Ipomoea clarensis Alain

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

190. Ipomoea clarensis Alain , Mem. Soc. Cuba Nat. Hist. Felipe Poey 22: 121. 1955. (Liogier 1955: 121)

Type.

CUBA. [Villa Clara], Santa Clara, Loma de la Gloria, Banao Mts, 30 July 1918, Bro. León & Roca 7959 (holotype HAC, isotype NY).

Description.

Twining perennial, stems pilose, eventually glabrescent. Leaves petiolate, large, 4-16 × 2.5-8.5 cm, deltoid, sometimes 3-lobed, acuminate to an acute or obtuse, mucronate apex, base weakly cordate, appressed pilose on both surfaces, paler beneath; petioles 1.5-5 cm, pubescent. Inflorescence of usually 3-flowered axillary cymes; peduncles 3-7 cm, glabrous; secondary peduncles 1-2 cm; bracteoles linear, 2-3 mm, caducous; pedicels 8-14 mm, thickened upwards; sepals subequal, 9 × 6 mm, elliptic, obtuse to rounded, convex, reddish with white scarious margins, glabrous; corolla 3.5-4.5 cm long, subhypocrateriform, the tube cylindrical, expanded into a limb c. 1 cm long and 2-3 cm diam. at apex, dark red, glabrous. Capsules 9 × 5 mm, ellipsoid, rostrate, glabrous; seeds long-pilose, c. 8 mm in length.

Distribution.

Endemic to mountains in central Cuba.

CUBA. Villa Clara: Trinidad Mountains, R.A. Howard 6465 (A, BM, NY, S); Loma de Ponciano, Sancti-Spiritus, Bro. León 6704 (NY); Pico Potrerillo, Bro. Alain 6360 (HAC); Topes de Collantes, Trinidad [Sancti Spiritus], Bro. León & M. Victorin 19065 (HAC, NY); Sierra de Escambray, 5 km al S de topes de Collantes, J. Bisse & H. Lippold (HAJB9732). Cienfuegos: Complejo San Juan, Cumanayagua, R. Oviedo et al. s.n. [2/11/1986] (HAC), s.n. [3/11/1986] (HAC); ibid., L. González et al. (HAJB60249).

Note.

This species is distinguished by the pubescent leaves and glabrous, red corolla.