[Botany • 2025] Begonia chunxiuensis (Begoniaceae, section Platycentrum) • A new species from Guangxi, China

Abstract

Begonia chunxiuensisa new species from Guangxi of China, is described and illustrated. It is morphologically similar to B. Sino-Vietnamese and Aurorabut is distinguished from them by its narrowly triangular stipules, the leaf blade which is adaxially green, dark green to viridian, with pinkish white to white villi, but abaxially light green with red veins, red to pinkish white villi and convex anther apex. It also differs from B. Sino-Vietnamese by smaller staminate flowers. Currently, the new species is known from only two subpopulations and is assessed as ‘Data Deficient’ (DD) according to the IUCN red list categories and criteria.

Keywords: BegoniaChina, Guangxi, morphology, new taxon, taxonomy

Begonia chunxiuensis WGWang, DKTian, ​​RKLi and HCXi sp. nov.

Diagnosis: A new species in Begonia sect. Platycentrum more similar to B. Sino-Vietnamese CYWu (Wu and Ku 1997) in the shape of the leaf blades, the shape and color of the staminate and pistillate flowers and the 3-locule ovary, but is easily distinguished by its narrowly triangular stipules (vs. ovate-oblong), leaf blade adaxially green, dark to viridian green (vs. brownish green), abaxially light green with red veins (vs. light brownish green), adaxially pinkish white to white villi with hairs about 5 mm long (vs densely hirsute), abaxially red to pinkish white villi (vs hirsute), 2 outer staminate flower tepals 10–15 × 8–14 mm, 2 inner tepals 8–12 × 4–5 mm (vs 2 outer tepals about 21 × 16 mm, 2 inner tepals about 12 × 5–6 mm) and anther apex convex (versus obtuse).

Etymology: The specific epithet chunxiuensis‘ refers to the name of the type locality, Chunxiu Reservoir in Longzhou County, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of China. The Chinese name is 春秀秋海棠’.