Research Paper

A revision of Begonia (Begoniaceae) in the Solomon Islands, including four new species

Che-Wei Lin, Tian-Chuan Hsu, Tsung-Yu Aleck Yang, Moffat Fanerii, Fred Pittisopa, Chia-Wei Li

Published on: 01 November 2021

Page: 478 - 495

DOI: 10.6165/tai.2021.66.478

Abstract

The Solomon Islands in Melanesian region of South Pacific lie in an equatorial climate and harbour diverse habitats covered by forests. Based on field surveys and specimens examination, six Begonia species were confirmed from the Solomon Islands, and a key of the species is provided for identification. Besides the two widespread species, B. somervillei Hemsl. and B. weigallii Hemsl., four new species, B. choiseulensis, B. occulta, B. phycoduroides and B. rubroflabellata, are described and illustrated. All species belong to sect. Petermannia, and five are endemic to the Solomon Islands. Their conservation status following IUCN criteria are also assessed.

Keyword: Begoniaceae, biodiversity, endemism, Melanesia, new record, Petermannia, taxonomy

Literature Cited

Chen, C.W., J.H. Nitta, M. Fanerii, T.Y.A. Yang, F. Pitisopa, C.W. Li and W.L. Chiou. 2015. Antrophyum solomonense (Pteridaceae), a new species from the Solomon Islands, and its systematic position based on phylogenetic analysis. Sys. Bot. 40(3): 645–651.
DOI: 10.1600/036364415X689357View Article Google Scholar

Chiou, W.L., J.M. Hu, C.H. Chen, C.F. Chen, H.C. Huang and T.Y.Aleck Yang (eds.). 2016. Field Guide to the Plants of Solomon Islands. The National Museum of Natural Science, Taiwan. 334 pp.

Gagul, J. N., M.J.S. Sands, O. Gideon and M. Hughes. 2018. A revision of Begonia sect. Symbegonia on New Guinea. Edinburgh J. Bot. 75(2):1–33.
DOI: 10.1017/S096042861800001XView Article Google Scholar

H?jek, J., L. Hendrich, O. Hawlitschek and M. Balke. 2010. Copelatus sibelaemontis sp. nov. from the Moluccas with generic assignment based on morphology and DNA sequence data (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae). Acta Entomol Mus Natl Pragae 50(2): 437–443.

Hemsley, W.B. 1896a. Begonia somervillei. In: DI.-Decades Kewensis: Decades XXVI., XXVII. Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew 1896: 17.

Hemsley, W.B. 1896b. Begonia weigallii. In: DI.-Decades Kewensis: Decades XXVI., XXVII. Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew 1896: 17.

Henderson, C.P. and I.R. Hancock. 1988. A guide to the useful plants of Solomon Islands. Honiara, Solomon Islands: Research Department, Ministry of Agriculture and Lands, Honiara, Solomon Islands.

Hsu, T.C., M. Fanerii, T.Y.A. Yang, F. Pitisopa and C.W. Li. 2016. Gastrodia isabelensis and G. solomonensis (Gastrodieae, Epidendroideae, Orchidaceae): two new species representing a new generic record in the Solomon Islands. Phytotaxa 270(2): 137–145.
DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.270.2.6View Article Google Scholar

Hughes, M. 2008. An Annotated Checklist of Southeast Asian Begonia. Edinburgh: Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh.

Hughes, M., P.W. Moonlight, A. Jara and M. Pullan. 2015a. Begonia Resource Centre.http://padme.rbge.org.uk/begonia. [accessed 20 Mar 2021]

Hughes, M., S. Barber, C.D. Heatubun and J. Gagul. 2015b. Begonia yapenensis (sect. Symbegonia, Begoniaceae) a new species from Papua, Indonesia. Eur. J. Taxon. 119: 1–6.
DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2015.119View Article Google Scholar

Hughes, M., C.-I Peng, C.W. Lin, R.R. Rubite, P. Blanc and K.F. Chung. 2018. Chloroplast and nuclear DNA exchanges among Begonia sect. Baryandra species (Begoniaceae) from Palawan Island, Philippines, and descriptions of five new species. PLOS ONE 13(5): e0194877.
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0194877View Article Google Scholar

Irmscher, E. 1913. Neue Begoniaceen Papuasiens mi einschluss von Celebes. Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 50: 335–383.

IUCN 2020. Standards and Petitions Committee. 2019. Guidelines for Using the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria. Version 14 (August 2019). Prepared by the Standards and Petitions Committee. Available from: http://www.iucnredlist.org/ (accessed 23 Mar 2021)

Johnson, M.A. 2017. Four new species of Cyrtandra (Gesneriaceae) from the South Pacific islands of Fiji. Phytokeys 91:85–104.
DOI: 10.3897/phytokeys.91.21623View Article Google Scholar

Lin, C.W., S.W. Chung and C.-I Peng. 2017. Eleven new species of Begonia (Begoniaceae) from Sarawak, Borneo. Taiwania 62(3): 219–251.
DOI: 10.6165/tai.2017.62.219View Article Google Scholar

Lin, C.W. and C.-I Peng. 2019. Five new species of Begonia (sect. Petermannia, Begoniaceae) from western Sarawak, Borneo. Taiwania 64(2): 124–138.
DOI: 10.6165/tai.2019.64.124View Article Google Scholar

Merrill, E.D. and L.M. Perry. 1943. Plantae Papuanae Archboldianae, XI. J. Arnold Arbor. 24: 34–59.
DOI: 10.5962/bhl.part.12280View Article Google Scholar

Peng, C.-I, R.R. Rubite, C.W. Lin, M. Hughes, Y. Kono and K.F. Chung. 2017. Three new species of Begonia sect. Baryandra from Panay Island, Philippines. Bot. Stud. 58(1):e28.
DOI: 10.1186/s40529-017-0182-xView Article Google Scholar

Petterson, M.G., T. Babbs, C.R. Neal, J.J. Mahoney, A.D. Saunders, R.A. Duncan, D. Tolia, R. Magu, C. Qopoto, H. Mahoa and D. Natogga. 1999. Geological–tectonic framework of Solomon Islands, SW Pacific: crustal accretion and growth within an intra-oceanic setting. Tectonophysics 301(1-2): 35–60.
DOI: 10.1016/S0040-1951(98)00214-5View Article Google Scholar

Polhemus, D.A., R.A. Englund, G.R. Allen, D. Boseto and J.T. Polhemus. 2008. Freshwater Biotas of the Solomon Islands Analysis of Richness, Endemism and Threats. Bishop Museum Technical Report 45, Honolulu, United States of American. 126 pp.

Rubite, R.R., C.-I Peng, K.F. Chung, C.W. Lin, L.T. Evangelista, D.N. Tandang, J.R.C. Callado and M. Hughes. 2018. Three new species of Begonia (section Baryandra, Begoniaceae) from Luzon Island, the Philippines. Phytotaxa 347(3): 201–212.
DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.347.3.1View Article Google Scholar

Smith A.C. 1936. Fijian plant studies. Bull. Bernice P. Bishop Mus. 141: 1–166.

Smith, J.J. 1906. Begonia bipinnatifida. Bull. D?pt. Agric. Indes N?erl. 2: 47–48.

Warburg, O. 1905. Begoniaceae. In: Schumann K, Lauterbach K, Nachtr. Fl. Schutzgeb. S?dsee 321–324.