A new species of the flower genus begonia has been discovered on Seram Island in the Moluccas, Indonesia. 

Discovered during an expedition to Manusela National Park, the rare, newly named species Begonia nephrophylla is believed to be native to the island of Seram.

“We had to traverse steep cliffs and follow a river system, documenting a variety of plant species in the forest before we finally found this begonia,” said lead researcher Erosi Undaharta from the Bali Botanic Gardens, who cooperated with co-author Wisnu Ardi from the Bogor Botanic Gardens and was in consultation with foreign experts. 

The Begonia nephrophylla, said Erosi, may only exist in the Manusela National Park, making it one of the seven endemic begonia species on the island, whichhas a total of nine begonia species. The flower has the potential to serve ornamental purposes as it is suitable for both indoor and outdoor displays. 

(Read also: Rafflesia, corpse flowers included in conservation document)

The new species is said to be easily distinguished from other begonia species by its “moderately dense layer of fleshy, red scales on the stems”. Its name, Begonia nephrophylla, is derived from the ancient Greek word nephros, meaning kidney, and phyllus, meaning leaf, as the leaf’s shape resembles a kidney.

Erosi remarked that there is still much to uncover about the diversity of plant species on the Moluccas. As she said: "Our botanic knowledge is very limited in this region. I think it is still very likely that we will discover more new species there in the near future.”

This new finding has recently been published in the peer-reviewed journal Gardens' Bulletin Singapore. (mra/kes)

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