Ipomoea longibracteolata 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

105. Ipomoea longibracteolata Sim. -Bianch. & J.R.I. Wood. Kew Bull. 72 (8): 15. 2017. (Wood et al. 2017a: 15)

Type.

BRAZIL. Bahia, Mun. Caetité, Faz. Baixa Grande, 14°04'03"S, 42°38'12"W, 820 m, 9 Feb. 1997, M.L. Guedes, B. Stannard, E. Saar & L. Passos 5276 (holotype HUEFS 28895, isotypes ALCB, CEPEC, HRB, K, SPF).

Description.

Liana with white latex reaching 10 m; stems woody, asperous-pilose, bark pale grey. Leaves petiolate, (7-)11-20 × (7-)14-20 cm, ovate, cordate with right-angled sinus and rounded auricles, apex acute, mucronate, sometimes retuse, adaxially thinly pubescent, abaxially paler, densely pubescent, the venation prominent with denser indumentum; petioles (4-)12-13 cm, pilose. Inflorescence of shortly pedunculate, bracteolate, axillary cymes; peduncles 1.5-8 cm, asperous-pilose; bracteoles 2-3 × 0.6-1.3 cm, often, boat-shaped, oblong-elliptic or narrowly obovate, base cuneate, apex obtuse, pilose with long white hairs; secondary peduncles (if present) 1-2 cm; pedicels 0.6-1.5 cm, more densely pilose than peduncles; sepals somewhat variable in size, shape and indumentum but generally unequal, outer 18-24 × (9-)14-16 mm, oblong-elliptic, elliptic, obovate, obtuse to rounded, glabrous or with some long white hairs along midrib on the exterior especially near base but glabrous and glandular on the interior, inner 17-18 × 7 mm, obovate, obtuse to rounded, glabrous; corolla 5-6.5 cm long, glabrous, broadly funnel-shaped to subcampanulate, tube, c. 2 cm wide from just above base pale pink with a dark centre and whitish limb; limb c. 3.5 cm diam. Capsules 2 × 1.5 cm, ellipsoid, glabrous; seeds 7 × 5 mm, densely white-pilose on angles with hairs to 15 mm long.

Illustration.

Figure 70 .

Distribution.

Dry scrub with scattered trees in cerrado or caatinga usually on sandy soil in northeastern Brazil.

BRAZIL. Bahia: Mun. Abaíra, L.P. Queiroz et al. 2607 (HUEFS); Santa Maria da Vitoria, L.P. Queiroz et al. 5963 (HUEFS, OXF); Mun. Caetité, M.L. Guedes et al. 5276 (ALCB, HUEFS, K); São Desidério, J.G. de Carvalho-Sobrinho 471 (HUEFS, OXF). Goiás: 15 km N de Alvaorada do Norte, Hatschbach 42017 (FTG, MBM); Mun. Nova Roma, D. Alvarenga et al. 1303 (IBGE, MO). Minas Gerais: Juiz de Fora, A.F.M. Glaziou 8821a (P); 1 km E of Rio Pandeiros, near road to Januaria, W.R. Anderson et al. 9100 (FTG, NY); Serra do Espinhaço, 5 km NE of Francisco Sá, road to Salinas, H.S. Irwin et al. 23210 (FTG, NY).

Note.

Distinguished by the relatively long bracteoles, the distinctive white, asperous-pilose indumentum, which is particularly prominent on the inflorescence, and by the characteristically compact inflorescence.

Figures

Figure 70. Ipomoea longibracteolata. A habit B abaxial leaf surface C bracteole D outer sepal E middle sepal F inner sepal G corolla opened up to show stamens H fruiting inflorescence showing indumentum and persistent bracteoles J seed. Drawn by Rosemary Wise A, B from L. P. de Queiroz et al. 5963; C-G from L. P. de Queiroz et al. 2607; H-J from F. Franca et al. 59231.