Ipomoea blanchetii Choisy in A.P. de Candolle

Wood, John R. I., Munoz-Rodriguez, Pablo, Williams, Bethany R. M. & Scotland, Robert W., 2020, A foundation monograph of Ipomoea (Convolvulaceae) in the New World, PhytoKeys 143, pp. 1-823 : 1

160. Ipomoea blanchetii Choisy in A.P. de Candolle , Prodr. 9: 387. 1845. (Choisy 1845: 387)

Type.

BRAZIL. [Bahia], Serra de Açurua, Rio São Francisco, Blanchet 2906 (holotype G, not found, isotypes BM, K, NY, P).

Description.

Twining perennial herb, stem bifariously pubescent, glabrescent. Leaves petiolate, 3-6 × 4-7 cm, 3-lobed to slightly more than halfway (the lateral lobes sometimes shallowly lobed), base broadly cordate, apex obtuse and mucronate, glabrous; petioles 3-7 cm, glabrous. Inflorescence of shortly pedunculate axillary cymes; peduncles 5-20 mm; bracteoles not seen; secondary peduncles, if present, 2-4 mm; pedicels 6-18 mm; sepals subequal, coriaceous, convex, elliptic, obtuse, glabrous, 7-8 × 4-5 mm, inner similar but with scarious margins; corolla 3.5-5 cm long, red, funnel-shaped, glabrous, limb 2.5 cm diam. Capsules and seeds not seen.

Distribution.

Mostly dry forest or caatinga in northeastern Brazil.

BRAZIL. Bahia: Remanso, L.P. de Queiroz et al. 10060 (HUEFS). Ceará: Serra de Araripe, G. Gardner 2424 (BM, K). Goiás: Serra Dourada, H.S. Irwin et al. 11882 (MO, NY). Paraíba: M. de F. Agra 1728 (NY). Pernambuco: Chapada do Araripe, M.E. Saraiva 135 (RB); Morro do Quixaba, A.M. Miranda 3214 (RB). Piauí: Mun. Floriando, A.M. Miranda et al. 5054 (UB, PEUFR); Teresina-Picos, Rizzini s.n. (RB); Caracol, E. Melo et al. 9243 (HUEFS). Rio de Janiero: A.F.M. Glaziou 11263 (K, P). Rondônia: 24 km NNW of Ariquemes, D. Frame et al. 112 (NY).

Notes.

Part of the Ipomoea mauritiana complex, this species differs from I. cheirophylla in the generally 3-lobed leaves, with usually obtuse segments, but may prove conspecific although molecular sequencing suggests it may be distinct. Records from Brazil in Flora do Brasil 2020 under construction almost certainly include collections of I. cheirophylla (from Paraná), I. caloneura (from Mato Grosso and perhaps Minas Gerais) and I. mauritiana from the Amazon basin.

A specimen at P (Mocquerys s.n.) from Carabobo in Venezuela is atypical in having 5-lobed leaves and might be a dwarf form of Ipomoea mauritiana or even I. cheirophylla .