Ipomoea walteri

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

66. Ipomoea walteri J.R.I. Wood & Scotland, Phytokeys 88: 34. 2017. (Wood et al. 2017d: 34)

Type.

BRAZIL. Goiás: Colinas do Sul, arredores da Serra de Jipe, 500 m, B.M.T. Walter et al. 4734 (CEN).

Description.

Liana of unknown height, stems thinly pubescent; leaves petiolate, 3-5 × 3.5-5.5 cm, ovate, apex obtuse and long-cuspidate (mucro c. 3-4 mm), base cordate with rounded auricles, adaxially very sparsely pubescent to subglabrous, abaxially grey-tomentose, gland-dotted; petioles 2.5-3.5 cm. Inflorescence of long-pedunculate lax axillary cymes; peduncles 7-11 cm; bracteoles caducous, not seen; secondary peduncles 0.3-2.2 cm; tertiary peduncles c. 10 mm; pedicels 4-5 mm; sepals unequal, outer 11-12 × 8-9 mm, obovate-elliptic, rounded, thinly tomentellous; inner 8-9 × 6 mm, densely tomentose in central part but with broad, glabrous scarious margins; corolla 5-5 cm long, appearing broadly tubular but not fully open, probably funnel-shaped when open, pale pink. Capsules and seeds unknown.

Illustration.

Figure 44 .

Distribution.

Cerrados of central Brazil but only known from the type collection.

BRAZIL. Goiás: the type collection.

Note.

Ipomoea walteri appears close to Ipomoea sericophylla but is distinct because of the long-pedunculate lax inflorescence, adaxially nearly glabrous leaves and relatively large sepals. The strongly cuspidate leaves with a distinct apical mucro c. 3 mm long are particularly distinct and are only matched in a few other unrelated species, especially I. daturiflora . Also somewhat unusual are the inner sepals, which are noticeably shorter than the outer.

Figures

Figure 44. Ipomoea walteri A habit B adaxial leaf surface C abaxial leaf surface D outer sepals E inner sepal. Drawn by Rosemary Wise from Walter et al. 4734.