B. cleopatrae

Culture

Endangered Status

IUCN category VUD2

Original Botanical Description or Link to

http://www.rbge.org.uk/assets/files/science/6.1_Tropical/EJB_67_123-140.pdf A Revision of Begonia section Diploclinium (BEGONIACEAE) on the Philippine Island of Palawan, incluing 5 new species - M. Hughes, C. Coyle & R. R. Rubite Low-growing lithophytic herb. Stem thin, c.3 mm wide, rooting at the nodes, internodes c.1 cm apart and quite evenly spaced, with quite dense reddish brown hairs, somewhat appressed. Stipules lanceolate, c.6 3 3 mm, glabrous (but see notes below), with a fimbriate wing-like extension at the base of the keel, tip with a 2–3 mm filiform extension, persistent. Leaves appressed to the substrate; petiole 2–8 cm long, densely hairy, hairs reddish brown and slightly appressed; lamina coriaceous, ovate to broadly subovate, basifixed, cordate with basal lobes overlapping slightly or not overlapping, total length 3.5–6 cm, width 3–6 cm, midrib 2.5–4.5 cm long, asymmetric, venation palmate; upper surface pale to mid green with brownish purple patterning, usually paler along the mid vein, with a small number of 3 mm long hairs scattered between the veins when young, otherwise glabrous; underside red (always?), with a few isolated reddish brown hairs on the veins, margin with scattered hairs up to 3 mm long, very shallowly dentate-sinuate, apex triangular to very broadly triangular. Inflorescence cymose, bisexual, axillary, c.10-flowered, primary peduncle 10–17 cm long; bracts obovate, 3–4 3 2 mm, margin entire, caducous, with a few minute scattered globular hairs. Male flower: pedicel length 10– 15 mm; outer tepals 2, suborbicular, glabrous, red on the reverse, pale pink inside, 7–8 3 6 mm, with minute scattered globular fleshy hairs on the reverse; inner tepals 2, white, 7 3 3 mm, obovate-spathulate, sometimes slightly retuse; androecium symmetric; stamens c.50, filaments equal, 1–1.5 mm long; anther slightly shorter than the filament, oval-oblong with an extended tip, dehiscing through slits slightly longer than half the length of the anther, slits moving slightly towards one face at the top of the anther. Female flower: tepals similar to male flower in all respects; stigmas 3, pale yellow, stigmatic surface U-shaped. Fruit red when immature, drying pale brown, 15 3 15 mm in total, wings 3, upper 2 wings 5 mm wide forming a splash cup, lower wing 10–12 mm, locules 2, each dehiscing along a single suture on the upper surface of the fruit, placentae bifid. Habitat and ecology. Endemic to Cleopatra’s Needle at altitudes of c.400 m. The notes on the holotype describe the habit as ‘flattened against vertical rocks’, and the long stems indicate a creeping habit compared with the shorter rhizomes of most other species in this section. It forms a more compact habit when cultivated in a pot. Proposed IUCN category. VU D2. The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park encompasses the remaining forest of Cleopatra’s Needle. Although a protected area, the Vulnerable status is warranted as the species is only known from one locality which is at relatively low altitudes. Although the surrounding vegetation was disturbed at the type locality, the dependence on a cliff habitat rather than a terrestrial one will afford this species some stability.