June 2014 TheJournal of Japanese Botany Vol. 89 No. 3 181

J. Jpn. Bot. 89: 181–185 (2014)

Saugat ShreSthaa,* and Sangeeta rajbhandaryb: Ipomoea indica and Ipomoea triloba (Convolvulaceae) – New Records for Flora of Nepal

aDhankuta Multiple Campus, Tribhuvan University, Dhankuta, NEPAL;bCentral Department of Botany, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, NEPAL*Corresponding author: yoursaugat@gmail.com

Summary: In Nepal, the genus Ipomoea (Convoluvulaceae) is represented by 15 taxa. The present study has added two more records, Ipomoea indica (Burm.) Merr. and I. triloba L. Detailed description with their distribution in Nepal, illustration and diagnostic characters have been provided.

The genus Ipomoea is a large and complex genus commonly known by the name “Morning glory” which comprises the largest number of species within the family Convolvulaceae. Ipomoea is estimated to contain ca. 600 species of climbers and shrubs, which are widely distributed throughout the tropics and subtropics (Wu and Raven 1995, Miller et al. 1999). Members of the genus Ipomoea are annual and perennial herbaceous plants, lianas, shrubs and small trees; most of the species are twining climbing plants. In Nepal, the genus comprises 15 taxa occurring in the tropical, subtropical and temperate region in Nepal (Press et al. 2000, Bista et al. 2001, Department of Plant Resources 2001).

During field survey in Eastern and Central Nepal, the first author came across two unidentified species of Ipomoea which were collected and preserved for thorough investigation. The characters of these species did not match any description of Ipomoea previously reported from Nepal. The identity of these unknown species was confirmed by consulting literature (Hooker 1885, Haines 1961, Fosberg 1976, Austin 1986, Naithani 1990, Wu et al. 1995, Grierson and Long 1999) as well as by comparing digital images from different

herbaria abroad. The validity of the information was further ascertained by contacting Dr. Daniel F. Austin from Sonora Desert Museum, who is popularly known as Dr. Ipomoea. These two unknown species were identified as Ipomoea indica (Burm.) Merr. and I. triloba L. These two species have not been previously reported from Nepal (Hara 1966, Malla et al. 1976, Hara et al. 1982, Malla et al. 1986, Siwakoti 1995, Siwakoti and Verma 1999, Press et al. 2000, DPR, 2001). There is no record of the specimens in the National herbarium (KATH) and Tribhuvan University Central Herbarium (TUCH) as well. Therefore, Ipomoea indica (Burm.) Merr. and Ipomoea triloba L. are herein considered new records for Flora of Nepal (Fig. 1).

Taxonomic treatmentIpomoea indica (Burm.) Merr., Interpr. Herb.

Amboin.: 445 (1917). [Fig. 2]Convolvulus indicus Burm., Herb. Amboin.

Auctuar.: 6 (1755).Convolvulus acuminatus Vahl, Symb. Bot. 3:

26 (1794).Ipomoea acuminata (Vahl) Roem. & Schult.,

Syst. Veg. 4: 228 (1819).Ipomoea cathartica Poir., Encycl. Suppl.

4(2): 633 (1816).Ipomoea indica (Burm.) Merr. var. acuminata

(Vahl) Fosberg, Bot. Not. Suppl. 129: 38 (1976).Herbaceous, annual twiner or sometime

prostrate, with densely retrorse pillose axial parts. Stem up to 6 m; petiole 3–16 cm; retrorse hairs, thickened at the base. Leaf blade ovate to circular, 3.5–15.5 × 3–14 cm, abaxially

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densely pubescent, adaxially sparsely pubescent; base cordate, margin entire or 3-lobed, apex acuminate, venation lateral, 7–9 pairs. Inflorescence dense umbel, axillary cyme, many flowered. Peduncle 3–15 cm, stout, hairy; bract 3 in each flower, linear, outermost larger, ca. 2.5 cm and inner 1.5–2.2 cm, sparsely pubescent. Pedicel 3–7 mm. Sepals 5, subequal, lanceolate, 18–20 × 4–5 mm, outer 3 ovate-lanceolate, inner 2 narrowly lanceolate; apex linear-acuminate, hairs of sepals silvery white, soft appressed without bulbous base. Corolla bright blue or bluish purple, reddish purple or red, 5–7.5 cm, funneliform, glabrous, 5–7 cm in diameter. Stamen-5, unequal, 1.6–2.5 cm, included, epipetalous, lower part of the filaments silky white; anther basifixed, 5 × 1.5 mm, dehiscing longitudinally, extrorse. Gynoecium 1, included, 3.6 cm long. Ovary glabrous. Stigma 3-lobed, ovule 3-locular; capsule globose ca. 1 cm in diam. Seed ca. 5 mm in diam., glabrous.

English name: Oceanblue morning gloryHabitat: Shady and moist place at an

elevation of 80–1200 m.Distribution: East and Central Nepal (Fig. 1),

Taiwan, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Sri-Lanka, South America, Tropical Africa, North America.

Flowering: February – October.Fruiting: October – November.

Specimens examined: Eastern Nepal, Koshi zone, Morang district, Biratnagar, 80 m, 8 Nov. 2008, S. Shrestha 246 (TUCH). Central Nepal, Bagmati zone, Kathmandu district, Kirtipur, 1150 m, 28 Aug. 2007, S. Shrestha 213 (TUCH); Central Nepal, Bagmati zone, Kathmandu district, Koteswor, 900 m, 10 Nov . 2008, S. Shrestha 250 (TUCH).

Notes: Ipomoea indica shows similarity with I. nil and I. purpurea. The main distinguishing character among these three species is the character of sepal. I. indica has ovate to narrowly lanceolate sepals whereas sepals of I. purpurea are oblong and those of I. nil are ovate elliptic (Austin 1986, Wu et al. 1995). Ipmoea purpurea has short (10–18 mm), acute and densely pubescent sepals. However, the sepals of I. nil and I. indica are long (17–25 mm) and acuminate. In I. nil, the sepal is densely pubescent with coarse stiff hairs with a swollen base whereas in I. indica, the sepals have soft silvery white hairs without a bulbous base (Fosberg 1976).

Ipomoea triloba L., Sp. Pl. 1: 161 (1753).[Fig. 3]

Batatas triloba (L.) Choisy in Mém. Soc. Phys. Genève 8(1): 49 (1838).

Convolvulus heterophyllus Sessé & Moc., Fl. Mexic.: 36 (1892).

Convolvulus trilobus (L.) Desr., Encycl. 3(2): 564 (1792).

Ipomoea blancoi Choisy in DC., Prodr. 9:

Fig 1. Distribution of Ipomoea indica (open circle) and I. triloba (closed circle) in Nepal.

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Fig. 2. Ipomoea indica (Burm.) Merr. A. Habit. B. Bract. C. Outer sepal. D. Inner sepal. E. Stamen. F. Pistil.

389 (1845).Twining or prostrate annual herbs, glabrous

or sparsely pilose. Stem 1–2 m. Petiole 2–5 cm, glabrous sometime tuberculate. Leaf blade broadly ovate to circular in outline, 2.5–7 × 2–6 cm, glabrous or sparsely pilose, margin entire

or coarsely dentate to deeply 3-lobed, lobe lanceolate, middle lobe longer, apex obtuse, mucronate, base cordate; lateral veins 6–7 pairs. Inflorescence axillary, dense umbellate cyme, 1–several flowers; peduncle 1–4.5 cm, glabrous, angular, dark green, bract linear-

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lanceolate, apex acuminate, 3–5 mm, minutely hairy on upper surface; pedicel very short 2–8 mm, thickened at fruit. Sepal 5, subequal, 7–9 mm, linear-acuminate from ovate base, apex acuminate, abaxially very hirsute, adaxially glabrous, margin fimbriate, inner sepal slightly narrower than outer; vein lateral. Corolla pink or purple, tubular, 14–18 mm, midpetaline band hirsute outside. Stamen included 5, unequal,

8–11 mm long; anther lobed, oblong, ca. 1.9 × 1 mm, basifixed, filaments pilose at the base. Style included 1, ca. 13 mm long. Stigma 2-lobed. Ovary gray, densely hirsute, 2-loculed, 4- ovuled. Capsule globose 5–7 mm in diam., densely hirsute. Seeds grayish brown, globose, 2.5–4 mm in diameter.

English name: Little bellHabitat: Dry and open place along the

Fig. 3. Ipomoea triloba L. A. Habit. B. Bract. C. Sepal. D. Stamen. E. Pistil. F. Fruit. G. Seed.

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roadside at an elevation of 80 m.Distribution: East Nepal (Fig. 1), Taiwan,

Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Guinea, Philippines, Sri-Lanka, North America.

Flowering: September – October.Fruiting: October – November.Specimen examined: Eastern Nepal, Koshi Zone,

Morang district, Sanihat, Biratnagar, 80 m, 8 Nov. 2008, S. Shrestha 235 (TUCH).

Notes: I. triloba resembles I. batatas in shape and color of the flowers (Wu et al. 1995). Both the species have purple, infundibuliform flower. However, I. triloba differs from I. batatas in integuments of the sepals and ovary. Sepals of I. triloba are densely pubescent on margin and midrib whereas I. batatas has glabrous sepals. The ovary in I. triloba is densely hirsute but I. batatas has glabrous and shining ovary. Similarly, I. batatas has a tuberous root unlike the tap root of I. triloba.

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to Dr. Daniel F. Austin, University of Arizona who provided relevant literature and also helped us with identification of the species. We would also like to thank the curator of the National Herbarium (KATH) and Tribhuvan University Central Herbarium (TUCH) for allowing us to study the specimens.

ReferencesAustin D. F. 1986. Nomenclature of the Ipomoea nil

Complex (Convolvulaceae). Taxon 35(2):355–358.Bista M. S., Adhikari M. K. and Rajbhandari K. R.

2001. Flowering Plants of Nepal (Phanerograms). Department of Plant Resources, Kathmandu.

Department of Plant Resources 2001. Flowering Plants of Nepal (Phanerogams). Department of Plant Resources Bulletin No. 18, Ministry of Forest and

Soil Conservation, His Majesty Government of Nepal, Kathmandu.

Fosberg F. R. 1976. Ipomoea indica taxonomy: a tangle of morning glories. Bot. Notiser 129(1): 35–38.

Grierson A. J. C. and Long D. G. 1999. Flora of Bhutan Vol 2, Part 2. Royal Botanical Garden Edingurgh, Royal Government of Bhutan.

Haines H. H. 1961. The Flora of Bihar and Orissa, Part III. Botanical Survey of India, Calcutta.

Hara H. 1966. The Flora of Eastern Himalaya. The University of Tokyo Press, Tokyo.

Hara H., Chater A. O. and Williams L. H. 1982. An Enumeration of Flowering Plants of Nepal Vol 3. British Museum (National History) London.

Hooker J. D. 1885. Flora of British India. Lloyds Bank Building, Ashford.

Malla S. B., Adhikary S. R., Rajbhandary P. M., Shakya P. R. and Shrestha T. B. 1976. Catalogue of Nepalese Vascular Plants. Bulletin of Department of Medicinal Plants No. 7. Department of Medicinal Plants, Kathmandu.

Malla S. B., Adhikary S. R., Rajbhandary P. M., Shakya P. R. and Shrestha T. B. 1986. Flora of Kathmandu Valley. Bulletin of Department of Medicinal Plants No. 11. Department of Medicinal Plants, Kathmandu.

Miller R. E., Manos P. S. and Rausher M. D. 1999. Phylogenetic Systematics of Ipomoea (Convolvulaceae) Based on ITS and Waxy Sequence. Syst. Bot. 24(2): 209–227.

Naithani H. B. 1990. Flowering Plants of India, Nepal and Bhutan. Surya Publication 4-B, Dehra Dun.

Press J. R., Shrestha K. K. and Sutton D. A. 2000. Annotated Checklist of the Flowering Plants of Nepal. The Natural History Museum, London.

Siwakoti M. 1995. Flora of Plain Region of Eastern Nepal (Biratnagar-Dharan). Ph. D. Dissertation, Department of Botany, T. M. Bhagalpur University, Bhagalpur, Bihar, India.

Siwakoti M. and Verma S. K. 1999. Plant Diversity of Eastern Nepal: Flora of Plains of Eastern Nepal. Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh, Dehradun.

Wu Z. Y. and Raven P. H. 1995. Flora of China Vol 16. Science Press Science, Beijing and Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis.

S. Shresthaa，S. Rajbhandaryb：ネパール新産のノアサガオとホシアサガオ（ヒルガオ科）　ネパール産のヒルガオ属（ヒルガオ科）にはこれまで15の分類群が認められてきた．本研究ではノアサガオIpomoea indica (Burm.) Merr.とホシアサガオ I. triloba L.の 2種を追加し，これらの 2種のネパールでの分布

域や形態的特徴を図示するとともに詳しく記載した．（aネパール・Tribhuvan大学 Dhankuta Multiple Campus，

bネパール・Tribhuvan大学）