Volume 14 > Part 3 > Year 2019 > Page 392 > Begoniaceae > Begonia

23. Begonia integrifolia Dalzellwfo-0000824390

[§ Parvibegonia], Hooker’s J. Bot. Kew Gard., Misc. 3: 230. 1851; Candolle, Prodr. 15(1): 351. 1864; Gagnep., in Lecomte (ed.), Fl. Indo-Chine 2: 1113. 1921; Craib, Fl. Siam. 1: 775. 1931; Kiew, Begonias Penins. Malaysia 74. 2005; Hughes, Annot. Checkl. SE Asian Begonia. 55. 2008. Plate XXXVII: A–B.

Accepted Name : This is currently accepted.

Synonyms & Citations :

Description : Monoecious caulescent herb, 30 cm tall. Stems succulent, erect or suberect, glabrous or sparsely or densely hairy, pale green or dark red; tubers globose or subglobose with numerous fibrous roots, 5−13 mm diam. Leaves only 2−3(−5) per plant; petiole pale green or dark red, reddish brown when dry, 4−20 cm long; lamina basifixed, asymmetric, succulent, chartaceous when dry, adaxial surface sparsely or densely hairy, light green or brown to black with silver spots or mid green with white spots or reddish brown with silver spots, glossy, abaxial sparsely or densely hairy, pale green or vinaceous or dark red, ovate, 7−25 by 4−15 cm, base cordate, apex acute or rounded, margin entire to slightly undulate, venation palmate-pinnate, veins 4−8 pairs, midrib prominent beneath. Stipules persistent, greenish white or pale green or dark red with red striation, lanceolate, 5−14 by 2−8 mm, apex acute, margin entire, glabrous or hairy outside. Inflorescences terminal, dichasial, branching 1−4 times, 7−15(−17) cm long, with 4−9 staminate flowers and 2 pistillate flowers per branch, protandrous; peduncles pale green or dark red, ca 3−13 cm long, terete, glabrous. Bracts persistent, dark red, pale green or whitish pink, membranous, ovate, 10−15 by 4−5 mm, apex obtuse, margin entire. Staminate flowers: pedicels 5−15 mm, erect (or occasionally ascending); tepals 4, plain white or white with red striation, outer 2 orbicular, 5−13 by 5−10 mm, apex obtuse, margin entire, glabrous on both sides, inner 2 ovate-lanceolate, 5−8 by 2−3 mm, base rounded, apex acute, margin entire, base cuneate, glabrous on both side; androecium actinomorphic, globose, stamens numerous, yellow, filaments, fused at base, ca 0.5 mm long, anthers obovate, ca 1 mm long, dehiscing by slits near tip. Pistillate flowers: pedicels pale pink, 5−7 mm long; tepals 5, unequal, 4 ovate-oblong, 8−10 by 2−5 mm, 1 oval, 2−5 by 1−2 mm, white or white with red striation or pale pink, base obtuse, apex obtuse, margin entire, glabrous on both sides; styles 2, once spirally twisted, fused at base, yellow, stigmatic band crescent-shaped; ovary with 3 subequal wings, 2-locular, placentae bilamellate. Fruit a dehiscent capsule, pale green or pale green with red striation, pendulous, drying pale brown, 10−20 by 11−15 mm; locules ovate, 7−15 by 5−7 mm, abaxial wing orbicular-triangular, 10−15 mm long, lateral wings narrower, deltate, curved along length of capsule, 4−5 mm long. Seeds brown, barrel-shaped, 0.4−0.5 mm long, collar cells ca 1/2 length of seed.

Thailand : CENTRAL: Saraburi, Nakhon Nayok; NORTHERN: Lampang, Mae Hong Son, Phitsanulok, Tak; NORTH-EASTERN: Phetchabun; EASTERN: Chaiyaphum, Nakhon Ratchasima; PENINSULAR: Pattani, Phatthalung, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Surat Thani, Satun, Trang, Yala; SOUTH-EASTERN: Chanthaburi, Prachin Buri SOUTH-WESTERN: Kanchanaburi, Phetchaburi.

Distribution : India, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam, Peninsular Malaysia (type).

Ecology : In granite or limestone rock crevices or on limestone with water seepage or on damp streamside soils, 0−1,000 m alt. Flowering: May–November; fruiting: November–January.

Vernacular : Wan kam kung hin (ว่านก้ามกุ้งหิน).

Notes: Begonia integrifolia Dalzell is probably the most common species in Thailand, found from low elevations to high montane areas. The species is very variable in flower colour and leaf colour patterns. It is related to B. variabilis Ridl., which differs in having a more elongated leaf lamina with a very large basal lobe, also the seed ornamentation of the two species differs. Begonia socia Craib and B. rimarum Craib are treated as synonyms here because they show no significant morphological differences from B. integrifolia.