Argyreia splendens (Hornem.) Sweet, Hort. Brit.

P. R., Lawand & Shimpale, V. B., 2024, Revision of the genus Argyreia (Convolvulaceae) from India, Rheedea 34 (5), pp. 337-396 : 387-389

32. Argyreia splendens (Hornem.) Sweet, Hort. Brit. : 289. 1826; C.B. Clarke in Hook.f.,

Fl. Brit. India 4:186. 1883. Convolvulus splendens

Hornem., Hort. Bot. Hafn., Suppl.: 123. 1819.

Neotype (designated by Staples & Traiperm, 2008):

INDIA, [West Bengal], cultivated in Hort. Bot. Calcutta, 03.12.1814, Wallich Cat. 1361. B (K-W

[ K 000197075 digital image!].

Lettsomia splendens Roxb., Fl. Ind. 2: 75. 1824. Ipomoea splendens (Roxb.) Sims, Bot. Mag. 53: t. 2628. 1826. Lectotype (designated by Staples &

Traiperm, 2008): INDIA, [West Bengal] Calcutta, cultivated in Hort. Bot. Calcutta, [ Roxburgh sub],

Wallich Cat. 1361.1 (K-W [K000197074 image!],

isolecto G [G000171145 image!]). Fig. 14a–d

A perennial climbing shrub of 15–25 ft. tall; stems terete, woody c. 1–1.5 cm in diam., with lenticels, glabrous while the younger stem white strigose, terete. Leaf lamina elliptic to narrowly elliptic, 11.5–20 × 5–10 cm, apex acute, base rounded, obtuse or shallowly cordate, glabrous above, white silvery tomentose beneath, secondary veins 12–15 pairs raised conspicuously beneath; petiole 4–10 cm long, terete, green, white tomentulose. Inflorescence terminal 5–10 flowered cyme, peduncle hairy like petiole, 5–12 cm long, elongates in fruiting, usually longer than the petiole. Flower pedicillate, bracteate; pedicel 7–9 mm long. Bracts very early caducous, only few mms in length. Sepals 5, subequal, widely elliptic to orbicular, 0.5–0.6 × 0.5–0.6 cm, apex rounded, white tomentulose outer except overlapped portions, glabrous inner, green, turns red inside after fruiting. Corolla infundibuliform, limbs pale pink, corolla tube white, 5.5–6.5 cm long, 4–5 cm across, throat c. 1 cm in diam., lobes twisted in bud, sparsely white hairy on midpetaline bands. Stamens 5, inserted, subequal, 2.5–2.8 cm long; filaments white, glandular hairy at base; anthers 3–4 mm, white. Ovary glabrous, off white in color; style c. 3.5 cm; stigma biglobose. Berries covered by persistent sepals, 1–1.5 cm across.

Flowering & Fruiting: Flowering from September to November and fruiting from late November to January.

Habitat: Frequently grows along the margins of evergreen forests.

Distribution: India (Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura), Bangladesh, China, and Thailand.

Etymology: The specific epithet ‘ splendens ’ has its roots in a Latin word ‘ splendeō’ meaning shining,

glittering, referred here to shining ventral surface of leaves.

Specimensexamined: INDIA, Assam, KhasiandJaintia Hills, Rytiang 24.08.1968, N. P. Balakrishnan 47050

(ASSAM); Nagaon District , Nagaon, 24.12.1950 ,

G.K. Deka 23041 (ASSAM); Naga Hills District,

Naga Hills, May 1936, N. L. Bor 20775 (ASSAM) ;

Guwahati, Sivasagar, 12.12.1913, U. Kanjilal 4273

(ASSAM); Golaghat District , Dhansiri, 19.04.1914 ,

Upendranath Kanjilal 3839 (ASSAM); Dima Hasao

District, North Cachar Hills, 28.08.1908, William

Craib 339 (ASSAM). Meghalaya, Ri-Bhoi District, Nongpoh, Umling , 16.03.1966, J. Joseph 45156

(ASSAM); Umrangso Dam Area , Survey of Kapil catchment area, 23.02.2007, R. S. Barnah 114006

(ASSAM). Mizoram, Dampa Tiger Reserve, Damparengpui , 27.10.2007, B. K. Sinha 116989

(ASSAM); West Phaileng , Teirei, 01.12.2012 ,

N. Odyuo 113525 (ASSAM); Aizawl , Mizoram

University Campus, November 2017, P. R. Lawand

026 (NCK); Aizawl, West Phaileng, Damparengpui,

09.10.2018, P. R. Lawand 063 ( NCK). Nagaland, Phek District, Meluri , 25.10.1973, Chandra Bahadur

55629 (ASSAM); Chittagong Hill Tracts, Naga

Hills, September 1886, Dr. King’s collector 155

(ASSAM). Tripura, Sikhau Sarmon, 04.02.1962, D. B. Deb 27461 (ASSAM) .

Vernacular names: Phla-Vaja, Phla-Naga (Nagaland).

Notes: The species can be readily recognized by its elliptic, shining adaxial leaves, white corolla tube, pale pink corolla limb and red fleshy berries. It is closely related to A. elliptica in its elliptic leaves, widely elliptic to orbicular sepals, but can be differentiated by its silvery shiny leaves and red berries.

Figures

Fig. 14. Argyreia SplendenS (Hornem.) Sweet (a-d): a. Flowering twig; b. Corolla side & front view; c. Sepals; d. Fruit. Argyreia SrinivaSanii Subba Rao & Kumari (e-i): e. Flowering twig; f. Leaf abaxial surface; g. Inflorescence; h. Bracts; i. Sepals. Argyreia walliChii Choisy (j-m): j. Habit-flowering; k. Inflorescence;l. Sepals;m. Infructescence.