Research Paper

Begonia kuofangii, a new species of Begonia sect. Coelocentrum (Begoniaceae) from karst area of southwestern Guangxi, China

Wen-Guang Wang, Sen Yang, Ren-Kun Li, Hou-Cheng Xi, Jian-Yong Shen, Wei-Bin Xu

Published on: 02 September 2025

Page: 622 - 625

DOI: 10.6165/tai.2025.70.622

  • BibTeX
    •
  • EndNote
    •
  • RIS
    •

    Abstract

    Begonia kuofangii, from Leiping Town, Daxin County is a new species endemic to the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China. This is the latest addition to Begonia section Coelocentrum. It resembles Begonia subcoriacea C.-I Peng, Yan Liu, S. M. Ku but differs in leaf shape (ovate-oblong vs widely ovate or suborbicular), peduncle and pedicels indumentum (subglabrous vs glandulose-pilose with reddish trichomes), pistillate flower tepals (2(-3) vs 3). Only about 100 mature individuals were found in less than 5 km2 area, hence Begonia kuofangii is provisionally assessed as Critically Endangered (CR).

    Keyword: Begoniaceae, Begonia subcoriacea, China, Guangxi, limestone flora, new species

    Literature Cited

    Borah, D., Taram, M. and Hughes, M. 2023 Begonia egamii (Begoniaceae), a remarkable new species from Arunachal Pradesh, India. Candollea 78(2):147?151.
    DOI: 10.15553/c2023v782a5View Article Google Scholar

    Borah, D., Taram, M., Das, N., Hughes, M. 2024a Begonia bijantiae, a new species of Begonia from Arunachal Pradesh, northeast India and notes on Begonia ovatifolia. Nord. J. Bot. 2024(12): e04493.
    DOI: 10.1111/njb.04493View Article Google Scholar

    Borah, D., Taram, M., Tasser, M., Hughes, M. 2024b A new species Begonia ziroensis and a new record of Begonia siamensis from Arunachal Pradesh, Northeast India. New Zealand J. Bot. 2024: 1–8.

    Chen, W.H., Radbouchoom, S., Nguyen, H.Q., Nguyen, H.T., Nguyen, K.S., Shui, Y.M. 2018 Seven new species of Begonia (Begoniaceae) in Northern Vietnam and Southern China. PhytoKeys 94: 65?85.
    DOI: 10.3897/phytokeys.94.23248View Article Google Scholar

    Chung, K.F., Leong, W.C., Rubite, R.R., Repin, R., Kiew, R., Liu, Y., Peng, C.-I. 2014 Phylogenetic analyses of Begonia sect. Coelocentrum and allied limestone species of China shed light on the evolution of Sino-Vietnamese karst flora. Bot. Stud.55: 1.
    DOI: 10.1186/1999-3110-55-1View Article Google Scholar

    Das, B., Saikia, J., Konwar, P., Siga, A., Banik, D. 2024 A new berry-fruited Begonia (Begoniaceae) from Arunachal Pradesh, India. Phytotaxa 665(1): 45?54.
    DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.665.1.5View Article Google Scholar

    Feng, X.X., Chen, Y.M., Liu, J.X., Huang, Y.N., Liu, Z.X., Li, R.K., Zhao, T., Guo, W. 2023 Begonia barosma, a new species in Begonia sect. Coelocentrum (Begoniaceae) from limestone karsts across Sino-Vietnamese Borde. Taiwania 68(3): 349?354.
    DOI: 10.6165/tai.2023.68.349View Article Google Scholar

    Gu, C.Z., Peng, C.-I., and Turland, N. 2007 Begoniaceae. – In: Wu, Z.Y. and Raven, P. (eds), Flora of China. Science Press Miss. Bot. Gard. Press, pp. 153–207.

    Harris, J.G., Harris, M.W. 2001 Plant Identification Terminology: An Illustrated glossary. Science Press.

    Hu, R.C., Zhou, J.Y., Zhao, Z.Y., Lai, K.D., Wu, Y.N., Tian, D.K. 2025 Two new tuberous species of Begonia (Begoniaceae) from Guangxi, China. PhytoKeys 256: 119–129.
    DOI: 10.3897/phytokeys.256.145725View Article Google Scholar

    Hughes, M., Moonlight, P., Jara, A., Tebbitt, M., Wilson, H., Pullan, M. 2015– Begonia Resource Centre. Available from: http://padme.rbge.org.uk/begonia/ (accessed 21 Nov., 2024)

    IUCN Standards and Petitions Committee 2024 Guidelines for using the IUCN red list categories and criteria. ver. 16. Prepared by the Standards and Petitions Committee. Available from: https://www.iucnredlist.org/resources/redlistguidelines (accessed 21 November 2024).

    Liu, Y., Tseng, Y.H., Yang, H.A., Hu, A.Q., Xu, W.B., Kono, Y., Chang, C.C., Peng, C.-I., Chung, K.F. 2020 Six new species of Begonia from Guangxi, China. Bot. Stud. 61: 21.
    DOI: 10.1186/s40529-020-00298-yView Article Google Scholar

    Peng, C.-I., Ku, S.M., Kono, Y., Chung, K.F., Liu, Y. 2008 Two new species of Begonia (sect. Coelocentrum, Begoniaceae) from limestone areas in Guangxi, China: B. arachnoidea and B. subcoriacea. Bot. Stud. 49: 405–418.

    Thiers, B.M. 2025 Index Herbariorum: a global directory of public herbaria and associated staff. New York Botanical Garden’s Virtual Herbarium. Available from: http://sweetgum.nybg.org/science/ih/ (Retrieved 12 July 2025)

    Tian, D.K., Wang, W.G., Xiao,Y., Wang, S.W., Zhong, X. 2024a One new species and one new record of Begonia from Xizang of China. Taiwania 69(4): 545?553.
    DOI: 10.6165/tai.2024.69.545View Article Google Scholar

    Tian, D.K., Wei, H.J., Huang, C.Z., Wu, L., Chen, Z.L., Guo, Z.Y., Sun, X.J., Wang, S.W., Gao, Q.M., Li, X. 2024b Two new species of Begoniaceae from China mainland. Taiwania 69(1): 89?98.
    DOI: 10.6165/tai.2024.69.89View Article Google Scholar

    Tian, D.K., Zhou, J.Y., Xiao,Y., Wu, Y.N., Hu,R.C., Dong, X. & Guan, S.K. 2024c Three new species of Begonia (sect. Platycentrum) from South China. Phytotaxa 675(2): 147?157.
    DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.675.2.5View Article Google Scholar

    Tseng, Y.H., Huang, H.Y., Xu, W.B., Yang, H.A., Peng, C.-I, Liu, Y., Chung, K.F. 2019 Phylogeography of Begonia luzhaiensis suggests both natural and anthropogenic causes for the marked population genetic structure. Bot. Stud. 60: 22.
    DOI: 10.1186/s40529-019-0267-9View Article Google Scholar

    Wang, S.W., Qin, J.Q., Li R.K., Peng, Q.Z., Tian, D.K. 2024 Begonia ornithopedata (sect. Coelocentrum), a new species with the bird foot shaped leaves from Guangxi of China. Taiwania 69(2): 129?132.
    DOI: 10.6165/tai.2024.69.129View Article Google Scholar

    Xi, H.C., Nong, F.Y., Shen, J.Y., Ma,X.D., Jiang, L.J., Wang, W.G. 2025 Begonia pingxiangensis, a new species of Begonia sect. Coelocentrum (Begoniaceae) from Guangxi, China. Taiwania 70(1): 1?3.
    DOI: 10.6165/tai.2025.70.1View Article Google Scholar

    Zhou, J.Y., Guan, S.K., Yan, H.X., Tao, D.Y., Tian, D.K. 2025 Begonia subfiliformis, a new species of Begonia（sect. Coelocentrum) from Guangxi of South China. Taiwania 70(3): 377?381.
    DOI: 10.6165/tai.2025.70.377View Article Google Scholar

    Zhou, J.Y., Song, Q., Zhao, F.C., Hoang, T.S., Tao, D.Y., Guan, S.K., Yan, H.X., Tian, D.K. 2024 Begonia floriprolifera, a new species of Begonia（Begoniaceae）from Southwestern Guangxi of China and Northern Vietnam. Taiwania 69(1): 83?88.
    DOI: 10.6165/tai.2024.69.83View Article Google Scholar