A new species of the Philippine Begonia plant discovered in Surigao del Norte three years ago has been officially named Begonia makuruyot.
A new paper published on Nov. 5 in the international research journal Biotaxa described the species as distinctive and inhabiting shaded limestone walls on the Daywan/Baoy River in Surigao del Norte.
The discovery made in 2017 was formally published by Mark Gregory Q. Rule, Yu Pin Ang, Rosario R. Rubite, Rudolph Valentino A. Docot, Rene Alfred Anton Bustamante, and Alastair S. Robinson.
Its name Begonia makuruyot was derived from the Surigaonon adjective “makuruyot” or wrinkled, which refers to the distinctly rugose surface of the new species.