Begonia littoralis (Begoniaceae), a new species from North Coast of São Paulo State, Brazil Author Miranda, Marcelo Dias Centro Universitário Módulo, Curso de Ciências Biológicas, Rua Maria D’Assumpção Carvalho, 1000, CEP: 11662 - 047, Caraguatatuba, São Paulo, Brazil Author Jacques, Eliane De Lima Departamento de Botânica, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, BR- 465, km 7, 23890 - 000, Seropédica, RJ, Brazil text Phytotaxa 2023 2023-08-22 609 2 131 137 http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.609.2.5 journal article 264169 10.11646/phytotaxa.609.2.5 e72d69d7-fede-4c18-9c31-edf139600fbc 1179-3163 8272314 Begonia littoralis M.D.Miranda & E.L.Jacques , sp. nov. ( Figs. 1 , 2 , 3 ) Type: — BRAZIL . S„o Paulo: Município de Ubatuba , Camburi das Pedras , estrada para Praia do Camburi , sobre pedras na cachoeira, 23° 21’ 43” S , 44° 46’ 20” W , elevation ca. 145 m , 11 April 2020 , M.D. Miranda & M.R. Miranda 208 ( holotype : RBR [ RBR00055572 ]!) . Begonia littoralis is most similar to Begonia erythrobracteata M.D.Miranda & E.L. Jacques (2020: 223) but differs in having a whitish green abaxial leaf surface with microscopic glandular trichomes, veins impressed ( vs . abaxially vinaceous to light green on the veins, with 2-branched trichomes and fimbriate scales on the principal veins, veins prominent), petiole lanose, with flattened fimbriate scales, intertwined filiform apex, hairs coppery ( vs. squamulose with non flat scales, fimbriate apex, hairs whitish), largest capsule wing 14–16 × 14–16(–20) mm, apex descendant, glabrous margin ( vs. ca. 14 × 10–12 mm , apex slightly ascendant, margin with trichomes), and an external pair of staminate tepals with short microscopic glandular trichomes ( vs. villous, with simple trichomes in the upper third, near the margins, hairs reddish). Description: —Creeping rhizomatous herb, 30−38 cm tall (excluding the inflorescence). Stem long creeping, reaching up to 23−30 cm , cylindrical, internodes 2−6 cm long, ca. 8−10 mm diam., lenticellate, reddish, lanose, with flattened fimbriate scales along the entire length, intertwined filiform apex, trichomes ca. 2.5 mm long, hairs coppery. Stipules persistent, 1.4−1.6 × 1.2−1.3 cm , triangular-ovate to ovate, apex acute, margins entire, ciliate, dorsal surface pilose throughout, trichomes villous, with an intertwined filiform apex, red or greenish. Leaves simple, petioles (13–)26–28(–36) cm long, 9−10 mm diam., cylindrical, red, lanose, flattened fimbriate scales with an intertwined filiform apex, hairs dense and white when young, becoming more scattered and coppery at maturity, ca. 6 mm long, leaf blades basifixed, ca. 13× 10 cm , cordiform, asymmetrical, chartaceous, apex acuminate, base cordate, basal lobes overlapping the petiole, margins slightly crenulate-dentate, revolute, ciliate, hairs reddish, adaxial surface glabrous, dark green, light green on the veins, white at the insertion of the petiole, veins and petiole insertion prominent, abaxial surface with short microscopic glandular trichomes, white green, veins impressed, venation actinodromous, primary veins 9−12. Inflorescences 4-branched cymes, ca. 11.5 cm long (including the rachis), up to 21 cm long when fruiting, rachis ca. 5.2 cm long (up to 12.5 cm long when fruiting), vilose, reddish. Bracts caducous, 6–7 × ca. 4 mm , ovate, apex acuminate, margins entire, glabrous. Staminate flower pedicels 10–20 mm long, white to reddish, microscopically pubescent with glandular trichomes, tepals 4, external pair (10–)18–19 × (16–) 18–23 mm , reniform, depressed ovate, apex rounded, margins entire, white to pinkish, abaxial surface with short microscopic glandular trichomes, internal pair (4–5)11–12 × (1.7–2.5) 4–5 mm , elliptic to obovate, apex mucronulate to acute, margins entire, white, membranaceous, glabrous, stamens 30–40, ca. 5 mm long, filaments 0.7–1 mm long, free, connective projecting, obtuse, anthers ca. 3 mm long (including connective), oblong, extrorse, yellow. Pistillate flower pedicels ca. 10 mm long, red, with sparse microscopic glandular trichomes, bracteole 1(–2), persistent, spaced from the base of the ovary, ovate to linear, 2.8–3.5 × 0.5 mm , pale green, tepals 5, white to pinkish, subequal, 14–16 × 11–14 mm , ovate to widely ovate, apex retuse, base acute, margins entire or with glandular trichomes to ciliate, membranaceous, with sparse microscopic glandular trichomes, ovary 3-locular, ca. 10 × 15 mm (including wings), with sparse microscopic glandular trichomes, wings unequal, largest one ca. 9 mm wide, two smallest ca. 3 mm wide, flat, with sparse microscopic glandular trichomes, white to pinkish, placentae entire, stigmas 3, ca. 2–5 mm long, bifurcate, branches spiraled, yellow. Capsule 17–23 × 28–35 mm (including wings), ellipsoid, dehiscent in basal portion, with sparse microscopic glandular trichomes, vinaceous to reddish-green when fresh, light brown when mature, peduncles 1.9–2.1 cm long, microscopic glandular trichomes, wings 3, unequal, the largest 14–16 × 14–16(–20) mm, apex descendant, the smallest one 11–12 × 4–5 mm , apex rounded, locular region 7–8 × ca. 6 mm , elliptic to ovate, seeds oblong. Etymology: —The specific epithet refers to the habitat of the new species, which occurs near the shore of Ubatuba. Phenology: —Flowering and fruiting from April to July. Distribution and ecology: — Begonia littoralis is endemic to S„o Paulo State, found in the Municipality of Ubatuba. The species has been collected in the Picinguaba Nucleus of the Serra do Mar State Park in the hydrographic basin of Rio da Fazenda and Córrego das Duas Irm„s, next to Camburi das Pedras beach. It grows on the slopes near the ocean, in submontane ombrophilous forest, at elevations between 50 and 200 m asl. This species is rupicolous, ombrophilous and hygrophilous, thrives in very humid places, usually close to waterfalls, covering rocks on riverbanks. Mizue Kirizawa informed us that the collection SP004345 from Ubatuba, Picinguaba nucleus, was from a hillside forest, in the shade, forming a carpet; the other collection from Ubatuba, in the Núcleo Picinguaba Reserve (SP004344), was from a humid hillside forest, on a trail that goes up the slope of the Atlantic Forest, on a boulder. FIGURE 1. A–F. Begonia littoralis M.D. Miranda & E.L. Jacques.A. Habitat ; B. Adaxial leaf surface; C. Abaxial leaf surface, with detail of the petiole indumentum; D. Young shoot during early development; E. Inflorescence with staminate flowers; F. Inflorescence with pistillate flowers; G. Staminate flower, anterior view; H. Staminate flower, posterior view I. Pistillate flower, anterior view J. Pistillate flower, side view. (Scale Bars: B–C= 6.5 cm; D= 14 mm; E= 18 mm; F= 15 mm; G= 18 mm; H= 20 mm; I= 14 mm; J= 10 mm). (A–J from M.D. Miranda 202 ). Provisional conservation assessment: — Begonia littoralis has been collected inside the protected area of Serra do Mar State Park, one of the localities is very close to the road used to access Camburi das Pedras beach, which is constantly visited by tourists in the summer, and the surrounding area has residential property, because of that, future maintenance of the road and arrival of invasive species may be a threat at some point. We consider a category of Endangered EN B2ab (ii, iii) as appropriate under IUCN Red List criteria ( IUCN Standards and Petitions Committee, 2022 ). Additional specimens examined ( paratype ): — BRAZIL . S „o Paulo : Ubatuba , Camburi das Pedras , estrada para a Praia do Camburi , 12 October 2021 , M . R . Miranda 202 & M. D. Miranda ( RBR00057497 !); Parque Estadual da Serra do Mar , Núcleo Picinguaba , 23 May 1989 , M . Kirizawa & J.A. Corrêa 2175 ( SP [ SP004345 ]!), ibidem , 30 June 1990 , M . Kirizawa & J.A. Corrêa 2311 ( SP [ SP004344 ]!) . FIGURE 2. A–D. Begonia littoralis M.D. Miranda & E.L. Jacques. A. Habit ; B. Staminate flower outer and inner tepals, ventral surface; C. stamen face view; D. Capsule side view. (A, from M. Kirizawa & J.A. Corrêa 2175 ; B–D, from M. Kririzawa & J.A. Corrêa 2311 ). Reproduction of an illustration of Begonia sp by Maria Cecília Tomasi from the copy of the integrant part of Flora Fanerogâmica do Estado de S„o Paulo, vol. 7. ISBN 978-85-7523-058-9 ( online ) by Mamede et al. 111: pl. 8 (2012). FIGURE 3. Distribution map of Begonia littoralis M.D. Miranda & E.L. Jacques (red dot) in the Ubatuba municipality. Taxonomic notes:— Gomes da Silva (1988) in her study of the Begoniaceae for the Atlantic Forest of the state of S„o Paulo included a species with similarities to Begonia fluminensis Brade (1945: 30) , based on two collections from Ubatuba, state of S„o Paulo and deposited in the SP herbarium. This position is repeated in Gomes da Silva & Mamede (2001) . The taxonomic study of Begoniaceae of the Flora of S„o Paulo ( Mamede et al. 2012 ) included the same taxon as Begonia sp. 1 , here recognised as Begonia littoralis . B. littoralis is similar to B. erythrobracteata and B. fluminensis which share similar leaf blades, all of them being glabrous adaxially. The comparison of the new species with these two species is presented in Table 1 . TABLE 1. Morphological comparison of Begonia littoralis , Begonia erythrobracteata and Begonia fluminensis .

Species
Characters	B. littoralis	B. erythrobracteata	B. fluminensis
Plant stature	30−38 cm tall	9–13 cm	15–30 cm
Stem and Internodes	Long creeping, internodes 2−6 cm long	Strongly compressed, internodes ca. 0.5 cm long	Short, based on the typus, ca. 1.5
Petiole	Sparsely lanose, with flattened fimbriate scales, intertwined filiform apex, hairs coppery and, ca. 6 mm long	Densely squamulose, scales with unconnected fimbriate apex, hairs whitish, 3−4 mm long	Lanate, with simple and 2- branched trichomes, size of the trichome unknown
Abaxial leaf surface	With microscopic glandular trichomes, white green, veins impressed	Pilose, with 2-branched trichomes throughout the leaf blade, and fimbriate scales on the principal veins, vinaceous to light green on the veins, veins prominent	Lanate, with 6-branched trichomes, veins impressed
Staminate flower	Pedicels 10–20 mm compr., glabrous, external pair of tepals white and pinkish, (10–)18–19 × (16–)18–23 mm, reniform, depressed ovate, apex rounded, margins entire, microscopically pubescent with glandular trichomes	Pedicels 9–14 mm compr., pilose with reddish simple trichomes, with microscopic glandular trichomes, external pair of tepals white and pinkish distally, 8–12 × 8–13 mm, broadly ovate, apex rounded, margins ciliate, pilose near the margins, reddish simple trichomes, hairs 0.5–1 mm long	Pedicel data and tepals color not informed by species author, External pair of tepals, color unknown, 8–9 mm wide, suborbicular, sparsely covered by long hairs on the dorsal surface
Stamens	30–40 stamens	10–12 stamens	ca. 20 stamens
Pistillate flower	Pedicels ca. 10 mm compr., with microscopic glandular trichomes, bracteole 1–2, persistent, spaced from the base of the ovary, ovate to linear, (4–5)2.8–3.5 × (1–1.2)0.5 mm, pale green, tepals 5, white to pinkish, unequal, 4 largest ones (8–11) 1.5 × (6–9) 1.4 mm, ovate, widely ovate to widely obovate, apex acute, the smallest one 14–16 × 0.7–13 mm, ovate to elliptic, with sparse microscopic glandular trichomes, apex acute to retuse, margins ciliate	Pedicels 10–11 mm compr., with microscopic glandular trichomes, bracteole absent, tepals 5, white to pinkish, unequal, 4 largest ones 8–11 × 6–9 mm, ovate, widely ovate to widely obovate, apex acute, the smallest one ca. 7–10 × 5–7 mm, ovate to obovate, puberulous in dorsal upper third, near the margins, apex acute, margin ciliate, inconspicuously serrulate at apex, reddish simple trichomes, hairs ca. 0.5 mm long	Pedicels size unknown, villous, bracteoles not observed, tepals 5, color unknown, unequal, up to 12 mm long, 2–10 mm wide, rounded, obovate, or lanceolate, glabrous, apex rounded, acute and oblong, margin entire
Ovary	Sparse microscopic glandular trichomes distributed throughout	With a single trichome at the base of ovary, glandular trichomes distributed throughout	Sparsely tomentose and covered with glandular trichomes
Capsule ellipsoid with sparse microscopic glandular trichomes,	Capsule transversely oblate, pilose near the peduncles, margins with	Capsule transversely oblate, glabrous, base obtuse, apex
Capsule and wings	wings unequal, the largest 18–20 mm wide, apex descendant, the smallest one 15 mm wide, apex rounded	trichomes, wings unequal, the largest one 10–12 mm wide, obtuse to rounded, the smallest one 5–6 mm wide, rounded	truncated, wings unequal, rounded, the largest 8–9 mm wide, obtuse, the smallest one 10–13 mm wide, rounded?

Begonia littoralis when compared with other Begonia species from the North Coast of S„o Paulo State, is the only one that possesses an ellipsoid capsule with the apex of the largest wing strongly descendant. Other species that can be found in the region where B. litorralis occurs include the recently described B. lorenzii E.L. Jacques , B. mamedeana E.L. Jacques & S.J. Gomes da Silva and B. margaretiana Handro ex. L. Kollmann. Begonia mamedeana being the species that occupies the same geographical area of our species. Also occurring in the same region are Begonia caraguatatubensis Brade , B. erythrobracteata M.D. Miranda & E.L. Jacques , B. fruticosa (Klotzsch ex. Klotzsch) A.DC., B. hookeriana Gardner , B. itatinensis Irmsch. ex. Brade, B. luxurians Scheidw. and B. stenophylla A.DC. , none of them has a descendant apex of the largest wing. We place the new species in Begonia sect. Pritzelia , based on its similarity to other species in the section.