Ipomoea haenkeana Choisy

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: Bolivia, “Cochabamba”, T. Haenke (holotype BR006973261 ex Herb. Mart).

Morphology General Habit

Erect perennial to 2 m, branched towards the apex, stems woody, tomentellous

Morphology Leaves

Leaves subsessile, mostly 3 – 6 × 2 – 4 cm, oblong-obovate, apex rounded and apiculate, base rounded to truncate, slightly asymmetric, adaxially dark green and thinly pilose to subglabrous, abaxially grey-tomentose, petioles 0 – 4 mm

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence of shortly pedunculate cymes from the uppermost leaf axils forming a terminal panicle of raceme-like branches; peduncles 1 – 3 cm; bracteoles 9 – 12 × 1 – 2 mm, lanceolate, acute, ±persistent; pedicels 2 – 5 mm (so cymes very dense); sepals subequal, 7 – 9 × 3 – 4 mm, oblong-ovate, acuminate to shortly apiculate, grey-sericeous; corolla 3.5 – 4 cm, funnel-shaped, pale pink with a darker centre, pubescent outside, the limb 2.5 – 3.5 cm in diam. Capsule and seeds not known

Ecology

Apparently restricted to Santa Cruz Department in Bolivia and adjacent areas of Brazil but extending through Mato Grosso to Minas Gerais. In Bolivia it is a locally common plant of cerrados on lowland plain below 700 m in the Chiquitania and on the cerrado-like formations west of the Río Piraí but is unexpectedly absent from the mesetas in the Chiquitania. The cited type locality of “Cochabamba” must be an error as Ipomoea haenkeana can never have grown there, the error presumably arising from the fact that Haenke was resident in the Cochabamba area. Map 9.

Conservation

Widely distributed in Santa Cruz Department this species should be classified provisionally as Least Concern (LC). However, the cerrados are being destroyed both in Bolivia and Brazil and the cerrados on lowland plain favoured by Ipomoea haenkeana are particularly vulnerable as they are easily altered by the sowing of imported grasses and the addition of fertilisers. The status of I. haenkeana, therefore, needs to be reviewed regularly and may merit revision to Vulnerable (VUL) in the not too distant future.

Note

Flowers towards the end of the rainy season from February to May.

Almost unmistakeable because of its erect shrubby habit, grey, tomentose indumentum and distinct oblong-oblanceolate leaves. It is most likely to be confused with Ipomoea cuneifolia which has narrower leaves and a much shorter, more compact, unbranched terminal inflorescence.