Argyreia confusa
Nomenclature
Accepted name/Authority/Place of publication:
Argyreia confusa (Prain) Raizada, Ind. Forester 93: 754. 1967.
Synonyms:
Lettsomia confusa Prain, J. Asiat. Soc. Bengal, Pt. 2, Nat. Hist. 63(2): 96. 1894.
Misapplied name: Argyreia setosa sensu authors not of Choisy: e.g., Gagnep. & Courchet in Lecomte, Fl. Indo-Chine 4: 282. 1915, p.p.
Description
Habit:
Slender climber; stems to 3 m, sparsely appressed setose.
Leaves:
Leaves ovate, 2.5–10 by 1.3–6.5 cm, base cordate, apex acute, both sides sparsely appressed setose to glabrescent; lateral veins 5–9 per side; petiole slender, 2.5–4.5 cm.
Inflorescences:
Inflorescences axillary, cymose, 1–5-flowered; peduncle shorter than petiole, 0.8–2 cm long; bracts 2 or 3, oblong, elliptic, or spathulate, 0.7–0.9 cm, obtuse, appressed strigose, persistent; pedicels 0–3 mm.
Flowers:
Flower sepals ovate to broadly elliptic, 10–12 mm, apex obtuse to acutish, densely appressed strigose outside, persistent and accrescent in fruit; corolla tubular-funnelform, 2.8–4.3 cm long, limb entire or undulate purple (or white?), upper tube and midpetaline bands setose outside, tube base glabrous; stamens included, equal, 26–28 mm, filament bases dilated-triangular, densely hairy; pistil included, 30–35 mm.
Fruits:
Berry globose, c. 10 mm diam., papery, pink.
Seeds:
Seeds 4 or fewer.
References:
Staples, G. & P. Traiperm. 2010. Argyreia in Convolvulaceae. Fl. Thailand 10(3): 337–371.
Biogeography, Ecology and Natural History
Distribution Map:
Distribution:
Myanmar (type), Thailand, China.
Ecology:
Open grassy slopes
and under deciduous jungle, open dry dipterocarp forest, and in disturbed dry
forest; altitude: 300–1000 m.
Phenology:
Flowering: June, August–November; fruiting: December.
References:
Staples, G. & P. Traiperm. 2010. Argyreia in Convolvulaceae. Fl. Thailand 10(3): 337–371.
Other information
Authorship for webpage
Editor:
George Staples, Esmond Er
Contributors:
I have taken up the name Agyreia confusa for this species, the only practical course. It belongs to a complex of species with an exceedingly messy nomenclature, which only a careful revision will sort out. The name must be considered provisional until it is possible to locate and examine numerous type specimens that are not presently available.