Ipomoea mathewsiana Kuntze

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

114. Ipomoea mathewsiana Kuntze , Rev. Gen. Pl. 2: 443. 1891. (Kuntze 1991: 443)

Type.

PERU. [Junin], Quebrada of Parahuanca, A. Mathews 885 (lectotype K000612872, designated here; isolectotypes K, OXF).

Description.

Erect shrub to at least 1.25 m; stems stout, woody, all young parts densely white-tomentose. Leaves petiolate, small, 3-6 × 2-5 cm, ovate, cordate with rounded auricles, adaxially glabrous, abaxially white-tomentose, margins highlighted white-tomentose; petioles 0.7-1.8 cm, white-tomentose. Inflorescence subcorymbose, formed of compact cymes borne towards the apex of leafy axillary side shoots; peduncles 3-4.5 cm; bracteoles 11-16 × 2.5-3 mm, linear-oblong, acute, sericeous, papery, deciduous; secondary peduncles 7-10 mm; pedicels 0-10 mm; sepals subequal in size, narrowly elliptic-obovate, outer 14-16 × 4-6 mm, obtuse, tomentose externally, glabrous marginally, middle sepal with a line of hairs along the midrib, inner sepals rounded, truncate or retuse, glabrous; corolla 4.5-5 cm long, pink, funnel-shaped, sericeous in bud and on midpetaline bands. Capsules and seeds unknown.

Distribution.

A very rare species endemic to central Andean Peru apparently known from only the type.

PERU. Junín: type collection.

Notes. Similar in its shrubby habit to Ipomoea pulcherrima differing principally in the sericeous corolla and tomentose outer sepals which are scarcely shorter than the inner sepals It is also close to I. sericosepala differing in habit and also in the white-felted indumentum and the more corymbose inflorescence with longer bracteoles and sepals.

Its placement here is unconfirmed.