A new species has just been discovered and is exclusively recorded in the Dakrong Nature Reserve, Quang Tri, as announced by botanists in the journal Phytotaxa.
A group of botanists from the Vietnam Forestry University, the Taiwan Forestry Research Institute, the Central Science Research Institute, the Vietnam Natural History Museum, and the forest rangers of Dakrong Nature Reserve have described a new species belonging to the genus Begonia, section (sect. Petermannia).
New species Dakrong Begonia dakrongensis C.H.Nguyen, T.A.Le & C.W.Lin in nature – (Photo: LÊ TUẤN ANH)
Begonia is a large genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Begoniaceae. Vietnam is proud to host one of the most diverse collections of begonias in the region, with over 90 species.
During a field trip in 2023, the research team discovered this new species growing on rocky cliffs in the area of Do Quyen Waterfall, located within the core zone of Dakrong Nature Reserve. So far, this species has only been found and recorded in this area. Therefore, the new species is named after the reserve.
The species Begonia dakrongensis C.H.Nguyen, T.A.Le & C.W.Lin has a high morphological resemblance to the short-stemmed begonia (Begonia abbreviata C.I Peng), which was also discovered in this reserve.
However, detailed comparisons show that it is a new species that has not been described before. The rhizomatous plant has bright red to brown stems, with ovate, triangular, slightly oblique leaves that are pointed and hairy. The leaves are alternate, almost pressed against the rocky surface, with asymmetrical leaf blades that vary from triangular to elongated ovate, serrated along the edges.
The inflorescence is located in the leaf axils and at the tips, consisting of unisexual and bisexual flowers, shaped like spikes or clusters. Notably, besides the petals, the fruit is covered with many small, prominent red spines against the white corolla.
