Ipomoea cerradoensis

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

33. Ipomoea cerradoensis J.R.I. Wood & Scotland, Kew Bull. 70 (31): 39. 2015. (Wood et al. 2015: 39)

Type.

BOLIVIA. Santa Cruz, Prov. Velasco, Parque Nacional Noel Kempff Mercado, la meseta, camino al Camp. Huanchaca 2, J.R.I. Wood, D. Villarroel & M. Mendoza 27017 (holotype K, isotypes USZ, LPB).

Description.

Erect or ascending herb to 50 cm, rootstock a woody xylopodium with small tubers, stem adpressed pubescent. Leaves shortly petiolate, 3-6 × 1-3.5 cm, ovate to elliptic, base broadly cuneate to rounded, apex obtuse to rounded, minutely mucronate, margin entire, both surfaces densely pubescent with slightly asperous hairs, abaxially paler with prominent dull red veins; petiole 2-5 mm, pubescent. Inflorescence of shortly pedunculate axillary cymes, commonly reduced to 1-2 flowers; peduncles 1-15 mm, pubescent; bracteoles 2-3 × 1 mm, oblong-lanceolate, caducous; pedicels 2-4 mm, pubescent; sepals subequal, outer 6-7 × 4-5 mm, ovate, acute to obtuse, mucronulate, pubescent, inner 6 × 4-5 mm, ovate-suborbicular, obtuse, mucronulate, pubescent, margin narrow, scarious; corolla pubescent in bud, somewhat glabrescent, white (rarely very pale pink), 5-6 cm long, funnel-shaped, limb c. 3 cm diam, indistinctly lobed. Capsules and seeds not seen.

Illustration.

Figure 28 .

Distribution.

Open cerrado (campo sujo) with scattered shrubs, often near rock outcrops on the serranias and chapadas of the Precambrian shield of Bolivia and Brazil between 700 and 1000 m.

BRAZIL. Goiás: Serra do Caiapó H.S. Irwin & T.R. Soderstrom 7399 (NY); Chapada dos Veadeiros, H.S. Irwin et al. 24544 (NY); Goiânia, A. Luna Peixoto et al. 746 (RB); Cavalcante, G. Pereira-Silva et al. 5772 (CEN). Minas Gerais: Selviria, O. Tiritan & M. Paiva 436 (RB). Rondônia: Velhena, M.G. Veira et al. 783 (US).

BOLIVIA. Santa Cruz: Velasco, P.N. Noel Kempff Mercado, Las Gamas, R. Guillen & T. Centurión 859 (MO, USZ).

Notes.

A relatively distinct cerrado species with the characteristically shortly petiolate leaves of an erect or ascending species. It is similar to Ipomoea hirsutissima and I. aurifera in habit but is distinguished by the pubescent indumentum, ovate leaves and sepals, and shortly pedicellate white flowers borne in small axillary cymes.

The Rondônia collection, Veira et al. 783, is somewhat anomalous having slightly larger sepals and pink flowers (according to the collection label). In habit and other details it fits Ipomoea cerradoensis and is probably correctly placed here unless further collections from Rondônia prove otherwise.

Figures

Figure 28. Ipomoea cerradoensis. A habit B habit C adaxial leaf surface D abaxial leaf surface E outer sepal F inner sepal G corolla opened out to show stamens H ovary and style. Drawn by Rosemary Wise A, C-H from Wood et al. 27017; B from Irwin & Soderstrom 7399.