Merremia quinata

Nomenclature

Accepted name/Authority/Place of publication:

Merremia quinata (R. Br.) Ooststr., Fl. Males. ser. I, 4: 447. 1953.

Synonyms:

Ipomoea quinata R.Br., Prodr. 486 (1810); Convolulus quinatus (R.Br.) Spreng., Syst. Veg., 1: 590 (1824).

Type: Australia. Northern Territory: North Coast. Island α [Mallison Island], 1 Mar. 1803, R. Brown [Bennett no. 2755]; holotype BM (photo BRI).

Convolvulus quinatus (R. Br.) Spreng.. Syst. 1: 590. 1825.

Ipomoea hirsuta R.Br., Prodr. 486 (1810); Convolvulus brownii Spreng., Syst. Veg., 1: 590 (1824) nom. illeg.

Type: Australia. Northern Territory: Arnhem, north Bay [Melville Bay], 14 Feb. 1803, R.Brown [Bennett no. 2756]; holotype BM (photo BRI).

Ipomoea pentadactylis Choisy, Mém. Soc. Phys. Genève 6: 471. 1834.

Description

Habit:

Herbs, twining; axial parts ± hirsute with erect yellowish hairs, or glabrous. Stems slender, to 2 m.

Leaves:

1–2.5 cm; leaf blade palmately compound; leaflets 5, linear, lanceolate, or oblong-elliptic, 15–42 × 2.5–15 mm, often glabrous, sometimes hirsute along midvein and margin abaxially, base attenuate, margin entire, apex obtuse and mucronulate.

Inflorescences:

Pedicel 3–6(–9) mm.

Flowers:

Flowers 1 or 2; peduncle shorter to longer than leaves, glabrous or hirsute basally; bracts ovate-deltoid, 3–4 mm, apex acuminate. Sepals elliptic to ovate-oblong, unequal, outer 2 sepals 8–10 mm, inner sepals ca. 1.5 cm, glabrous, apex obtuse, mucronulate. Corolla white, campanulate or funnelform, ca. 4 cm. Filaments inserted 6–7 mm above base of corolla. Ovary glabrous.

Fruits:

Capsule ovoid, 1–1.3 cm, apex ± acuminate.

Seeds:

Seeds oblong, 4–6 mm, pale yellow pubescent.

Author:

Fang R.C. & G. Staples

References:

Fang R.C., G. Staples, et al. 1995. Convolvulaceae in P. Raven & C.Y. Wu (eds.) Flora of China 16: 271–325.

Biogeography, Ecology and Natural History

Distribution Map:

Distribution:

China (Guangxi, Hainan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Yunnan), Indonesia, Myanmar, New Guinea, Philippines, Thailand; Australia(Western Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland; also Malesia)

Ecology:

China: Open mountain slopes.

Thailand: Clearings, roadsides,
grassy places in dry dipterocarp forest, mixed deciduous forest,
fire-influenced dry forest, and rice paddies; altitude: 150–380 m.

Phenology:

Flowering: October, November; fruiting: November.

Author:

Fang R.C. & G. Staples

References:

Fang R.C., G. Staples, et al. 1995. Convolvulaceae in P. Raven & C.Y. Wu (eds.) Flora of China 16: 271–325.

Other information

Common names and uses:

zhi ye shan zhu cai (Chinese). Chingcho nio nang (Thai).

General comments:

Ooststr. (Fl. Malesiana, ser. I., 4: 447. 1953) has expressed doubt that plants occurring in Myanmar, southern China, and southeast Asia are conspecific with those in New Guinea and Australia. We apply the name provisionally in a broad sense, pending consideration of the range of variation in populations throughout the region, and examination of type specimens for the names involved.