The dark side of Vader begonia

Mysterious: One of the few pictures available of the Begonia in the wild.

KUCHING: It is called the Begonia “Darth Vader” but despite the powerful Star Wars character it is named after, the plant species, endemic to Sarawak, is helpless against smugglers who take it out of the state.

The Begonia darthvaderiana is a hit online. At US$80 (RM290) for a small plant, it is one of the most expensive begonias.