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Issue: Vol. 720 No. 1: 26 Sept. 2025
Type: Article
Published: 2025-09-26
DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.720.1.6
Page range: 67-74
Abstract views: 757
PDF downloaded: 16

Begonia brunneosquamata (sect. Jackia, Begoniaceae), a new species from limestone karsts of Bolikhamxai Province, Central Laos

Faculty of Environmental Sciences, National University of Laos, Dongdok Campus, Xaythany District, Vientiane Capital, Laos; Systematic Botany Labroratory, Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University, 1-1 Minami-Osawa, Hachioji, Tokyo 192-0397, Japan
Herbarium of Taiwan Forestry Research Institute (TAIF), Taiwan Forestry Research Institute, No. 53, Nan–Hai Road, Taipei 100, Taiwan
Annamite mountains biodiversity endemism flora of Laos taxonomy Eudicots

Abstract

Begonia brunneosquamata, a striking new species discovered in the limestone karst region of Bolikhamxai Province, central Laos, is described here. It resembles B. tatianae in being a rhizomatous plant with suborbicular leaves, 4-tepaled staminate flowers, and a zygomorphic androecium. However, the new species differs markedly from B. tatianae in several key morphological characters: the petioles and inflorescences are densely covered with scale-like brown trichomes (vs. glabrous), the anther apex is mucronate (vs. truncate), the pistillate flower bears five tepals (vs. four), and the ovary and styles are sparsely covered with scale-like brown trichomes (vs. ovary bearing sparse 3-branched purple trichomes and styles glabrous). Based on the currently available data, B. brunneosquamata is assigned to the Endangered (EN) category, following the Guidelines for Using the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria.

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How to Cite

Phonepaseuth, P. & Lin, C.-W. (2025) Begonia brunneosquamata (sect. Jackia, Begoniaceae), a new species from limestone karsts of Bolikhamxai Province, Central Laos. Phytotaxa 720 (1): 67–74. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.720.1.6