Ipomoea ampullacea Fernald

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

248. Ipomoea ampullacea Fernald , Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 33 (5): 89. 1897. (Fernald 1897: 89)

Type.

MEXICO. Guerrero, Acapulco, E. Palmer 483 (holotype GH00054482, isotypes: K, US).

Description.

Liana with white latex, stem thinly pilose. Leaves petiolate, 9-14 × 8-14 cm, broadly ovate, shortly acuminate, cordate (often shallowly 3 -lobed), thinly hispid-pilose on both surfaces, abaxially paler; petioles 6-12 cm, thinly pilose. Inflorescence of long-pedunculate, axillary cymes; peduncles 11-20 cm, stout, straight; bracteoles narrowly ovate, acuminate, pubescent, caducous; secondary peduncles 1-2.5 cm; pedicels 6-22 mm, puberulent; sepals dissimilar, pubescent, 26-40 × 8-10 mm, outer ovate with an elongated obtuse apex, inner sepals narrower, slightly longer, with an elongate spathulate apex; corolla 6-8 cm long, subhypocrateriform with broad basal tube and spreading limb, white, opening at night, thinly pilose on midpetaline bands in bud, anthers exserted, filaments red, pubescent; stamens shortly exserted; stigma 3-lobed. Capsules broadly ovate, c. 2 cm long, glabrous; seeds not seen.

Illustration.

Figure 4F .

Distribution.

Endemic to Mexico growing in humid hill forest 650-2000 m.

MEXICO. Colima: lower slopes of Vulcan de Colima, A.C. Sanders et al. 10730 (MO).

Guerrero: Montes de Oca, Vallecitos, G.B. Hinton 11730 (ARIZ, GH, K, MO); Mun. Azueta, J.C. Soto Nuñez 11632 (MEXU). Jalisco: Mun. Puerto Vallarta, E. Carranza et al. 6130 (ARIZ); Mun. La Huerta, Chamela, S.H. Bullock 2060 (K, MO); Arroyo Colorado, Chamela, E. Lott & T. Wendt 2192 (K); Chamela, A. Megallanes 4151 (F). Michoacán: Mun. Lázaro Cárdenas, E. Carranza & I. Silva 6707 (IEB), 7277 (IEB). Sonora: fide Felger et al. (2012). Sinaloa: Africa, Sierra Tacuichamona, H.S. Gentry 5658 (ARIZ, MO); San Ignacio, J.G. Ortega 5022 (K).

Note.

Unique in the Pharbitis Clade for having white, night-flowering, presumably moth-pollinated flowers.

Figures

Figure 4. Sepals of Ipomoea species. A I. racemosa B I. rosea C I. alba D I. hirsutissima E I. barbatisepala F I. ampullacea G I. gigantea H I. longeramosa. Photographs of A (R. A. & E. S. Howard 8863) E (Gonzalez Ortega 874) and F (Lott & Wendt 2192) by John Wood; B (Harley et al. 54830); C (Fendler 589) and H (Pickersgill et al. RU 72 - 400) by John Baker; D (Mendoza 4365) and G (Mendoza 4645) by Moises Mendoza.