Ipomoea vespertilia D. Santos, G. C. Delgado Junior & Buril

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

424. Ipomoea vespertilia D. Santos, G. C. Delgado Junior & Buril , Brittonia 71: 191. 2019. (Santos et al. 2019: 191)

Type.

BRAZIL. Ceará, Sobral, on the ascent of Meruoca Mountain, 40°20'58"S, 3°41'10"W, F. D. S. Santos 506 (holotype EAC, isotypes HUVA, K, PEUFR, RB).

Description.

Liana to 6 m, roots tuberculate. Leaves petiolate, 3.5-18.5 × 2.7-14.8 cm, ovate, 3.5-18.5 × 2.7-14.8 cm; adaxially sparsely pubescent to glabrescent, abaxially paler, sparsely pubescent or with hairs restricted to the veins, deciduous at anthesis; petiole 2-11.5 cm long,pubescent or glabrescent. Inflorescence of compound cymes with up to 25 flowers; peduncles 3-20.5 cm, canescent, glabrescent; bracteoles 10-15 mm long, often deciduous; pedicels 5-10 mm long, canescent; sepals equal, 6-8 × 5-7 mm, ovate, oblong to elliptic, slightly convex, apex obtuse to rounded, canescent; corolla 2.3-4.5 cm long, narrowly funnel-shaped, white, midpetaline bands canescent, greenish; anthers held at mouth of corolla; ovary ca. 3mm long, conical, glabrous, 4-locular with the loci uniovulate. Capsules 0.9-1 cm long, ellipsoid, glabrous; Seeds 6-7 mm long, with hairs 3-5 (-8) mm, restricted to the margins and dorsal region.

Illustration.

Santos et al. 2019.

Distribution.

Endemic to the caatinga region of NE Brazil.

BRAZIL. Ceará and Paraibá fide Santos et al. (2019).

Notes.

We have not had the opportunity to evaluate specimens of this species and have not carried out any molecular sequences. The description of the species suggests it is closely related to Ipomoea marcellia but the 4-locular, uniovulate ovary would suggest it belongs to the Quamoclit Clade (312-327). In consequence, this species is placed in this section of the monograph.

J.A. Queiroz et al. (2015) describe how corolla morphology has diverged from Ipomoea marcellia in response to different pollinators.