Fist-size begonia giganticaulis stem-in-ground Photo:Sina Weibo

"If I can bring this onto the plane, I'll have to buy a ticket," posted a netizen on China's Twitter-like Sina Weibo commenting on the recent discovery of a new begonia species, identified by researchers in Shanghai as the biggest of its kind in Asia, in Southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region.

The newly discovered species has been named Begonia giganticaulis as it is 3.6 meters tall, with the thickest part of its stem-in-ground nearly 12 centimeters in diameter. 

As most begonias species discovered have been generic small weeds, the fact that the Begonia giganticaulis is taller than a person makes it a rare discovery and also the tallest begonia ever discovered in Asia. 

Researchers have also planned to apply for a Guinness World Records title for the plant. 

The species was found growing in a forest along a stream running from an altitude of 450 to 1,400 meters. Due to its rarity, researchers believe the new finding's status should be labeled 'endangered' based on the criteria of the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria. 

"Besides the Xizang Autonomous Region, other begonia species have been discovered in China in provinces such as Hubei, Yunnan and Gansu. It prefers humid places deep in the forest and wet rock walls. Wild ones require an environment with surrounding vegetation and so shouldn't be overdeveloped because the plant prefers a sunless environment," Ma Rong, a plant expert in Lanzhou, Gansu Province, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

The journey to the discovery began in 2019, when a group of researchers in Shanghai started a field study of wild begonias in the Xizang Autonomous Region. Researchers saw a huge begonia in full bloom at the town of Medog in September 2020, which led them to further identify the gigantic new species by inspecting the huge flowers.

Despite being Asia's tallest Begonia species, the Begonia parviflora, which is mainly found in South America, is also quiet large in size, growing to reach two to four meters in height. 

Begonias are one of the largest plant genera in the world with more than 2,050 known species.