Merremia aturensis

Nomenclature

Accepted name/Authority/Place of publication:

Merremia aturensis (Kunth) Hallier f., Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 16: 552. 1893.

Synonyms:

Convolvulus aturensis Kunth in Humboldt, Bonpland & Kunth, Nov. Gen. Sp. Pl. 3: 96. 1819. TYPE. Venezuela. Amazonas: Atures Falls, Humboldt & Bonpland 859 (B-W 3674, microfiche seen).

Ipomoea aturensis (Kunth) G. Don, Gen. Syst. 4: 226: 1838.

Ipomoea juncea Choisy in DeCandolle, Prodr. 9: 355. 1845. TYPE. British Guiana. R. Schomburgk 625 (holotype G-DC).

Ipomoea aphylla Standley, Field Mus. Bot. Publ. 11: 139. 1932. TYPE. British Honduras. Cornhouse Creek, Bartlett 11316 (holotype F; isotypes GH, US).

Erect perennial herbs, occasionally sprawling or trailing, with numerous rush-like stems arising from a thickened rhizomatous rootstock, to 2 m long, stems to 1.5 mm in diameter; plants entirely glabrous.

Leaves:

Leaves reduced, scale-like, 1-2 mm long.

Inflorescences:

Flowers solitary or rarely in a dichasium, peduncles slender, smooth, 1-6 mm long, bracts two, scale-like, 1 mm long, pedicels swollen at the distal ends, elongating and thickening in fruit, 5-20 mm long, occasionally with whitish tubercles, sepals lanceolate, margins entire, apices acute to attenuate, the outer two shorter than the inner three, 4-10 mm long

Flowers:

Corolla campanulate-funnelform, white, glabrous, 2-3 cm long and 2.5-3 cm wide; stamens five, unequal, included within the corolla tube, filaments fused to the corolla for one half their length, sparsely glandular pubescent where attached, simple glabrous where free, 12-14 mm long, anthers spirally dehiscent, whitish, 1.5-2 mm long, pollen three colpate, smooth, ovary globose-ovoid, glabrous, 1 mm wide and as tall, style simple, filiform, glabrous, to 15 mm long, stigma biglobose, 1 mm diameter.

Pollen:

Pollen three colpate, smooth.

Fruits:

Fruit a tan globose capsule enclosed by the calyx, dehiscing by four valves, sepals 12 mm long in fruit; style persisting

Seeds:

Seeds four or less by abortion, dark brown-black, ovoid, rounded, very shortly puberulent, becoming glabrate, 2 mm wide and 4 mm long.

Author:

Staples, G.W. & D.F. Austin.

References:

Austin, D. F. & G. W. Staples. Convolvulaceae in Flora Neotropica [unpublished data].