Ipomoea sphenophylla Urb.

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

200. Ipomoea sphenophylla Urb. , Symb. Ant. 5: 474 (1908). (Urban 1908: 474)

Type.

NETHERLANDS ANTILLES. St. Eustatius. Signal Hill, no collection cited; neotype. East boundary of Statia Terminals N.V., on the northwest side of Mary’s Glory, Oct. 27, 1994, Jan Faber s.n. (A), designated by Howard & McDonald 1995).

Description.

Robust liana to 8 m from a napiform rootstock with pendent glabrous stems. Leaves petiolate, 3-7 × 1-2 cm, oblanceolate to obovate, obtuse or truncate and mucronate, basally cuneate and attenuate onto the petiole, coriaceous, glabrous; petioles 1-1.5 cm. Inflorescence a simple or compound cyme with up to 5 flowers; peduncles 1-1.8 cm; bracteoles not known; secondary peduncles more slender, 5-20 mm; pedicels 20-30 m; sepals glabrous, pink, unequal, outer 5-7 mm, elliptic, inner 6-8 mm, ovate; corolla 2.2-2.5 cm long, funnel-shaped, glabrous, lavender, limb 2-2.5 cm diam., rotate, 10-lobate; stamens held at mouth. Capsules globose, 6-7 mm diam., glabrous; seeds 4 mm long, dark brown-pilose with hairs 7-8 mm long.

Distribution.

Endemic to the islands of St. Eustatius and (fide Axelrod 2017) Saint Barthélemy.

NETHERLANDS ANTILLES. St Eustatius. I. Boldingh 1038 (K, NY); B.M. Boom 11296 (NY).

Note.

Resembles Ipomoea repanda but the leaves are of a distinctive obcuneate shape and the stamens not fully exserted. Further details of this species are provided by Bush and Madden (2012).

• Species 201-204. These four species are characterised by their small leaves which develop on brachyblasts.