187. Ipomoea balioclada Urb., Symb. Antill. 9: 245. 1924. (Urban 1924b: 245)

Type.

CUBA. Prov. Oriente [ Guantánamo], Sierra Maestra supra Daiquiri, c. 800 m, 28 Oct. 1916, E.L. Ekman 8080 (holotype S07-4401, isotypes BM, G, NY).

Description.

Twining perennial, stems somewhat woody, glabrous but covered in numerous flat black glands. Leaves petiolate, 5-9 × 3-6 cm, deltoid, acuminate, base truncate with rounded auricles, margin slightly sinuate, both surfaces glabrous; petioles 1.5-4 cm, glandular. Inflorescence of pedunculate axillary cymes; peduncles 2.5-5 cm, glandular, glabrous; bracteoles lanceolate, 2.5-3 mm long, caducous; secondary peduncles 6-10 mm; pedicels 16-18(-25) mm; sepals unequal, rather rigid, glabrous with prominent scarious margins, elliptic, obtuse to rounded, outer 6-9 × 4-6 mm, inner 10-12 × 6-7 mm; corolla 5-5.5 cm long, funnel-shaped, glabrous, pink, stamens shortly exserted. Capsules ovoid, 12 × 9 mm, rostrate, glabrous; seeds 5 × 3 mm, long-pilose on the margins with hairs up to 12 mm.

Distribution.

Endemic to eastern Cuba in the Sierra Maestra. We have not seen any collections other those by Ekman.

CUBA. [ Guantánamo ?]: Sierra Maestra, Arroyo Jiménez, E.L. Ekman 14805 (HAC, S).

Note.

Although O’Donell annotated specimens of this species as Ipomoea alterniflora, it is very distinct because of the black glands on the stem, peduncles and, sometimes, the petioles. The corolla is pink.