坪林秋海棠由中央研究院已故研究員彭鏡毅博士發表，僅分布在新北市坪林一帶。染色體細胞學與分子親緣研究顯示坪林秋海棠是異源四倍體，由兩種可能已在臺灣滅絕的未知種雜交多倍體化而成，極具研究與觀賞價值。
Named by the late Research Fellow Dr. Ching-I Peng of Academia Sinica, Begonia pinglinensis is an endemic species of Taiwan, narrowly distributed and exclusively found in the Pinglin District of New Taipei City. Studies in chromosome cytology and molecular phylogenetics indicate that B. pinglinensis originated through hybridization and subsequent polyploidization involving two unknown, presumably extinct, species native to Taiwan. This allotetrapoloid possesses significant horticultural value and serves as valuable research material for studying plant hybrid speciation.