Begonia pavonina

Morphology

About

Begonia pavonina, described by Ridley, is a rainforest understory species endemic to Peninsular Malaysia — growing on moist forest-floor litter or over rocky humus on gentle slopes and stream banks, in deep shade and very low light where air humidity remains high year-round. It is one of the most visually remarkable plants in the entire Begoniaceae: the upper surface of each asymmetrical, ovate, slightly bullate leaf exhibits a spectacular iridescent blue to peacock-blue structural colouration — not a pigment but an optical effect generated by thin-film interference from the specialised arrangement of chloroplasts in the adaxial epidermis, an adaptation that enhances photon capture in the extreme low light of the forest floor. Deep red undersides frame each leaf. This physics-of-light display gives pavonina its name and its reputation, and makes it the natural choice as the representative species for the AroidAtlas Begonia collection.