Friday, March 24, 2017

[Botany • 2017] Begonia tenasserimensis | ส้มกุ้งตะนาวศรี • A New Species of Begonia section Parvibegonia (Begoniaceae) from Thailand and Myanmar


ส้มกุ้งตะนาวศรี | Begonia tenasserimensis Phutthai & M. Hughes


Abstract 
Begonia tenasserimensis sp. nov. belongs to Begonia sect. Parvibegonia and is endemic to the hills of the Tenasserim Range, based on specimens from Peninsular Thailand and Tenasserim Division in Myanmar. The species is restricted to karst limestone and has been assessed as Vulnerable according to IUCN criteria.

Keywords: Southeast Asia; limestone; taxonomy



Fig. 1 Begonia tenasserimensis Phutthai & M.Hughes.
 b. Adaxial and abaxial leaf lamina; c. inflorescence; d. staminate flower; e. glandular hairs on ovary; f. pistillate flower; g. maturing capsule with persistent tepals.
— Photos by T. Phutthai. 

Begonia tenasserimensis Phutthai & M. Hughes, sp. nov. 
Begonia tenasserimensis is vegetatively similar to and shares the presence of persistent tepals when the fruit matures with B. crenata Dryand., but differs from that species in having an acutely lobed leaf lamina with 3 main veins (vs unlobed with 5 main veins) and a shortly spinose dentate leaf margin (vs crenate), pistillate flowers with 5 tepals (vs 6) and staminate flowers with lanceolate inner tepals (vs broadly elliptic), and a more branched inflorescence.

Etymology. The specific epithet ‘tenasserimensis’ is derived from the Tenasserim Range to where the species is endemic.


  T. Phutthai and M. Hughes. 2017. A New Species of Begonia section Parvibegonia (Begoniaceae) from Thailand and Myanmar.  Blumea - Biodiversity, Evolution and Biogeography of Plants.  DOI:  10.3767/000651917X695083

ส้มกุ้งตะนาวศรี Begonia tenasserimensis Phutthai & M. Hughes พบในเขตจังหวัดระนอง สตูล และเขตเทือกเขาตะนาวศรี สาธารณรัฐแห่งสหภาพเมียนมา  เป็นพืชถิ่นเดียวของไทยและเมียนมา สถานภาพเสี่ยงต่อการสูญพันธุ์