Begonia (sect. Diploclinium) labordei H. Lev. (Leveille 1904

Begonia labordei H.Lév. [sect. Diploclinium]

Fig. 36

Bulletin de la Société d’Agriculture, Sciences et Arts de la Sarthe 39: 323 (Léveillé 1904).

– Type: China, Kouy-Tcheou, 11 Sep. 1899, Laborde & Bodinier 1952 (lecto-: B100366084, here designated; isolecto-: P n.v.).

Begonia harrowiana Diels, Notes of the Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh 5 (25): 166 (Diels 1912).

– Type: China, Yunnan, Tali Valley, Sep. 1906, Forrest 4390 (lecto-: E00022115, here designated; isolecto-: BM000075818).

Begonia polyantha H.Lév., Catalogue des Plantes du Yun-Nan: 17 (Léveillé 1916).

– Type: China, Kouy-Tcheou, Cavalerie s.n. (lecto-: E00022111, here designated).

Citations in other publications

As B. labordei: Gu et al. (2007: 181), Hughes (2008: 66).

Other material examined

INDIA: Arunachal-Pradesh: Delei Valley, 29 Apr. 1928, Ward 8241 (K); ibid., 4 May 1928, Ward 8156 (K); ibid., 18 Aug. 1928, Ward 8539 (K); Dirang Dzong, 2 Sep. 1938, Ward 14194 (BM 000075876); ibid., 8 Sep. 1938, Ward 14224 (BM). Meghalaya: Khasi Hills, Mawphlang, 16 Oct. 1946, Ward 16045 (BM 000075875, E).

Description

Tuberous, monoecious herb, 10 –20 cm high. Stipules: lanceolate, 5–6 × 2 mm, glabrous, deciduous. Leaves: petiole 4–15 cm long, glabrous to sparsely pilose; lamina ovate to ovate-orbicular, basifixed, base cordate with lobes not overlapping, 9–20 × 6–16 cm, slightly asymmetric, upper surface green, glabrous or hispid all over, underside paler green or green and red, sparsely hispid on veins mostly, venation palmate, midrib 5–14 cm long; margin toothed at the end of the veins with smaller teeth between, with short hairs; apex acuminate. Inflorescence: raceme of cymes, terminal; peduncle sparsely pilose, branching 2(–3) times, primary 5–10 cm, secondary 5–15 mm, tertiary 1–2 mm, with 2– 4 female and 3– 6 male flowers; bracts lance-ovate, 3–4 × 1–2 mm, sparsely puberulous. Male flower: pedicel 7–8 mm long, glabrous; tepals 4; outer tepals sub-orbicular, 5–10 × 4–7 mm, white to pale pink, sparsely dark hispid on reverse, margin entire; inner tepals elliptic, 5–7 × 1–5 mm, white to pale pink, glabrous; androecium with 8–10 stamens, asymmetric; filaments 1 mm long, unequal, fused at base into a short column; anther oblong, 1–2 mm long, slightly hooded, connective not extended. Female flower: pedicel 8–9 mm long, glabrous; bracteoles absent; tepals 2–3, unequal, oblong, 6–10 × 2–6 mm, white to pale pink, glabrous, inner tepals as in male flowers; ovary 3-locular, placentae bifid; capsule oblongellipsoid, sparsely pilose, with one long triangular wing and two short triangular wings; styles 3, shallowly forked once and twisted twice, persistent. Fruit: pendulous; capsule oblong-ellipsoid, 8–10 × 5–7 mm, sparsely dark pilose; wings not extending along the pedicel, unequal; longest wing triangular arched away from the apex, 10–15 × 4–8 mm; shortest wings triangular 3 × 8 mm.

Distribution and phenology

Arunachal-Pradesh and Meghalaya; also in China, Myanmar and Vietnam; 1500–1850 m. Flowering: June to October; fruiting: September to October.

Conservation status

Least Concern (Hughes 2008). Begonia labordei is a widespread species in southeast Asia, with no significant change in recent years to warrant a change in its status.

Remarks

A widespread and vegetatively variable species though the fruits are distinctive, with the largest wing curving away from the apex of the fruit and resembling a bird’s wing. Begonia adscendens is somewhat similar, but differs in having glabrous leaves and pale hairs near the base of the tepals, whereas in B. labordei the hairs are dark purple and visible with the naked eye. The two species also differ in fruit wing shape; the longest wing curves back adaxially on B. labordei but on B. adscendens it reaches up past the apex of the fruit capsule. A new record for India.