Seven new plant species have been discovered in Indonesia confirmed the Research Centre for Plant Conservation and Botanical Gardens – the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN).
The majority of these findings are part of the ornamental plant group, stated by the Head of the Research Centre for Plant Conservation and Botanical Gardens Sukma Surya Kusuma.
“The seven new species are Hoya batutikarensis, Hoya buntokensis, Dendrobium dedeksantosoi, Rigiolepis argentii, Begonia robii, Begonia willemii and Etlingera comosa,” said Kusuma.
In addition to these seven species is a sub-species of Zingiber ultralimitale which’s a sub-species of mataromeoense.
His team said the Biological Sciences Research Organisation (OR IPH) through the Research Centre for Plant Conservation and Botanical Gardens would continue to explore and identify plant species in their natural habitats.
“These discoveries also provide information regarding the richness of Indonesia’s biodiversity and support further research related to its sustainable use,“ he said on Monday 3rd January.
Wisnu Handoyo Ardi, a researcher at the Research Centre for Plant Conservation and Botanical Gardens, said that Begonia is one of the largest genera of flowering plants.
Currently, it is known that there are 2,052 species of Begonias scattered across the world’s pantropical regions, with Indonesia estimated to be a Begonia wealth centre, particularly in Southeast Asia, which currently has 243 species. This number will continue to grow as more and more forest areas become the target of exploration in various Indonesian regions.
“Efforts to conserve and disclose new types of Begonia are actively carried out by the National Research and Innovation Agency and currently have succeeded in conserving more than 100 types of Begonias from various regions in Indonesia,” said Ardi.