274. Ipomoea magniflora O'Donell, Lilloa 26: 369. 1953. ( O’Donell 1953a: 369)

Ipomoea skutchii J.A. McDonald, Harvard Pap. Bot. 4; 55. 1993. (McDonald 1993a: 55). Type. COSTA RICA. A.F. Skutch 2982 (holotype NY00547068, isotypes K, GH, S, US).

Type.

COSTA RICA. San José, A. F. Skutch 2982 (holotype S12-2092, isotypes K, GH, NY, US).

Description.

Climbing perennial; stem glabrous but strongly muricate. Leaves long petiolate, large, 14-21 × 11-16 cm, ovate, shortly acuminate, cordate with narrow sinus and rounded auricles, adaxially with scattered hairs, abaxially paler, pubescent on the veins; petioles 16-24 cm, glabrous. Inflorescence with up to 4 flowers, somewhat racemose in structure; peduncle c. 30 cm, glabrous; bracteoles lanceolate, c. 11 × 2 mm, caducous; pedicels 1.5-2 cm, thickened upwards; sepals unequal, long-aristate, glabrous with scarious margins, outer 10-14 mm with 5-6 mm long mucro, oblong-elliptic, inner 14-16 mm with 2-3 mm long mucro, ovate; corolla c. 13 mm long, white, funnel-shaped, the basal cylindrical tube c. 2 cm long, but limb c. 6 cm wide, buds and midpetaline bands pubescent. Capsules and seeds unknown.

Distribution.

Endemic to Costa Rica and only known from the type collection.

COSTA RICA. Type collection.

• Species 275-279 form another distinct small clade characterised by having pinnatifid leaves and a relatively large corolla. This clade is almost restricted to Mexico.