Rheedea Vol. 24(2) 117-119 2014 ISSN: 0971 - 2313 On the occurrence of Ipomoea tenuipes (Convolvulaceae) in India Vinod B. Shimpale*, M.A. Kare1, D.K. Londhe2 and A.S. Bhuktar2 Department of Botany, The New College, Kolhapur-416 012, Maharashtra, India 1 Department of Botany, Pratishthan Mahavidyalaya, Paithan-431 107, Maharashtra, India 2 Department of Botany, Vivekanand College, Aurangabad-431 005, Maharashtra, India *E-mail: shimpale@yahoo.com Abstract Ipomoea tenuipes Verdc., an African species is recollected after a long gap from Maharashtra and the present collection confirms its existence in India. Brief description and relevant notes are provided here for easy identification. Keywords: Convolvulaceae, India, Ipomoea tenuipes Introduction Ipomoea L. is one of the dominant genera in the family Convolvulaceae. The genus is represented by about 650 species, mainly confined to the tropical and warm temperate regions of the world (Mabberley, 2008). Santapau and Henry (1973) reported c. 60 species for India. Subsequently Ipomoea mombassana Vatke (Biju et al., 1998); I. parasitica (Kunth) G.Don (Biju, 2002) and I. ochracea (Lindl.) G.Don (Shimpale et al., 2012) have been added to Indian flora, bringing the total number into 63 species in India. While exploring the family Convolvulaceae for the state of Maharashtra, the authors came across an interesting species of Ipomoea from Paithan in Aurangabad district, Maharashtra. The species resembles with I. cairica (L.) Sweet but differs in having annual habit and smaller corolla with apiculate lobes. After detailed studies and consulting types and relevant literature, it is identified as I. tenuipes Verdc. It is a native of Africa and recollected after a gap of 53 years from Indian region. This species is not reported by Hooker, (1882), Cooke (1958), Johari (1983), Biju (1997), Naik (1998) Almeida (2001) and Singh et al. (2001). But Verdcourt (1961) has commented that ‘the plant does occur in India but needs confirmation in by comparison with African material’. Hence the present report of its occurrence in Maharashtra is the confirmation of its existence in the Indian flora. Brief description and relevant notes are provided here to facilitate easy identification. Ipomoea tenuipes Verdc., Kew Bull. 15: 12. 1961 & in Fl. Tropical East Africa (Convolvulaceae): 127. 1963. Fig. 1 Convolvulus heptaphyllus Rottl. & Willd. in Ges., Naturf. Fr. Neue Schr. 4: 196. 1803. Annual, glabrous herbs. Stems slender, twining or sometimes prostrate. Lamina circular in outline, palmately divided to the base, 9.2 × 8.2 cm, often much less; lobes elliptic to lanceolate 2.6–4 × 1 cm, usually obtuse and apiculate at apex, narrowed and sub-petioluled at base, the outer ones often 2-lobed; petiole 4–5 cm long, glabrous; pseudostipules present resembling the leaves but much smaller, glabrous. Flowers axillary, solitary or in 2–3flowered cymes; peduncle 5–6 cm long, slender, almost filiform, glabrous; pedicels slender but thicker than the peduncle, more or less 1.7 cm long, somewhat sub-clavate; bracteoles minute, middle of the pedicel. Sepals elliptic or almost orbicular, 3–4 × 3–5 mm, sub-equal with membranous edges, usually obtuse but mucronulate, often muriculate. Corolla funnel-shaped, rose-purple or dark mauve, 0.8 – 1.7 × 0.4 – 1.5 cm, with shallow apiculate lobes. Stamens 5, sub-equal, included, adnate to corolla lobe at c. 5 mm above base. Capsules globose, 6–7 × 7–8 mm, 4-valved, glabrous, brown. Seeds 2–4, sub-globose, 3–4 × 2–2.5 mm, brown, velvetypubescent, with 5–10 mm long white cottony hairs at the edges. Flowering & fruiting: October – December. 118 On the occurrence of Ipomoea tenuipes in India Fig. 1. Ipomoea tenuipes Verdc.: a. Habit; b. Single flower; c. Corolla split open showing stamens; d. Fruit. Habitat & ecology: Grows along road sides, usually in black cottony or loamy soil. It mostly twines on bushes of Prosopis juliflora DC. Specimen examined: INDIA, Aurangabad, Paithan, Kare 1035. Distribution: Botswana, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe and now in India. Note: It is often confused with I. cairica, the important differences are tabulated in Table 1. Maharashtra, Table 1. Differences between Ipomoea cairica and Ipomoea tenuipes Characters Ipomoea cairica Ipomoea tenuipes Habit Perennial herb Annual herb Lamina Ovate or orbicular Circular in outline Peduncle 1.5–2 cm long 5–6 cm long Corolla 4–6 × 1–5 cm, without apiculate lobes 0.8–1.7 × 0.4–1.5 cm, with shallow apiculate lobes Acknowledgements Authors are thankful to the Head, Department of Botany and Principal, The New College, Kolhapur for laboratory facilities and also the anonymous reviewers for improving upon the original MS. Biju, S.D. 1997. Taxonomic and morphologic studies in family Convolvulaceae of southern peninsular India. Ph. D. thesis (unpublished), University of Calicut, India. Literature Cited Biju, S.D., P. Matthew & V.M. Kumar 1998. Ipomoea mombassana Vatke (Convolvulaceae) A new record for India. J. Econ. Tax. Bot. 22(2): 471-473. Almeida, M.R. 2001. Flora of Maharashtra. Thomas Paul Almeida for Blatter Herbarium, St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai 3B: 317-337. Biju, S.D. 2002. Ipomoea parasitica (Kunth) G. Don (Convolvulaceae): A new record for India. Rheedea 12(1): 77-79. V.B. Shimpale, et al. 119 Cooke, T. 1958 (Repr. ed.). The Flora of the Presidency of Bombay. London (B.S.I. Reprint). Calcutta 2: 310-320. Santapau, H. & A.N. Henry 1973. A dictionary of the flowering plants in India. CSIR, New Delhi. p. 83. Hooker, J.D. 1882. Flora of British India L. Reeve & Co., London. 3: 86-92. Shimpale, V.B., Kshirsagar, P.R. & N.V. Pawar 2012. Ipomoea ochracea (Convolvulaceae) - A new record for India. Rheedea. 22(2): 99-102. Johari, S.C. 1983. Genus Ipomoea L. in India. Ph. D. thesis (unpublished), University of Rajasthan, Jaipur, India. Mabberley, D.J. 2008. The Plant- Book: A portable dictionary of plants, their distribution and uses (Third Edition). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. Naik, V.N. 1998. Flora of Marathwada. Amrut Prakashan, Aurangabad. 1: 583-596. View publication stats Singh, N.P., Lakshminarasimhan, P., Karthikeyan, S. & P. Prasanna 2001. Flora of Maharashtra State. Dicotyledones. Botanical Survey of India, Calcutta. 2: 454-473. Verdcourt, B. 1961. Notes on the East African Herbarium: XII. Kew Bull. 15(1): 1-18. ____________________________________________ Received: 17.04.2013 Revised and Accepted: 24.10.2014