Begonia shilendrae Rekha Morris & P.D.McMillan, 2012

Begonia shilendrae Rekha Morris & P.D.McMillan View in CoL [sect. Platycentrum] Fig. 56 View Fig ; Table 1 View Table 1

The Begonian 79 (3–4): 63 ( Morris & McMillan 2012).

– Type: India, Arunachal-Pradesh, Itanagar , 3 Apr. 2005, Morris AR1 (holo-: CLEMS) .

Other material

INDIA: Arunachal-Pradesh: Itanagar, 3 Apr. 2005, Morris AR-1A (CLEMS) ; ibid., 3 Apr. 2005, Morris AR-1B (CLEMS) ; ibid., 3 Apr. 2005, Morris AR-1C (CLEMS) ; ibid., 17 Dec. 2005, Morris AR108 (CLEMS n.v.) ; ibid., 17 Dec. 2005, Morris AR109 (CLEMS n.v.) ; ibid., 17 Dec. 2005, Morris AR110 (CLEMS n.v.) ; ibid., 17 Dec. 2005, Morris AR111 (CLEMS n.v.).

Description

Rhizomatous, monoecious herb, 20–50 cm high. Rhizome: 10–20 mm wide, glabrous, internodes 5–25 mm long. Stipules: unseen. Leaves: petiole up to 40 cm, densely to sparsely villose; lamina broadly ovate, basifixed, base shallowly cordate to truncate, 18–35 × 8–30 cm, slightly asymmetric, upper surface matt green, glabrous, underside green, pubescent on veins near petiole, venation palmate; margin very deeply lobed, with 5–7 lobes, entire, glabrous; apex acuminate. Inflorescence: panicle or raceme of cymes, terminal, few; peduncle glabrous with hairs near base, branching 1–3 times, primary 10–30 cm long, secondary and tertiary ca 1 cm, up to 15 flowers; bracts unseen. Male flower: pedicel 5–15 mm long, glabrous; tepals 2; outer tepals cordate-ovate, 5–10 × 4–6 mm, rose pink to pale pink, glabrous, margin entire; androecium with 30–40 stamens, symmetric; filaments 1–3 mm long; fused at base; anther globose, 1 mm long, not hooded, connective not extended. Female flower: pedicel 10– 35 mm long, glabrous; bracteoles absent; tepals 2, ovate, 5–10 × 4–9 mm, rose pink to pale pink, glabrous, margin entire; ovary 2(–3)-locular, placentae bifid; capsule oblong-elliptic, with one long oblong wing and two very small oblong wings; styles 2–3, forked once and twisted once, persistent. Fruit: recurved; capsule elliptic, 9–13 × 3–5 mm, glabrous; wings extending along the pedicel and in front of capsule, unequal; longest wing rounded triangle, 15–20 × 10–14 mm; shortest wings oblong, 1–2 × 11–17 mm.

Distribution and phenology

Endemic to Arunachal-Pradesh; ca 450 m. Flowering: December to January; fruiting: December to February.

Conservation status

Data Deficient. Begonia shilendrae is only known from the type location in the lower mountains of Arunachal-Pradesh.

Remarks

The description is based on the protologue and photographs of the type; the notes therein describe the species as protandrous. This species is vegetatively similar to B. sikkimensis and B. koelzii in terms of having lacerate leaves; see notes under those species.