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.