A new tuberous species of Begonia sect. Diploclinium endemic to Danxia landforms in central China

A new tuberous species of Begonia, Begonia danxiaensis, has been discovered and described, endemic to the unique Danxia landforms of Jiangxi and Hunan provinces in central China. This species belongs to the section Diploclinium and is distinguished by its morphological and molecular characteristics, setting it apart from similar taxa. The discovery was supported by both traditional taxonomic methods and genetic analysis, providing a comprehensive understanding of its distinct traits. Due to its limited distribution and habitat specificity, B. danxiaensis has been classified as Vulnerable (VU) on the IUCN Red List, highlighting the urgent need for conservation efforts in these ecologically significant landscapes.

TIAN, D.-K., LI, C., YU, X.-L., ZHOU, J.-J., LIU, K.-M., SHU, J.-P., ZHOU, X.-L., & XIAO, Y. (2019). A new tuberous species of Begonia sect. Diploclinium endemic to Danxia landforms in central China. Phytotaxa, 407(1). https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.407.1.12