Ipomoea gypsophila

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

57. Ipomoea gypsophila J.R.I. Wood & Scotland, Kew Bull. 70 (31): 61. 2015. (Wood et al. 2015: 61)

Type.

BOLIVIA. Tarija, Prov. Aniceto Arce Ruiz, La Merced, 30 km de Padcaya hacia Bermejo, S.G. Beck, R. Kiesling & D. Metzing 22139 (holotype LPB, isotypes SI n.v., K [leaves only]).

Description.

Stout trailing or weakly ascending plant; stems lanate. Leaves petiolate, 7-10 × 6-10 cm, ovate, base cordate with rounded overlapping auricles, apex acute, adaxially appressed white-villous, abaxially densely white lanate-tomentose; petiole 3-6 cm. Flowers 1(-3) in pedunculate, axillary cymes; peduncles 5-7 cm, lanate, straight or nearly so; bracteoles 2-3 mm, lanceolate, somewhat persistent; pedicels 8 mm; sepals subequal, 15 × 5 mm, oblong-lanceolate to oblong-ovate, obtuse, lanate; corolla 7-8 cm long, funnel-shaped, uniformly pink, tomentose at base and on midpetaline bands, limb c. 5 cm diam. Capsules and seeds not seen.

Illustration.

Wood et al. (2015: 63).

Distribution.

Endemic to Southern Andean Bolivia at around 2000 m; rare and only known from five collections.

BOLIVIA. Chuquisaca: Zudañez, between Puca Pampa and Presto, J. Gutiérrez et al. 2863 (HSB, OXF). Tarija: Cercado, Yesera, T. Meyer 17334 (LIL), 17981 (LIL); E. Bastian 416 (LPB).

Note.

This species bears a superficial resemblance to Ipomoea descolei O'Donell but is Andean in distribution and immediately distinguished by the indumentum of the corolla, sepals, stem and peduncles, which is appressed, not spreading. The leaves are not strongly reticulate beneath, have white hairs on both surfaces (not dark green above) and the flowers are usually solitary and the peduncles reach only 7 cm long.