New Begonia species found on Mindoro island

2026-02-07 - 01:06

CITY OF CALAPAN, Oriental Mindoro—On the exposed limestone coast of Ilin Island off San Jose in Occidental Mindoro, a small begonia survives the dry months almost entirely out of sight—reduced to tiny rhizomes until the rains return. Now, biologists have identified it as a new species, Begonia ilinensis, adding to the Philippines’ growing list of