Begonia rantemarioensis D.C.Thomas & Ardi

Thomas, Daniel C. & Ardi, Wisnu H., 2020, Synopsis of Begonia (Begoniaceae) of southwest Sulawesi and the Selayar Islands, Indonesia, including one new species, Phytotaxa 437 (2), pp. 73-96 : 90

11. Begonia rantemarioensis D.C.Thomas & Ardi in Thomas et al. (2011: 240)

Sect. Petermannia

Type:— INDONESIA. Sulawesi, South Sulawesi: Gunung Rantemario , alt. 1978 m, primary rainforest on steep slope, 24.4.2009, D.C. Thomas & W.H. Ardi 09-82 (holo E[00502335]!; iso BO!) .

Additional literature:— Hughes et al. (2018: 267) [photo plate].

Distribution:— Indonesia; endemic to Sulawesi: South Sulawesi (Latimojong Mountains,

Gunung Rantemario) ( Fig. 1C ).

Habitat:— Primary rainforest floor, on steep slopes; in full shade; at ca. 1500 to 2000 m elevation.

Provisional IUCN conservation assessment:— Endangered (EN) B1ab(iii),B2ab(iii). This species is known from only a few collections from the western Latimojong Mountains. Most collection were from good quality forest just outside of the western border of the Latimijong Forest Reserve and in close proximity to human settlements and agricultural land. Further exploration of the Latimojong Mountains will likely reveal a wider distribution within the mountain range, but given that this species has not been collected in any other montane forests on the southern arm and Central Sulawesi, we must assume, until more extensive collection efforts reveal otherwise, that it has a very limited range. The few currently known locations, the associated small EOO and AOO, and the observed disturbance and loss of forest habitat at the border of the Latimojong Forest Reserve indicate that an Endangered status is warranted.

Additional specimens examined: — INDONESIA. Sulawesi, South Sulawesi: Subdivision Enrekang, between Angin Angin and Pintealon Forest, 15 June 1937, P.J. Eyma 478 (L, U) ; Latimojong Mountains, Gunung Rantemario , 1985, A.J. Whitten s.n. (L) ; Pegunungan Latimojong, Buntu Tomasan, Desa Tibusan , Kec. Bastem , Kab. Luwu , 06 Feb. 1994, J.P. Mogea et al. JPM 6662 ( BO) ; Mt. Pasaparan, MTs. Latimojong, Luwu , Okt. 1994, Tahan Uji & M. Amir 2505 ( BO) ; ibid., 5 Mar. 2000, G. Argent et al. 233 (E) ; ibid., 28 Jan. 2009, M. Ardiyani et al. 164 ( BO, E, SING) ; ibid., 23 Apr. 2009, D.C. Thomas & W.H. Ardi 09-78 ( BO, E, L) ; ibid., 27 Apr. 2009, D.C. Thomas & W.H. Ardi 09-94 ( BO, E, L) ; ibid., 27 Apr. 2009, D.C. Thomas & W.H. Ardi 09-96 ( BO, E, L) .

Figures

FIGURE 1. Distribution maps of Begonia species occurring on the southwestern arm of Sulawesi or the Selayar Islands (georeferenced specimen data from major collections [B, BO, E, K, KRB, L, SING], the Begonia Resource Center [Hughes et al. 2015a], as well as some additional confirmed observations). Grey lines indicate 1° graticules.