Ipomoea ensiformis J.R.I.Wood & Scotland, 2017

Wood, John R. I., Munoz-Rodriguez, Pablo, Degen, Rosa & Scotland, Robert W., 2017, New species of Ipomoea (Convolvulaceae) from South America, PhytoKeys 88, pp. 1-38 : 14-15

Ipomoea ensiformis J.R.I.Wood & Scotland sp.nov. Figure 8

Diagnosis.

Ipomoea ensiformis somewhat resembling I. campestris but differs in a range of characters. It is a prostrate, glabrescent (pubescent only on young parts) plant, the leaves distinctly petiolate and terminating in an obtuse apex. The sepals are glabrous, <8 mm long and the corolla is smaller at 3-4 cm long and relatively widely funnel-shaped. In contrast, I. campestris is usually erect, pubescent to pilose in all vegetative parts and the leaves are subsessile, acute and mucronate. The sepals are 8-11 mm long, the exterior pubescent while the corolla is about 5.5 to 6 cm in length. Table 1 .

Type.

Brazil, Goias, 5 km Alto Paraiso, Chapada dos Veadeiros, 1450 m, 24 Jan 1979, Gates & Estabrook 4 (holotype UB62303, isotypes MICH, RB00263006) .

Description.

Procumbent perennial herb, stems thinly pubescent, to 50 cm; rootstock a knotted woody xylopodium. Leaves shortly petiolate, 2-6 × 0.3-1.2 cm, oblong to oblong-lanceolate, base rounded, apex subacute to obtuse, very shortly mucronate, margin entire to undulate, glabrescent, the very young leaves pubescent; petioles 1-4 mm, puberulent. Inflorescence of solitary (rarely paired), axillary flowers borne on slender peduncles; peduncles 1.4-3.2 cm, slender, puberulent; bracteoles 3 × 1 mm, ovate, acuminate, relatively persistent; pedicels 5-6 mm, thinly puberulent; sepals subequal, outer 6-7 × 2.5-3 mm, oblong-ovate, obtuse, glabrous, inner similar but narrowly oblong-ovate, 7-8 mm long, abaxial surface sparsely pubescent centrally; corolla 3-4 cm, pink, very sparsely pubescent on midpetaline bands, funnel-shaped, limb 3.5 cm diameter. Capsule and seeds not seen.

Distribution and habitat.

BRAZIL. Endemic to Goiás State where it is only known from the type collection. It is one of several Ipomoea species which are apparently restricted to the Chapada dos Veadeiros and, like I. graminifolia , was found at 1450 m, an exceptionally high altitude in the Brazilian planalto. Figure 9 .

Conservation status.

In the absence of other collections or any information about its frequency, the status of this species can only be classified as Data Deficient (DD) within IUCN (2012) guidelines. It would be treated as a "black star" species within the classification of Hawthorne and Marshall (2016), but again this must be considered as a provisional classification as no systematic search has been made for the species at the type locality or in other similar habitats in the area.

Etymology.

The epithet ensiformis refers to the shape of the leaves, which resemble small swords.

Notes.

This has the appearance of a nearly glabrous prostrate form of Ipomoea campestris . I. campestris is quite variable in leaf shape but is always readily distinguished by the longer, narrower corolla, which reaches 6 cm, and the conspicuous pubescent indumentum.

Figures

Figure 8. Ipomoea ensiformis. A habit B rootstock C base of young leaves showing indumentum D Outer sepal E inner sepal. Drawn by Rosemary Wise from Gates & Estabrook 4.

Figure 9. Map of Eastern Brazil showing distribution of I. ensiformis, I. fasciculata, I. kraholandica, I. longirostra, I. revoluta, I. scopulina, I. veadeirosii, and I. walteri.