New Begonia species described from Arunachal Pradesh

A new species of Begonia, titled Begonia neelamorum, has been discovered in the Keyi Panyor district of Arunachal Pradesh. The findings were published in the international peer-reviewed scientific journal, Taiwania. This marks the 54th Begonia species identified in India's northeastern region. Arranged by Dipankar Borah, a botany teacher at Kaliabor College in Assam, the study was conducted alongside researchers Madhusadhan Khanal, Momang Taram, and Neelam Gap.

The new species was found on steep, moist walls along the Keyi River, growing at an elevation of approximately 1,000 meters above mean sea level. The plant's characteristics are most similar to Begonia prolifera, but it differs in several ways, such as its ovate leaves with double-serrated margins, a unique inflorescence structure, and shorter styles.

Named after the Neelam clan of the Nyishis, the dominant community of Keyi Panyor district, the species primarily consists of a single, light-green leaf and produces white male and female flowers. Currently known from one location in the district, the species has been provisionally assessed as data deficient by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.