Ipomoea jamaicensis G. Don

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

235. Ipomoea jamaicensis G. Don , Gen. Hist. 4: 278. 1838. (Don 1838: 278)

Convolvulus jamaicensis Spreng. , Syst. Veg. 1: 595. 1825 [pub. 1824]. (Sprengel 1824: 595), nom. illeg., Convolvulus jamaicensis Jacq. (1768) . Type. JAMAICA. No type cited, neotype icon in Sloane, Voy. Jamaica 1: t. 98, f. 2 (1707), designated here.

Pharbitis jamaicensis (G. Don) Gibert , Enum. Pl. 28. 1873 (Gibert 1873: 28).

Convolvulus tomentosus L., Sp. Pl. 1: 156. 1753. Type. Icon in Sloane, Voy. Jamaica 1: t. 98, f. 2 (1707), designated by Staples and Jarvis (2006: 1022).

Pharbitis tomentosa (L.) Choisy in A.P. de Candolle, Prodr. 9: 342.1845. (Choisy 1845: 342).

Ipomoea tomentosa (L.) Urb., Symb. Antill. 3 (2): 344. 1902. (Urban 1902-3: 344), nom. illeg., non Ipomoea tomentosa Choisy (1838) .

Type.

Based on Convolvulus jamaicensis Spreng.

Description.

Liana to 6 m, stems woody, pubescent when young. Leaves petiolate, 3.5-10 × 3.5-11 cm, ovate in outline, 3-lobed to about half way, shortly acuminate, base cordate with rounded auricles, adaxially pubescent, abaxially grey-tomentose, rarely glabrous on both surfaces; petioles 2.5-5 cm, very thinly to densely pubescent. Inflorescence of few-flowered pedunculate cymes; peduncles 1.5-8.5 cm; bracteoles 3-12 mm, ovate, acuminate, pale green, caducous; pedicels 3-12 mm, noticeably more slender and more pubescent than peduncles; sepals subequal but inner slightly narrower, 10-14 × 2-4 mm at anthesis, oblong-lanceolate, shortly acuminate to caudate, pubescent, herbaceous, somewhat accrescent in fruit reaching 15 × 8 mm; corolla 5-7 cm long, glabrous, salver-shaped, the tube 4-5 cm long, subcylindrical and only slightly widened, dark purple, limb 4-5 cm diam., pentagonal, crimson to magenta, stamens exserted; stigma 3-lobed, exserted. Capsules 10 × 9 mm, subglobose, glabrous; seeds 5 × 4 mm, blackish, densely covered in short erect hairs.

Illustration.

Figure 122 .

Distribution.

Endemic to Jamaica where it appears to be common in thickets, scrub and in forest relics on limestone hills.

JAMAICA. March s.n. (K); Manchester, C.D. Adams 8516 (BM); St Catherine, G.R. Proctor 7253, ibid., 8298, ibid., 17443 (BM); Great Goat Island, W. Harris 9212 (BM); St Andrew, G.R. Proctor 18336 (BM); Clarendon, W. Stearn 208 (BM).

Note.

This species appears to have evolved as an adaptation of Ipomoea indica for humming bird pollination. It differs in the exserted stamens from a salver-shaped corolla as well as in the leaves, which are always three lobed.

Figures

Figure 122. Ipomoea jamaicensis. A habit B adaxial leaf surface C abaxial leaf surface D outer sepal E inner sepal F corolla opened out to show stamens G ovary and style H fruiting inflorescence with capsule J seed. Drawn by Rosemary Wise A-C from Proctor 17443; D-J from Stearn 208.