Ipomoea argentinica Peter

Wood, J.R.I., Carine, M.A., Harris, D. et al. 2015. Ipomoea (Convolvulaceae) in Bolivia. Kew Bulletin 70: 31. DOI https://doi.org/10.1007/s12225-015-9592-7

Type

Type: Argentina, Salta, pasaje del Río Juramento, Lorentz & Hieronymus 285 (lectotype GOET 005548!, designated by O’Donell (1959b: 110), isolectotype US!).

Morphology General Habit

Twining or, less commonly, trailing perennial, roots with small tubers, stems densely pubescent

Morphology Leaves

Leaves petiolate, mostly 2 – 8 × 3 – 10 cm, broadly ovate to suborbicular, shallowly cordate to ± truncate with rounded auricles, apex acute and apiculate, adaxially green and appressed pilose, abaxially grey, tomentose with long, appressed hairs; petioles 1 – 8 cm

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence of dense pedunculate cymes; peduncles 4 – 7 (–11) cm, usually grey-tomentellous; bracteoles 1.2 – 2 × 0.1 – 0.3 cm long, linear-lanceolate, long-acuminate, grey-tomentose, persistent; secondary peduncles 0.3 – 4 cm; pedicels 0 – 10 mm, often very short, tomentellous; sepals subequal, 9 – 10 × 4 – 5 mm, broadly lanceolate, acute to acuminate, silvery-sericeous, the inner ovate with scarious, glabrous margins; corolla 5 – 7 cm, pale pink, adpressed-pilose, funnel-shaped, limb 3 – 4 cm diam., undulate to very shallowly lobed

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsule ovoid, 8 – 9 × 7 mm, glabrous; seeds 6 – 7 mm long, long-pilose

Ecology

A species of the western Chaco in northern Argentina, western Paraguay and SE Bolivia. It is a lowland species of roadsides and disturbed bushy habitats, not found above 600 m. It is particularly common around the city of Santa Cruz and its distribution in Bolivia is broadly similar to that of Ipomoea reticulata and I. abutiloides.

Conservation

Least Concern (LC).

Note

Distinguished from all similar species (Ipomoea hieronymi, I. longibarbis, I. megapotamica) by the very long, persistent bracteoles, which persist until corollas have fallen, those immediately below the calyx being particularly persistent. Additionally, it can be separated from I. longibarbis by the adpressed, ± sericeous hairs of the sepals and from I. hieronymi by the more acuminate sepals. It has been treated as a synonym of the Brazilian I. sericophylla Meisn. (Staples et al. 2012: 674) but differs in the much longer, persistent bracteoles, much less dense abaxial leaf indumentum and longer sepals.

Flowers towards the end of the summer rainy season, principally from March to June.