| Original Botanical Description or Link to | Begonia chenii Y.H. Tan, M.B. Maw & H.B. Ding is mostly similar to B.
mariachristinae Wahlsteen (2018: 1) in lanceolate-ovate leaves with silver patches or dots on the upper surface, but significantly differs by stipules slightly pilose (vs. glabrous), petiole densely reddish pilose (vs. sparsely puberulous), 6 (rarely 4 or 7) tepals
of female flower (vs. 4 tepals) and red, 3 or 4 locular ovary (vs. green, 2 locular).
Type. Myanmar. Kachin State: Putao District, on the way from Putao to Upper
Shankhaung, in tropical rain forest, 27°25'36.87"N, 97°16'13.56"E, 512 m, 4 May
2017, Y.H. Tan, B. Yang, H.B. Ding, X.D. Zeng, M.B. Maw & T.S. Tin M1378 (holotype: HITBC!; isotypes: RAF!).
Description. Perennial herb, dioecious or rarely monoecious, lacking rhizome
or tuber. Stem erect, 40−60 cm tall, reddish brown, densely white pilose, internode
2−11 cm long, branching. Stipule persistent, ovate, 1–15 × 3–5 mm, papery, keeled,
apex cuspidate (1–4 mm), margin entire, slightly pilose. Leaf alternate, petiole 1.5–
3 cm long, reddish-brown, densely reddish pilose; blade asymmetric, lanceolate-ovate,
8–11 × 2.5–4 cm, apex attenuate, base oblique, margin serrate and with reddish hispid, venation palmate-pinnate, 5−6 pairs of veins; upper surface green or dark green
with white patches and dots between the veins, bright green shot with metallic blue
depending on the angle of the light, especially on young leaves, sparsely reddish hispid,
especially along the midrib and lateral veins; lower surface deep red or deep red with
light green areas both margin linings, scattered reddish hispid and densely along the
midrib and lateral veins. Inflorescence axillary, flower solitary or in a simple cyme,
pendulous; bract persistent, ovate to narrow lanceolate, 4–8 × 2–3 mm. Staminate
flower: pedicel 0.8–1.1 cm, reddish, glabrous or sparsely pilose; tepals 4 (rarely 5 or
6), reddish with white margins, unequal, inner 2 (rarely 3), ovate, 7–1 × 6–1 mm, glabrous, outer 2 (rarely 3), ovate, 7–9 × 7–1 mm, reddish or whitish pilose on the outer
surface, margin entire; androecium actinomorphic, stamens numerous, filament free,
anther oblong, golden yellow. Pistillate flower: pedicel 0.6–0.8 cm, tepals 6 (rarely
4 or 7), unequal, inner 3, elliptic, 8–10 × 3–4 mm, pink to white, glabrous, outer 3,
ovate or elliptic, 7–11 × 5–7 mm, reddish or whitish pilose on outer surface; ovary red,
slightly or densely pilose on the surface, triangular or rhomboid winged, 3–5 × 2–5
mm, placentation axillary, locules 3 or 4, placentae 2 per locule; styles 3, fused at
base, stigma bifid with twisted bands, highly convolute, yellow or golden yellow. Fruit
berry-like, red, reddish or whitish pilose, triangular, rhomboid (8–15 × 6–9 mm) or
suboblate (8–15 mm in diam.), 3 or 4 horned, rarely wingless.
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