Abstract
SummaryRecent collections of Ipomoea from North East Brazil have revealed a number of unexpected disjunct distributions. The most remarkable is that of I. eremnobrocha D. F. Austin, previously thought to be endemic to Panama but now known from three states in NE Brazil. Revision of Panamanian material named I. eremnobrocha unexpectedly showed that two distinct species had been treated under this one name. Specimens from the Chagres National Park area in Panama are described as a new species under the name I. isthmica J. R. I. Wood & Buril while I. eremnobrocha is retained as the correct name for the plant from the Altos de Campana in Panama and NE Brazil. An amended description of this species is given and a table of differences between the related species is provided. Two recently described species from Bolivia, I. graniticola J. R. I. Wood & Scotland and I. chiquitensis J. R. I. Wood & Scotland are recorded from NE Brazil several thousand km from their type localities. Attention is drawn to the role of granite inselbergs as sites of species with a disjunct distribution. A possible relative of I. chiquitensis is described as a new species from NE Brazil under the name I. melancholica J. R. I. Wood & Buril. The new species are illustrated with line drawings and maps of the unusual distribution patterns are provided.
Highlights
Northeastern Brazil is drier than other parts of the country and much of it is covered in various kinds of dry forest and, in particular, with deciduous, often spiny woodland known as caatinga
I. isthmica is distinguished from I. eremnobrocha by the much larger, entire, not 3-lobed leaves, the longer very unequal sepals and the longer pale magenta corolla with a dark purple base
Ipomoea eremnobrocha has a very disjunct distribution being found in NE Brazil, Panama and neighbouring Costa Rica
Summary
Northeastern Brazil is drier than other parts of the country and much of it is covered in various kinds of dry forest and, in particular, with deciduous, often spiny woodland known as caatinga. South from approximately 7°S and running parallel to the coast are relics of Mata Atlântica or Brazilian Atlantic Forest (Nogueira Rodal et al 2005), which in some areas penetrates into the more widespread caatinga of the region. The Mata Atlantica itself is not uniform but consists of a mosaic of different physiognomies including deciduous woodland and, at higher elevations with greater rainfall, a distinctive vegetation known as “Brejo de Altitude”, sometimes translated as “northeastern upland forest” (Porto et al 2004). As in other parts of Brazil diverse species of Ipomoea L. are present and it was from here that the authors found two putative new species which are discussed in this paper and whose distribution and identity has extensive ramifications
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