Ipomoea montecristina Hadac

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

196. Ipomoea montecristina Hadac , Folia Geobot. Phytotax. 5: 430. 1970. ( Hadač 1970: 430)

Type.

CUBA. provincia Oriente, "montibus Montecristo dictis alt. circ. 800 m s. m., solo “laterit” dicto, legi 27.1.68", Hadač 1279, (holotype PR).

Description.

Twining perennial; stems sericeous, somewhat woody, and wiry. Leaves shortly petiolate, 2.3-6.5 × 0.8-3.2 cm, oblong-ovate, base cuneate to weakly cordate, apex acute and shortly mucronate, adaxially dark green, densely pubescent, abaxially densely grey-velutinous, shiny; petioles 3-8 mm, sericeous. Inflorescence of pedunculate axillary cymes with up to 12 flowers; peduncles 1.4-3 cm, grey-tomentose; bracteoles linear, 3-6 × 1 mm, densely tomentose; secondary peduncles 3-12 mm, tomentose; pedicels 4-7 mm, thickened upwards and becoming less tomentose; sepals subequal, outer 5-6 × 3-4 mm, pubescent towards base, glabrescent, inner 6-8 × 4 mm, ovate, obtuse to rounded, reddish-brown, coriaceous, glabrous, margin narrow, palid; corolla 3-3.5 cm long, pink, glabrous, narrowly funnel-shaped; limb c. 1.5 cm diam.; stamens included. Capsules 10-11 × 5-6 mm, ovoid, glabrous, muticous; seeds 5 × 3 mm, blackish, with long marginal hairs up to 10 mm long.

Illustration.

Wood and Scotland (2017c: 8).

Distribution.

Endemic to Eastern Cuba, perhaps limited to Guantánamo, where it grows on limestone mountains.

CUBA. Holguín: Región (Pinares) de Moa, Baracoa, Bro. León 21291 (HAC); Guantánamo: San Antonio del Sur, J. Bisse et al. (HAJB29883, HAC); A. Álvarez et al. (HAJB43089); ibid., J. Bisse et al. (HAJB48105); subida hacia la zona de Monte Libano, J. Bisse & E. Köhler (HAJB7924); Felicidad de Yateras, pinar de la zona de Monte Cristi, J. Bisse (HAJB 20234); ibid., J. Bisse & A. Alvarez (HAJB43272); ibid., J. Bisse et al. (HAJB49387); Jamaica, Monte Cristi, J. Bisse et al. (HAJB39180).

Note.

The combination of red corolla, near glabrous sepals and the shiny-silvery sericeous indumentum render this species relatively distinct.