Begonia parcifolia 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 : 194-197

46. Begonia parcifolia C.DC.

Figs 62A , 63

Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections 69 (12): 10 (de Candolle 1919).

– Type: ECUADOR – [Prov. Loja] • Cariamanga; [4°19′ S, 79°33′ W]; 24 Apr. 1910; C.H.T. Townsend 947; lectotype: US [ US00115415 ], designated by Smith & Wasshausen (1979: 244).

Smith & Wasshausen (1979: 244, 1986: 37); Quintana & León-Yáñez (2011: 200); Esquerre-Ibañez & Tebbitt (2018: 451).

Begonia nervidens Irmsch., Botanische Jahrbücher für Systematik, Pflanzengeschichte und Pflanzengeographie 74: 614 ( Irmscher 1949).

– Type: ECUADOR – Prov. El Oro • Between Portovelo and El Tambo ; [3°45′ S, 79°48′ W]; 600–1000 m a.s.l.; 2 Sep. 1923; A.S. Hitchcock 21279; lectotype: US [ US00115402 ] designated here; isolectotype: NY • between Loja and Portovelo , 3–6 Oct. 1918, J.N. Rose, A. Pachano & G. Rose 23364; syntype: US [ US00221802 ]; isosyntype NY.

Smith & Wasshausen (1979: 244).

Begonia gorgonea Tebbitt , Edinburgh Journal of Botany 68 (2): 178 ( Tebbitt 2011)

– Type: PERU – Cajamarca Region: Prov. Chilete • Alrededores de Sangal Alto (carretera Chilete-San Pablo) ; [7°09′ S, 78°50′ W]; 1800 m a.s.l.; 26 Dec. 1970; A. Lopez M. & A. Sagastegui A. 7627; holotype: NY [ NY01085845 ]; isotype: HUT [ HUT no. 7783]. Syn. nov.

Etymology

The name of this species means few-leaved in Latin.

Specimens examined

PERU – Tumbes Region: Prov. Zarumilla • Pampas de Hospital , entre el cruce al puesto de vigilancia Cabo Cotrina y el Caucho; ca 3°59′ S, 80°24′ W; 450 m a.s.l.; 23 Oct. 1988; C. Díaz & R. Vásquez 3115; MO [ MO-2228042 ], USM • Dist. Matapalo, Bosque nacional de Tumbes , región de “bosque seco subtropical” cerca de Campo Verde; [3°50′ S, 80°11′ W]; 600–800 m a.s.l.; 4 Jan. 1968; D.R. Simpson & J. Schunke V. 562; F, G, NY, US [ US00222273 ], USM. – Piura Region: Prov. Ayabaca • camino entre Las Lomas y Ayabaca, inmediatamente sobre el puente Tondopa, 4°42′ S, 79°50′ W; 955–1627 m a.s.l.; 29 May 2015; M.C. Tebbitt & A. Daza 845; E, MOL. – Cajamarca Region: Prov. Jaén • Colasay, bosque seco ; 5°55′ S, 79°10′ W; 1600 m a.s.l.; 8 Dec. 2001; R. Vásquez, R. Rojas & L. Campos 27225; HUT, MO [2: MO-2981281 , MO-2981282 , USM • Dist. Pucará, Caserio Sondor ; 6°00′ S, 79°10′ W; 1400 m a.s.l.; 29 Jun. 1993; D. MilanowskI & I. Shonle 57; MO [ MO-1641537 ]. – Prov. Chilete • Dist. San Pablo, road from San Pablo to San Miguel , ca 9 km from San Pablo at El Palto; 7°04’13′ S, 78°51′50.1″ W; 16 Nov. 2019; 1745 m a.s.l.; P.W. Moonlight 1928; USM • Dist. San Pablo, footpath 500 m N of Sangel on road from Chilete to San Pablo; 7°08′05.7″ S, 78°50′32.5″ W; 1953 m a.s.l.; 16 Nov. 2019; P.W. Moonlight 1927; USM. – Prov. Cajabamba • Dist. San Juan, puente los Naranjos , km 128 carretera Pascomayo-Cajamarca; [7°17′ S, 78°33′ W]; 1700 m a.s.l.; 28 Nov. 1981; I. Sánchez V. 2716; CPUN, MO [ MO-2218604 ].

Description

Acaulescent, tuberous herb, to 45 cm high. Tuber spheroid, to 20 cm in diameter, often with an elongated, vertically-held 2 cm thick and up to 10 cm long rhizome-like structure at the top, branching at the top into 1–3 growing points. Stipules persistent, triangular, 4–14 × 2–10 mm, apex acute, apiculate, opaque, dark brown, glabrous, margin entire to irregularly serrate, ciliate. Leaves 1–4 per growing point, alternate, basifixed but appearing superficially peltate when young; petiole 5–25 cm long, red, sparsely to densely hirsute; blade subsymmetric, ovate, to 18.5 × 13.5 cm, succulent, apex acute, base obliquely cordate, basal lobes overlapping to not overlapping, sinus to 60 mm deep, margin irregularly dentate, long-ciliate, upper surface green, sparsely hirsute, lower surface pale green, sparsely to densely hirsute, veins palmate, 6–10 veined from the base. Inflorescences 1–3 per rhizome, bisexual, axillary, erect, a subsymmetric cyme, with up to 5 branches, bearing up to 6 staminate flowers and 3 pistillate flowers, protandrous; peduncle to 45 cm long, red, glabrous to densely hirsute, bracts late deciduous, elliptic to ovate, 6–21 × 2–18 mm, translucent, white, glabrous, apex rounded, margin entire, ciliate. Staminate flowers: pedicels to 30 mm long, glabrous; tepals 4, spreading, outer 2 elliptic to ovate, 14–28 × 10– 22 mm, apex acute to rounded, white, sometimes pink outside, glabrous, margin entire, aciliate, inner 2 broadly-lanceolate, 8–30 × 5–16 mm, apex acute to obtuse, white, glabrous, margin entire, aciliate; stamens 50–100, spreading, yellow, filaments 2–5 mm long, fused at the base, anthers ovoid, 1.5–2 × 0.5 mm long, dehiscing via lateral slits, connectives not extended, symmetrically basifixed. Pistillate flowers: pedicels to 30 mm long; bracteoles lacking; tepals 5, subequal, persistent in fruit, projecting, the largest ovoid, 8–28 × 4–15 mm, apex rounded, white, glabrous, margin entire, aciliate, the smallest lanceolate, 6–20 × 4–12 mm, apex rounded, white, glabrous, margin entire, aciliate; ovary body ovoid, 6–10 × 5–12 mm, green to red, glabrous, sub-equally 3-winged, wings triangular, 7–14 × 2–5 mm; 3-locular, placentae branches divided, bearing ovules on both surfaces; styles 3, yellow, free, 2–4 mm long, once-divided, stigmatic papillae in a spirally twisted band. Fruiting pedicel to 30 mm long. Fruit body ovoid, to 13 × 12 mm, drying light brown, wings same shape as in ovary, expanding to 15 × 17 mm.

Proposed conservation assessment

Previously assessed by Quintana & León-Yáñez (2011) and Esquerre-Ibañez & Tebbitt (2018) as Vulnerable (VU B1ab(iii) and VU D2, respectively). The EOO of our circumscription of B. parcifolia is> 35 000 km 2 and there is no evidence of population decline. The species was observed to be widespread and common in Cajamarca Region during fieldwork in November 2019. We assess B. parcifolia as Least Concern (LC), which also replaces the vulnerable (VU D2) assessment of B. gorgonea Tebbitt by Tebbitt (2011).

Synonymy notes

Tebbitt (2011) described B. gorgonea based upon material collected in the Chilete and Cajabamba Provinces of Cajamarca Region. He distinguished the species based upon its peltate leaves and thickened, underground rhizome-like rootstock. During fieldwork carried out in 2019 at the type locality and surrounding areas we were unable to locate material matching this description and found B. parcifolia to be plentiful. The young leaves of B. parcifolia grow with their basal lobes overlapping and thus can appear peltate. Indeed, all isotypes and paratypes held at HUT and CPUN clearly show basifixed leaves but with overlapping basal lobes. Furthermore, the plants at the type locality were found to have large tubers, from which a thick, rhizome-like structure was occasionally found. We conclude that B. gorgonea is synonymous with B. parcifolia .

Typification notes

The protologue of B. parcifolia cites the collection C.H.T. Townsend 947 but no herbarium (de Candolle 1919: 10), thus this name required lectotypification. Smith & Wasshausen (1979) cited a duplicate in US herbarium ( US 00115415) as a holotype, which counts as an effective lectotypification. A lectotype is also required for B. nervidens Irmsch. The protologue for this name cites a duplicate of each of J.N. Rose 23364 and A.S. Hitchcock 21279, both held at US herbarium ( Irmscher 1949: 614). Esquerre-Ibañez & Tebbitt (2018) cited A.S. Hitchcock 21279 at US ( US 00115402) as the holotype but this is incorrect and does not count as an effective lectotypification because it occurred after the 1 st of January 2001 ( Turland et al. 2018: Article 9.23). We designate this sheet as the lectotype.

Identification notes

Begonia parcifolia is most similar to B. bifurcata L.B.Sm. & B.G.Schub. Both species are found in northwest Peru and are tuberous, acaulescent species with four tepals on their staminate flowers and five on their pistillate flowers. They occur in different environments, with B. parcifolia primarily found in dry forests and B. bifurcata found in humid, montane forests. They are easily distinguished when in flower: B. parcifolia has glabrous tepals while the outer surface of the staminate and pistillate flowers of B. bifurcata have a red, glandular pilose indumentum. When sterile, they can be distinguished by their indumentum: the petioles and leaves of B. bifurcata have a red, glandular pilose indumentum while those of B. bifurcata have a white, hirsute indumentum.

Distribution and ecology

Known from Peru and Ecuador. Within Peru, it has been collected in Tumbes, Piura, and Cajamarca Regions ( Fig. 62A ). Found in coastal dry forests in Tumbes Region at an elevation of 450–800 m a.s.l. and dry forest and scrubland in Piura and Cajamarca at an elevation of 955–1953 m a.s.l. Begonia parcifolia typically grows on rocky slopes, especially in areas where clouds condense during the rainy season. It is a geophyte and dies down to its tuber in the dry season and flowers shortly before the beginning of the rainy season (October to January) and throughout the wet season (until June).

Figures

Fig. 62. Distribution of Begonia sect. Knesebeckia in Peru. A. B. brandbygeana L.B.Sm. & Wassh. (red) and B. parcifolia (blue). B. B. piurensis L.B.Sm. & B.G.Schub. (red) and B. velata L.B.Sm. & B.G.Schub. (blue). Black lines indicate country borders, grey lines indicate major administrative divisions, blue lines indicate rivers, and shading indicates elevation.

Fig. 63. Begonia parcifolia C.DC. A. Habitat. B. Tuber. C. Staminate flower, front view. D. Pistillate flower, front view. All photographs taken by P.W. Moonlight from P.W. Moonlight & A. Daza 1927 in Jaén Province, Cajamarca Region.