5°23′ S, 79°36′ W]; 1900 m a.s.l.; 30 Apr. 1988; I. Sánchez V., A. Correa & M. Uaras 5114; CPUN . – Cajamarca Region: Prov. San Ignacio • Dist. San José de Lourdes, Caserío Estrella del Oriente ; 4°50′ S, 78°55′ W; 1500– 1650 m a.s.l.; 14 Nov. 1988; E. Rodríguez R. & S. Leiva G. 2107; HUT.

Description

Caulescent, tuberous herb, to 30 cm high. Tuber ellipsoid to spheroid, 5–16 × 2–4 cm, with 1 growing point. Stem erect, unbranched; internodes to 14 cm long, to 8 mm thick, succulent, pale green, sparsely to densely hirsute. Stipules persistent on the tuber, deciduous on the stem, triangular, 5–8 × 3–4 mm, apex acute, translucent, white, glabrous, margin lacerate, ciliate. Leaves 1–3, alternate, basifixed; petiole 2–13 cm long, pale green, densely hirsute, hairs vivid red tipped white; blade asymmetric, ovate, to 24 × 23 cm, succulent, apex broadly-acuminate, base truncate to cordate, basal lobes not overlapping to overlapping, sinus to 70 mm deep, margin irregularly dentate, ciliate, upper surface yellow-green to green, glandular-pilose, lower surface pale green, densely hirsute on the veins, glandular-pilose on the lamina, veins palmate but with 1 primary vein, 7–9 veined from the base, with 2–4 secondary veins on the larger side, 1–3 secondary veins on the smaller side. Inflorescences 1–3, bisexual, axillary, erect, cymose, with 4 branches, bearing up to 4 staminate flowers and 4 pistillate flowers, protandrous; peduncle to 9.5 cm long, pale green, sparsely-villous, the hairs red tipped white, bracts persistent, lanceolate, 3–5 × 1.5– 2.5 mm, opaque, pale green, glabrous, apex acute, margin lacerate, ciliate. Staminate flowers: pedicels to 45 mm long, sparsely pubescent; tepals 4, spreading, outer 2 ovate, 6–13 × 4–7 mm, apex rounded, white, sometimes flushed red outside, glabrous inside, glandular pilose outside, the hairs red, margin entire, aciliate, inner 2 ovate, 5–11 × 3–7 mm, apex rounded, white, glabrous, margin entire, aciliate; stamens ca 35, spreading, yellow, filaments 1–2 mm long, fused into an irregularly branching column, anthers ellipsoid, 1–1.5 × 0.1 mm, dehiscing via lateral slits, connectives extended, symmetrically basifixed. Pistillate flowers: pedicels to 25 mm long; bracteoles lacking; tepals 5, subequal, persistent in fruit, projecting, the largest ovate, 6–8 × 3–5 mm, apex obtuse, white, pilose on the outside, glabrous inside, margin entire, aciliate, the smallest ovate, 4–5 × 3–4 mm, apex obtuse, pilose on the outside, glabrous inside, margin entire, aciliate; ovary body obovoid, 7–8 × 5–6 mm, white, glandular pilose, unequally 3-winged, the largest wing triangular, 6–10 × 10–11 mm, smallest marginal 1–2 mm wide; 3-locular, placentae branches divided, bearing ovules on both surfaces; styles 3, yellow, free, 2–3 mm long, once-divided, stigmatic papillae in a spirally twisted band. Fruiting pedicel to 30 mm long. Fruit body obovoid, to 9 × 6 mm, drying brown, largest wing same shape as in ovary, expanding to 13 mm tall, smallest wings expanding to a triangle 5 mm wide and 8 mm tall.

Proposed conservation assessment

Previously assessed by León & Monsalve (2016) as Endangered (EN B1a). The species has now been identified from one locality in Cajamarca Province and three localities in Ecuador, and its EOO has been extended to 8000 km 2. Fieldwork in 2016 demonstrated that B. bifurcata is abundant at its type locality, and at least 5000 individuals were observed on 5 km stretch of road. This EOO and number of known localities are sufficiently small to qualify B. bifurcata as Vulnerable, but there are no known threats to the species or any of its populations. We assess B. bifurcata as Least Concern (LC).

Identification notes

Begonia bifurcata is most similar to B. parcifolia (see Identification notes for B. parcifolia ) but may also be confused with B. erythrothrix , another acaulescent species with a dense indumentum of red hairs. Begonia bifurcata is a tuberous species and has a red, glandular pilose indumentum to the outer surface of the tepals on both its staminate flowers whereas B. erythrothrix is rhizomatous and has glabrous tepals.

Distribution and ecology

Known from Ecuador and Peru. Within Peru known from Piura and Cajamarca Regions ( Fig. 90A ) and found in northwest Peruvian relict montane Forest at an elevation of 1400–2200 m a.s.l. and middle montane Forest at an elevation of 1500–1650 m a.s.l. Begonia bifurcata is a tuberous species and dies back in the dry season to a tuber before flowering at the start of the dry season (January to May). Only a single specimen is known from Cajamarca Region, but the flowering period may be different as this specimen was in flower in November.

Figures

Fig. 90. Distribution of the Begonia sect. Ignota in Peru and surrounding countries. A. B. bifurcata L.B.Sm. & B.G.Schub. (red), B. erythrothrix Tebbitt & Moonlight (red), and B. occultata J.P.Allen & Moonlight sp. nov. (green). B. B. speculum Moonlight & Tebbitt (red), B. thyrsoidea Irmsch., and B. urubambensis Tebbitt (green). Black lines indicate country borders, grey lines indicate major administrative divisions, blue lines indicate rivers, and shading indicates elevation.

Fig. 91. Begonia bifurcata L.B.Sm. & B.G.Schub. A. Habitat. B. Habit. C. Staminate flower, front view. D. Inflorescence. All photographs by P.W. Moonlight from P.W. Moonlight & A. Daza 117 in Huancabamba Province, Piura Region.