Abstract
Following a taxonomic revision of Begonia L. (Begoniaceae, Cucurbitales) from Northeast India based on 332 herbarium specimens, 38 species are confirmed to occur in the region, of which ten are endemic. One new species is described, Begonia koelzii R.Camfield sp. nov., in B. sect. Platycentrum (Klotzsch) A.DC. One species is reduced into synonymy; B. barbata Wall. is now a synonym of B. thomsonii A.DC. Three species, B. difformis (Irmsch.) W.C.Leong, C.I Peng & K.F.Chung, B. labordei H.Lév. and B. handelii Irmsch., are reported new for India, and B. lushaiensis C.E.C.Fisch. is reinstated as an accepted species, having previously been synonymised under B. modestiflora Kurz. A key to the species in the region and preliminary conservation assessments are presented.
Highlights
Begonia L. is a large tropical and subtropical genus of 1825 species (Hughes et al 2015)
All available specimens of Begonia from the study region in Beddome 3195 (BM), E, K and MICH were examined (332 sheets representing 295 collections), with further specimens from B and CLEMS seen as digital images, except the ones marked as n.v. (= not seen)
Begonia tessaricarpa is extremely similar to B. handelii var. prostrata and we suggest the possibility it may be synonymous with it
Summary
Begonia L. is a large tropical and subtropical genus of 1825 species (Hughes et al 2015). For the purposes of this revision, Northeast India is considered as the seven contiguous states Assam, Arunachal-Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura It is a transition zone between three biogeographic regions (Indian, Indo-Malayan and Indo-Chinese) and between lowland, and highlands. The first plant collections to reach England from Northeast India ( Assam) during the 19th century were made by Clarke, Beddome, Buchanan-Hamilton, Griffith, Hooker & Thomson, Roxburgh and Wallich. These early collections are the material from which many type specimens for the area have been designated. The most recent information on Northeast Indian Begonia to come to light is due to the efforts of independent collectors, most notably Morris who has spent several trips botanising the northern state of Arunachal-Pradesh between 2005 and 2010 (Morris 2006, 2008, 2009b)
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