Ipomoea tenuissima Choisy in A.P. de Candolle

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

232. Ipomoea tenuissima Choisy in A.P. de Candolle , Prodr. 9: 376. 1845. (Choisy1845: 376)

Type.

HISPANIOLA. Desportes s.n. (lectotype P-JUSS-6797 [P00666123], designated here).

Description.

Slender herb, stems glabrous to bristly pilose. Leaves petiolate, small, 2-4.5 × 0.5-1 cm, strap-shaped, strongly sagittate, sometimes with a smaller side lobe, apex obtuse, apiculate, usually both surfaces evenly hirsute; petioles 0.7-1.5 cm. Flowers solitary or paired from the leaf axils; peduncles 1.3-3.5 cm; bracteoles 2 mm, filiform, tardily deciduous; pedicels 2-7 mm; sepals quite variable in indumentum and shape, outer sepals 5-7 mm, oblong-oblanceolate, acuminate and apiculate, pubescent, often ciliate, often spreading at maturity; inner sepals narrowly elliptic-obovate, obtuse, mucronate; corolla 2.5-3 cm long, narrowly funnel-shaped, deep pink, glabrous, limb c. 1-1.2 cm diam. Capsules subglobose, 4-6 mm, the style somewhat persistent, pilose or glabrous; seeds 2-2.5 × 1.5-2 mm, glabrous.

Illustration.

Figure 119 ; Acevedo-Rodríguez (2005: 180).

Distribution.

Centred on Cuba and extending north to Florida and east to the Island of Hispaniola. Recorded as growing in pinelands in Florida.

UNITED STATES. Florida: J.K. Small et al. 6557 (S), 6581 (K, S); J.K. Small & Carter 1903 (K); Dade County, L.J. Brass 2421(ARCH).

CUBA. C. Wright 1651 (BM, NY, P, S); Earle & Wilson 2412 (HAC); Bro. León & Dahlgren 23399 (HAC); J. Bisse & F. Meyer (HAJB28182). Camagüey: J. A. Shafer 1139 (NY). Cienfuegos: R. Combs 238 (K, MO, P). Holguin: Mir, E.L. Ekman 7528 (BM, S). Isla de Juventud (Pinos): E.P. Killip 43943 (NY, P, S); A.H. Curtiss 495 (BM, E, HAC, K, MO, NY, P). La Habana: N.L. Britton et al. 680 (HAC, NY); Vibora, E.L, Ekman 1262 (NY). Matanzas: Bro. León 12493 (NY). Pinar del Río: N.L. Britton et al. 6336 (NY). Villa Clara: Manacas, Bro. León 5854 (NY).

HAITI. Massif du Nord, E.L. Ekman H6092 (NY, S), H8395 (S).

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. La Vega, Jarabacoa, E.L. Ekman H14163 (S); Santiago, San José de las Matas. Leonor, E.J. Valeur 504 (K, MO, NY, S); San Juan, A. Liogier 12462 (NY); ibid., R.A. & E.S. Howard 8738 (BM, NY).

PUERTO RICO. Mona Island, Cabo Rojo, N.L. Britton et al. 2397 (NY).

Typification.

The lectotype in P-JUSS is not annotated by Choisy but is the only possible specimen that could be chosen as the type.

Note.

Easily distinguished by the strap-shaped, strongly sagittate leaves which are hirsute on both surfaces. The flowers are always solitary or paired. For a relatively slender plant the corolla is quite long reaching 3 cm. Ekman H8395 is an unusually robust example.

Figures

Figure 119. Ipomoea tenuissima. A habit B habit with larger leaf C outer sepal D inner sepal E corolla opened out to show stamens F ovary, style and stigma G fruiting calyx and capsule H seed. Drawn by Rosemary Wise A, C-H from Wright 1651; B from Curtiss 495.