Ipomoea spruceana Benth. ex Meisn. in Martius et al.

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

240. Ipomoea spruceana Benth. ex Meisn. in Martius et al. , Fl. Brasil. 7: 223. 1869. (Meisner 1869: 223)

Type.

BRAZIL. Pará, Santarém, May 1850, R. Spruce 703 (holotype M0184963, isotypes BM, FI, M. MG, K, TCD).

Description.

High twining perennial herb, stems glabrous, reddish. Leaves petiolate, 6-11 × 3-9, deeply 3-lobed (to about 3/4ths), shallowly cordate, the central lobes lanceolate 3-4 × 0.5-1 cm, acuminate to a fine point, the laterals slightly smaller, often shallowly lobed, glabrous, the lower surface paler; petioles 1.3-1.7 cm, glabrous. Flowers somewhat densely clustered at apex of a long peduncle; peduncles 2-11 cm, sparsely hispid-pilose with bulbous based hairs; bracteoles 6-15 × 2-3 mm, narrowly ovate, boat-shaped, finely acuminate, relatively persistent, hirsute; pedicels 5-15 mm, variable in length in the same cluster, hispid-pilose; sepals slightly unequal, outer 14-17 mm, ovate, finely acuminate, densely pilose, inner narrowly ovate, pilose with scarious, glabrous margins; corolla 3.5-5 cm long, dark pink, glabrous, funnel-shaped, limb c. 2.5 cm diam., unlobed. Capsules broadly ovoid, 6-9 × 5 mm, glabrous; seeds 4.5 mm, shortly and densely pilose with hairs c. 1 mm long.

Illustration.

Figure 124 .

Distribution.

Endemic to Amazonian Brazil, apparently very rare although several, apparently unsupported records from different states are included in Flora do Brasil 2020 under construction.

BRAZIL. Maranhão: Loreto, Ilha de Balsas, G. & L.T. Eiten 4131 (NY).

Note.

This species has a bilobed stigma (Figure 124 ) and, as we have not been able to sequence a specimen, its placement in this clade is provisional.

Figures

Figure 124. Ipomoea spruceana. A habit B outer sepal C middle sepal D inner sepal E corolla opened out to show stamens F ovary and style G fruiting inflorescence. Drawn by Rosemary Wise from Spruce 703.