Evolvulus

Accepted name/Authority/Place of publication:

Evolvulus L., Sp. pl. 2: 391. (1762).

Tribe:

Cresseae

Synonyms:

Camdenia Scop., Introd.: 190. (1777).

Cladostyles Bonpl. in Humboldt & Bonpland, Pl. Aequinoct. 1(7): 202, t. 57. (Jan 1808). – Type: Cladostyles paniculata Bonpl. [= E. paniculatus (Bonpl.) Spreng.].

Meriana Vell., Fl. Flumin.: 128. (1829) [t.p. 1825 publ. 7 Sep-28 Nov 1829], Icon. 3: t. 109. 1831. [1827 publ. 29 Oct 1831]. non Meriana Trew (Iridaceae-1754) nor Meriana Vent. (Melastomataceae - 1807). – Type: M. procumbens Vell. [= E. pusillusChoisy].

Leucomalla Phil., Anales Univ. Chile 36: 189. (Sep 1870). – Type: L. lanuginosa Phil. [= E. sericeus Sw. var. falcatus (Griseb.) Ooststr.].

Type Species:

Evolvulus nummularius (L.) L.

Habit:

Herbs or subshrubs, annual or perennial, non-laticiferous. Stems prostrate, ascending or erect (never twining).

Leaves:

Simple, entire margins, small (up to 6cm), oval, linear, lanceolate or oblong; petiolate to sessile, trichomes malpighiaceous (hairs bifid).

Inflorescences:

Dichasia 1-few flowers, sometimes aggregate in dense capitate or spiciform at the end of the branches, rare paniculate; axillary or teminal; bracts leaflike or small and lanceolate, peduncule present or absent.

Flowers:

Flowers pedicellate or sessile, 2-bracteoles, odourless; Sepals equal or subequal, very small, ovate or oblong, apex rounded to acute or acuminate. Corolla lobed or entire; rotate or infundibuliform, blue, white, or purple, small sized (3-) 7-12 (20)mm diam., interplicae glabrous or pubescent outside; stamens equal or slight subequal, inserted on the corolla, at the mouth of the tube, glabrous, rare with a tooth at both sides of the base; anthers oblong, ovate to linear. Gynoecium 2 carpelled, 4-ovules, 2 per locule, rare 1 locule with 4 ovules, ovary globular, ovoid or rare cylindrical, glabrous or hisute at the top; styles 2 or 1 bifid after the middle, 4 stigmas long, terete, filigorm or slightly clavate. Hypogynous disk annular.

Pollen:

Pollen pantocolpate, psilate.

Fruits:

Capsules loculicidal, 4-valved, globose or ovoid, glabrous.

Seeds:

Seeds 1-4, trigonous or ellipsoidal, small, 2-4mm, small, glabrous, smooth or minutely verrucose, cotyledons nearly flat, radical incurved.

Distribution:

Primarily Neotropical, only 2 species pantropical. map

Number of Species:

Other information:

About 100 species, mainly from tropical and subtropical America, 2 species in Australia, 1 native, 1 naturalised.

References:

Austin, D.F. 1982. Convolvulaceae. In Z.L. Febres & J.A. Steyermark (eds.) Flora da Venezuela. Fundación Educación Ambiental. Caracas, vol. 8(3): 15-239.

Austin, D.F. & Cavalcante, P.B. 1982. Convolvuláceas da Amazônia. Publ. Avulsas Museu Goeldi 36: 3-134.

Ooststroom, S.J.V. 1934. A monograph of the genus Evolvulus. Meded. bot. Mus. Herb. Rijks-Univ. Utrecht 14: 1-267.

Simão-Bianchini, R. 2009. Flora de Grão-Mogol, Minas Gerais: Convolvulaceae. Boletim de Botânica da Universidade de São Paulo 27 (1): 33-41.

Junqueira, M.E.R. & Bianchini, R.S. 2006. O gênero Evolvulus L. (Convolvulaceae) no município de Morro do Chapéu, BA, Brasil. Acta Botanica Brasilica 20: 157-172.

Simão-Bianchini, R. 1995. Convolvulaceae, pp. 277-281. In Stannard, B.L. (ed.). Flora of the Pico das Almas. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.