Nomenclature
Argyreia roxburghii (Sweet) Choisy, Mém. Soc. Phys. Genève 6: 419. 1834.
Ipomoea roxburghii Sweet, Hort. Suburb. ed. 2, 289. 1826.
Argyreia roxburghii var. siamica Craib, Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew 1911. 423. 1911.
Description
Staples, G. & P. Traiperm. 2010. Argyreia in Convolvulaceae. Fl. Thailand 10(3): 337–371.
Biogeography, Ecology and Natural History
Nepal, India, Bhutan, Myanmar, Thailand.
In open scrub jungle, dry dipterocarp forest, on dry slopes in
half-shaded places; altitude 100–400 m.
Flowering: July–September, December; fruiting: January, November.
Staples, G. & P. Traiperm. 2010. Argyreia in Convolvulaceae. Fl. Thailand 10(3): 337–371.
Other information
Like many widespread species A. roxburghii is rather variable and more careful study of the variability is required before infraspecific taxa are recognized.
Craib (loc. cit.) differentiated Thai plants as variety siamica, characterized by broader outer sepals with a rounded apex. The type collection for this variety, Kerr 1395, certainly has elliptic outer sepals with a broadly rounded apex. However all other Thai specimens seen have ovate or elliptic sepals with a tapering acuminate apex. I am accepting a broadly defined species here and not distinguishing the Thai plants as a distinct variety. Berries have been reported to be yellow or black; this requires confirmation. It may be that as ripening proceeds a colour change takes place.
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