Ipomoea ramosissima (Poir.) 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

230. Ipomoea ramosissima (Poir.) Choisy in A.P. de Candolle , Prodr. 9: 377. 1845. (Choisy 1845: 377)

Convolvulus cymosus Ruiz & Pav. , Fl. Peruv. 2: 9. 1799 (Ruiz and Pavón 1799: 9), non Ipomoea cymosus Desr. (1792) . Type. PERU. Huánuco, Ruiz & Pavón s.n. (lectotype MA 814677, designated by Wood et al. (2015; isolectotypes F, MA, OXF).

Convolvulus ramosissimus Poir., Encycl. , Suppl. 3: 468. 1813 [pub. 1814]. (Poiret 1814-17: 468). Type. Based on C. cymosus Ruiz & Pav.

Ipomoea dichotoma Choisy in A.P. de Candolle , Prodr. 9: 383. 1845. (Choisy 1845: 383), nom. illeg., non Ipomoea dichotoma Kunth (1819) . Type. BRAZIL. Lund 319 (holotype G00135826!).

Ipomoea dichotoma var. longiflora Choisy Prodr. [A.P. de Candolle] 9: 383. 1845. (Choisy 1845: 383). Type. BRAZIL. Moritiba, J.S. Blanchet 3482 (holotype G00227888, isotypes F, NY, P).

Ipomoea dichotoma var. integrifolia Meisn. in Martius et al. , Fl. Brasil. 7: 281. 1869 (Meisner 1869: 281). Type. BRAZIL. Martius s.n. (lectotype M0184976, designated here).

Ipomoea dichotoma var. trilobata Meisn. in Martius et al. , Fl. Brasil. 7: 281. 1869. (Meisner 1869: 281). Type. BRAZIL. W.J. Burchell 1066 (lectotype BR00005793983, designated here).

Ipomoea ramosissima var. rosea Hallier f., Jahrb. Hamburg Wissens. Anst. 16: 45. 1899. (Hallier 1899a: 45). Type. BRAZIL. Santa Catarina, Blumenau, E. Ule 770 (holotype B†).

Ipomoea ramosissima forma rosea (Hallier f.) O’Donell, Arq. Mus.Parana 9: 231. 1952. ( O’Donell 1952: 231).

Ipomoea dichotoma subvar. hirsuta Hallier f., Jahrb. Hamburg Wissens. Anst. 16: 45. 1899. (Hallier 1899a: 45). Type. BRAZIL. Rio de Janeiro, Serra dos Orgãos, E. Ule 2412 (holotype HBG, n.v.).

Ipomoea perplexa L.O. Williams , Fieldiana Bot. 32: 193. 1970. (Williams 1970a: 193). Type. BELIZE. H.H. Bartlett 12868 (holotype MICH1111342, isotype F).

Ipomoea quesadana Standl., Publ. Field Mus. Nat. Hist. , Bot. Ser. 22: 99. 1940. (Standley 1940c: 99). Type. COSTA RICA. Alajuela, Villa Quesada, A.C. Smith 1609 (holotype F0054892, isotype EAP).

Type.

Based on Convolvulus cymosus Ruiz & Pav.

Description.

Slender twining annual or possibly short-lived perennial herb, usually nearly glabrous in all parts but occasionally stems thinly pilose. Leaves petiolate, mostly 3-5.5 × 2-4.5 cm, ovate or shallowly 3-lobed, cordate with rounded to obtuse auricles, apex shortly acuminate, mucronate, glabrous or adaxially with a few hairs; petioles 1.5-5 cm, glabrous or thinly pubescent. Inflorescence of long pedunculate axillary umbelliform cymes with 2-5 flowers; peduncles 2-10 cm; bracteoles tiny, triangular, caducous; pedicels 5-15 mm; sepals subequal, oblong-obovate with broad scarious margins, rounded and mucronate, glabrous or with a few marginal cilia, outer sepals 3.5-6 mm,; inner sepals c. 1 mm longer; corolla 1.5-2.5 cm long, subcampanulate to shortly funnel-shaped, pink with a dark centre, glabrous, limb 1.5-1.75 cm diam., unlobed or shallowly lobed, sometimes dentate. Capsules 2-3 × 4 mm, depressed-subglobose, enclosed by sepals, glabrous, the slender style somewhat persistent; seeds 3 × 2.5 mm, ellipsoid, dark brown, glabrous or pilose on the angles.

Illustration.

Figures 8P , 117 ; O’Donell (1959b: 229).

Distribution.

Widely distributed in tropical America south to Argentina growing in the tropical lowlands and perhaps favouring areas with good rainfall but with a distinct dry season. Like Ipomoea dumetorum it is noticeably more common south of the Equator, being rare in Mesoamerica and not recorded at all from Guatemala and Mexico. It grows on forest margins, in forest relics and in disturbed places around settlements, often appearing on wire fences. It is usually found below 500 m but reaches at least 1600 m in the Andes.

ARGENTINA. Salta: Oran, S. Venturi 5590 (BM, SI); Legname & Cuezzo 7483 (LIL, CTES). Jujuy: Ledesma, J.H. Hunziker et al. 12233 (MO).

BRAZIL. Amazonas: I.L. do Amaral 492 (NY). Bahia: Ilheus, Mattos Silva et al. 3487 (CTES, UESC); ibid., J.L. Hage & E. B. dos Santos 1085 (K). Dist. Fed.: H.S. Irwin et al. 15321 (CTES, NY). Espirito Santo: Santa Bárbara de Caparaó, Y. Mexia 4103 (BM, S). Goiás: Caiaponia-Aragarças, D.R. Hunt 6104 (K): Niquelândia, F.C.A. Oliveira 329 (RB). Mato Grosso: Novo Mundo, D. Zappi et al. 1317 (K). Minas Gerais: A. Macedo 1788 (S); D.R. Hunt 5436 (K). Paraná: Jansoun 64 a (K, S); G. Hatschbach 47573 (HB, K). Pernambuco: A.M. Miranda 3466 (RB). Rio de Janeiro: G. Gardner 5558 (BM); Widgen 520 (S); J. Miers s.n. (BM). Rondônia: L. Texeira 435 (NY, RB).

BOLIVIA. M. Bang 2246 (E, NY, GH, F, K, MO). Beni: Est. Biológica del Beni, T. Killeen & Palacios 3441 (ARIZ, BOLV, MO, USZ); Marbán, Puente San Pablo, M. T. Martinez & M. Adler 84 (K, LPB, USZ). La Paz: Sud Yungas, Río Bopi, B.A. Krukoff 10692 (GH, F, K, MO); A.N.M.I. Madidi, Asariamas, L. Cayola 1743 (LPB, MO). Santa Cruz: Guarayos, Ascención, J.R.I. Wood & D. Soto 27933 (OXF, K, LPB, USZ); Ibañez: Los Espejillos, G.A. Parada et al. 195 (MO, OXF, USZ); Ichilo, Buenavista, J. Steinbach 7165 (BM, E, F, K, NY); Santiesteban, Río Grande, J.R.I. Wood & D. Soto 27950 (LPB, OXF, USZ); Ñuflo de Chávez, Concepción, J.R.I. Wood & D. Soto 27937 (OXF, K, LPB, USZ).

PERU. Amazonas: Condorcanqui, J.A. Leveau 14 (MO). Cusco: Quispicanchis, Río Araza, P. Nuñez 14107 (MO); La Convención, Vilcabamba, G. Calatayud et al. 2554 (CUZ, MO); C. Vargas 4579 (CUZ). Huánuco: E. Asplund 12638 (S). Junín: A. Lourteig 3095 (P, USM); Montayaco, near San Ramón, A. Gentry & G.T. Prance 16427 (MO). Loreto: Aguaytia, F. Woytowski 34457 (MO). Madre de Dios: Manu, Atalaya, C. Sobrevila et al. 1781 (F); Tambopata, P. Nuñez et al. 11116 (MO). Pasco: Oxapampa, Palcazu, R. Vásquez & A. Monteagudo 27727 (MO, USM). San Martín: D. Melin 214 (S); R. Ferreyra 4753 (USM); Taropoto, R. Spruce s.n. (K); Lamas, J. Schunke 9751 (MO, USM).

ECUADOR. Galápagos: G. Harling 5120 (S); U. & I. Eliasson 939 (S). Napo: Río Napo, H. Lugo 2269 (K, MO); J. Korning & K. Thomsen 47027 (AAU). Pastaza: Montalva, B. Ljtnant & U. Molau 13458 (AAU). Pichincha: Cerro Antisana, P. Grubb et al. 36 (K). Zamora-Chinchipe: T. Croat 91949 (MO, QCNE).

COLOMBIA. Amazonas: Araracuara, L. Aguirre 1003 (COL). Putumayo: Puerto Asís, J. Cuatrecasas 11250 (COL).

VENEZUELA. Amazonas: Atabapo, E. Marín 1687 (MO). Portuguesa: Las Cruces, B. Stergios 6629 (MO).

PANAMA. R.L. Liesner 95 (RB); Darién, J.A. Duke 10217 (MO).

COSTA RICA. Guanacaste, Cordillera de Tilarán, G. Rivera 3016 (CR, K); B. Hammel et al. 18888 (MO); Alajuela, Artezalea, A. Molina 17239 (F).

NICARAGUA. Matagalpa, W.D. Stevens 11945 (CTES; MO); Río San Juan, El Catillo, R. Loredo 2366 (BM, MO); Chontales, R. Tate 248 (BM, K).

EL SALVADOR. Ahuachapán, Río Paz, A. Munro et al. 3614 (BM).

BELIZE. Chiquibul Forest Reserve, C. Whitefoord 10516 (BM), 10033 (BM, MO); ibid., A. Munro et al. 1123 (BM, MO).

Notes.

Ipomoea ramosissima can generally recognised by its small flowers and obovate sepals. It is usually glabrous but can only be safely separated from I. cynanchifolia when in fruit. The ripe capsules are always glabrous and distinctly depressed. There remains a considerable residue of non-fruiting specimens in herbaria, principally from Bolivia which could be either I. cynanchifolia or I. ramosissima .

Records from Paraguay (Austin and Costea 2008) are errors for Ipomoea amnicola . The record from the Galapagos Islands is unexpected but seems correct.

Figures

Figure 8. Corollas showing variations in form (side view), size, limb lobing and stamen exsertion. A Ipomoea argentea B I. repanda C I. neei D I. electrina E I. habeliana F I. santillanii G I. nationis H I. rubriflora J I. longistaminea K I. megapotamica L I. megalantha M I. neriifolia N I. syringifolia P I. ramosissima Q I. elongata R I. mucronatoproducta. A from Wood et al. 25639 and photo; B from Whitefoord 5244; C from Skutch 2043; D from Breedlove 27626; E from Bentley 203; F from Bourgeau 3024; G from Saunders 987; H from Wood et al. 27678; J from Pastore et al. 2678; K from Wood et al. 28060; L from Hassler 9114; M from Rezende et al. 1011; N from Stutz 1426 and photo; P from Bang 2246; Q from Purpus 3904; R from Wood & Villarroel 25474. Drawn by Rosemary Wise.

Figure 117. Ipomoea ramosissima. A habit B outer sepal C inner sepal D corolla opened out to show stamens E ovary and style F fruiting inflorescence G capsules H seed. Drawn by Rosemary Wise A from Wood & Soto 27957; B-F from Wood & Soto 27942; G from photo.