Ipomoea rupestris Sim.

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

367. Ipomoea rupestris Sim. -Bianch. & Pirani, Hoehnea 32 (2): 296. 2005. ( Simão Bianchini and Pirani 2005: 296)

Type.

BRAZIL. Minas Gerais, Mun. Santana de Riacho, Simao-Bianchini 11704 (holotype SP; isotypes NY, K, SPF).

Description.

Glabrous ascending or erect subshrub to 60 cm, with woody, tuberous xylopodium; stems glabrous, somewhat woody, bark pale brown. Leaves petiolate, 3-7 × 1-2.8 cm, broadly oblong to oblong-elliptic, obtuse and mucronate, base broadly cuneate, margin undulate to crenate, abaxially paler; petioles 0.4 -1.7 cm. Inflorescence of leafy branched, axillary, few-flowered cymes, in erect plants mostly arising in the upper leaf axils; peduncles 0.5-3 cm; bracteoles 2 mm, triangular, caducous; secondary peduncle 2-6 mm, often scabrid; pedicels 0.5-2.5; sepals unequal, outer 7-11 × 4-5 mm, ovate-elliptic, rounded to retuse, mucronate, margins scarious, inner 9-14 mm, broadly oblong, obtuse to retuse, margins scarious; corolla 4-6.5 cm long, funnel-shaped, pink, glabrous, limb 4-5 cm diam., undulate. Capsules (immature) ovoid, apiculate, glabrous; seeds not seen.

Distribution.

Cerrado and campo rupestre between 1000-1380 m, endemic to the planalto of central Brazil.

BRAZIL. Bahia: Abaíra, Boa Vista, B. Stannard & R. Queiroz 51763 (K, MO, NY); ibid., Campo de Ouro Fino, R.M. Harley et al. 51092 (K, HUEFS); Umbaranas, L.P. de Queiroz et al. 5218 (K). Goiás: Niquelândia, M.L. Fonseca & Barros 809 (RB, OXF); ibid., A. Macedo 4477* (S, US); Chapada de Veadeiros, Alto Paraíso, T. Cavalcanti et al. 1319* (CEN); H.S. Irwin et al. 24669* (FTG, NY). Minas Gerais: Serra do Cipó, E. Pereira 8918 (HB, K, RB); Serra de Mutuca, Lagôa Seca, L. O. Williams & V. Assis 5580 (GH); Serra do Cipo, M.M. Arbo et al. 4688* (CTES, FTG, K); ibid., A.B. Joly et al. 1061 (E); ibid., U.C.S. Silva et al. 33 *(HUEFS); Santana do Riacho, A. Rapini et al. 1628* (HUEFS); Serra do Espinhaço, W.R. Anderson et al. 36332* (FTG, NY, SP); ibid., H.S. Irwin et al. 20107* (NY); Santana de Pirapama, W. Milliken et al. 4305 (SPF, K); Grãu Mogol, J.R. Pirani et al. 850 (SPF, K). (* erect forms)

Notes.

This species holds together despite the varied habit because of its broadly oblong to oblong-elliptic leaves which are usually undulate to crenate on the margins and because of the usually branched inflorescence. In related species the flowers are solitary-very rarely paired in I. procumbens . Erect specimens cited above are indicated with an asterisk*; unmarked collections are of decumbent plants.

Queiroz et al. 5218 (K, HUEFS) from Bahia is odd as the inflorescence is on lateral branches with flowers mostly arising in the axils of distinct bracts resembling small leaves.